Sara Swann

Moments of Truth: Community Conversation Navigating Complexity in a Changing World

The Poynter Institute is hosting a free community conversation about press freedom and media literacy tonight at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. Join us! dclibrary.libnet.info/event/13701523

“Facts Matter,” says Stephen Fry. “Verifiable, testable, provable facts.”

Fact checking is vital in the fight against global misinformation. This #FactCheckingDay, show your support for accurate information. Tell the world why #FactsMatter.

Fact-checkers add to the conversation by following the facts and sharing what we learn so you can make your own decisions. #FactCheckingDay

Live fact-checking on Trump Cabinet hearings The U.S. Senate will hold hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, with the aim of confirming their positions directly after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

The Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, starts in a few minutes. Tune in to PolitiFact's liveblog for fact-checking and analysis of the hearing. www.politifact.com/article/2025...

Update: We're now officially @politifact.bsky.social! Follow along here for fact-checks from our nonprofit newsroom. bsky.app/profile/poli...

What to know about the latest bird flu outbreaks A recent avian influenza outbreak among California dairy cows and the first known severe human case of H5N1 bird flu in

What's going on with the latest bird flu outbreaks? How is it impacting dairy cows? Are humans at risk?

Everything you need to know is in my latest report for PolitiFact. www.politifact.com/article/2024...

We officially have a Poynter starter pack! 👀🎉https://go.bsky.app/JDkPP82

Lie of the Year: Springfield Haitians are ‘eating the pets’ Donald Trump, JD Vance's false claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pet cats and dogs is PolitiFact's 2024 Lie of the Year.

Of the many flagrantly false claims made this year, one stood out as particularly harmful:

PolitiFact’s 2024 Lie of the Year goes to Donald Trump and JD Vance for false claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating pet dogs and cats.
www.politifact.com/article/2024...

Join | PolitiFact PolitiFact is supported by people like you. Support us by becoming a member today.

If you want to support this kind of independent, accountability-driven fact-checking, please consider donating to our nonprofit newsroom. politifact.fundjournalism.org/donate/

Lie of the Year: Springfield Haitians are ‘eating the pets’ Donald Trump, JD Vance's false claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pet cats and dogs is PolitiFact's 2024 Lie of the Year.

To many Americans, Trump’s “eating the pets” moment in his debate against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris was a bizarre moment in a strange election cycle.

But to the Haitians that lived in Springfield, the lie upended their community. www.politifact.com/article/2024...

Our 2024 Lie of the Year goes to Donald Trump and JD Vance’s outrageous claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs.

In a year of inflammatory rhetoric and shocking moments, one repeated falsehood resonated with both PolitiFact journalists and readers as the most significant falsehood of 2024. 🧵

Text-heavy and colorful infographic titled BREAKING NEWS CHECKLIST with 6 tips on "What to do when information is scarce, falsehoods are rampant and the story is still unfolding" 1 Mind the gap: Keep in mind that there’s often a gap between what the public wants to know and the verified information available. Unconfirmed or completely bogus content often rushes in to fill that gap. 2 Beware bad actors: Remember that bad actors often capitalize on breaking news situations to spread falsehoods for easy likes and shares. 3 Do a quick search: This is often your best defense against misinformation. 4 Look for evidence: Claims that make bold assertions but provide no links or other evidence should always be approached with caution. 5 Seek credible sources: Be intentional about looking for credible news and not relying on social media algorithms to bring you updates. 6 Practice patience: Quality journalism and verification take time. Be ready to follow news developments over time.

🚨 When you receive a breaking news alert, it's easy to react immediately without getting the full picture. That can add to the spread of unverified info.

Start by clicking on the rest of the story, not just the headline. Here are 6️⃣ more tips.

🔗 Download: bit.ly/BreakingNews...

#NewsLiteracy

Welcome @truthometer.bsky.social (aka PolitiFact)!

Added after confirming by email that this is their actual account :-)

1/ Here’s a story about how journalism works.

Spoiler Alert: This is how we decide *not* to publish.

We were recently looking at Pete Hegseth’s different statements over the years about West Point, where he has said he was admitted.

First stop: West Point.

No, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. didn’t post about a Diet Coke ban Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowe

Your Diet Coke is safe. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. didn't say he would ban it.
www.politifact.com/factchecks/2...

Hi! 👋 I'm Sara, your friendly neighborhood fact-checker. I'll be sharing debunks of viral claims, as well as explanatory pieces on wonky policy stuff.

See something you want me and my colleagues at PolitiFact (@truthometer.bsky.social) to fact-check? 🤔 Email us at truthometer@politifact.com.