Tag Archives: Social media

Do Israelis get free healthcare + faster organ transplants in US?!

Do Israelis get free healthcare, and faster organ transplants in the US?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Israelis Get Free Healthcare + Faster Organ Transplants In US!

People are sharing a video, which claims or suggests that Israelis get free healthcare and faster organ transplants in the US!

Stew Peters : 🚨ALERT: Israelis are fast-tracked to the top of the U.S. ORGAN DONATION list and they get the entire operation for FREE.

Again, American taxpayers are paying for Israelis to come to the US, skip to the top of organ donation list, steal American organs, and have American doctors perform the transplants.

Reconsider becoming an organ donor.

Recommended : Does UN Document Show New World Order Goals For 2030?!

 

Truth : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare / Faster Organ Transplants In US!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare In US

Let me start by simply pointing out that Israelis do not get free healthcare in the US, even though they now

After the October 7 attack by Hamas (but unrelated to it), the United States government granted a 90-day visa waiver for Israelis to travel to the US for tourism or business purposes. However, these Israeli visitors do not get free healthcare.

Even though Israelis can travel to the US without visa for medical treatment, they cannot stay longer than 90 days. Hence, the NIH still recommends that travellers obtain a B-2 temporary visitor’s visa for medical treatment.

But the key takeaway point is that Israelis do not get special benefits like free healthcare, or longer visa-free stays, than citizens of other countries in the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Fact #2 : Only Israeli PRs Can Access Medicaid / CHIP

Even Israeli immigrants do not get access to free healthcare in the United States. Only after they become legal permanent residents, or citizens, can they potentially access Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), which offer free or low-cost coverage for those who meet state income and residency requirements.

However, many legal permanent residents are required to wait 5 years after receiving their “qualified immigration status” before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

To get Medicaid and CHIP coverage, many qualified non-citizens (such as many Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as LPRs or green card holders) have a 5-year waiting period. This means they must wait 5 years after getting “qualified” immigration status before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage. There are exceptions. For example, refugees, asylees, or LPRs who used to be refugees or asylees don’t have to wait 5 years.

To be clear – Israelis cannot simply fly to the US and get access to Medicaid or CHIP, even if they are applying for residency in the United States.

Recommended : Did WHO Warn Everyone Will Have Cancer Within 20 Years?!

Fact #3 : Israel Has Universal Healthcare!

It is illogical for Israelis to fly all the way to the US for free healthcare, when they already get universal healthcare in Israel!

In Israel, all citizens and permanent residents are covered by its National Health Insurance Law, which guarantees them the right to receive healthcare “within a reasonable time and at a reasonable distance from their place of residence”.

This universal healthcare system is funded by Israeli citizens who pay 3% to 5% of their income, while the government funds the rest. Many new Israeli citizens are entitled to free healthcare for six months to a year.

Fact #4 : Israelis Do Not Get Priority In US Organ Transplants

There is no evidence that Israelis get special priority, or are fast tracked for organ transplants in the US. Neither have those making these claims ever provided any evidence.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), whenever an organ is available, its centralised computer network generates a list of potential transplant candidates who have medical and biologic profiles that are compatible with the donor.

Its system ranks transplant candidates by their biologic information, as well as medical factors, disease severity, and time spent on the waiting list. Those other factors may result in a relatively new candidate receiving an organ earlier than one who spent more time on the waiting list.

However, that does not mean that they are getting fast-tracked, or special priority. It just means that the donor organs may better match them, or they may be prioritised for some other factors like delivery time and distance.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Cristiano Ronaldo Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

Did football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just die suddenly in a tragic car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-02-27 : Added new updates.
Originally posted @ 2023-04-18

 

Claim : Cristiano Ronaldo Just Died Suddenly In Tragic Car Accident!

People are claiming on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and social media that football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just died suddenly in a tragic car accident, with photos of the car accident and his funeral procession!

Very Sad News 10 minutes ago! Cristiano Ronaldo Super star Food ball CR7 lost his life in a car accident in Portugal

YouTube : CRISTIANO RONALDO DEAD IN CAR ACCIDENT

YouTube : 10 minutes ago / Cristiano ronaldo Death | Sad News | RIP Cristiano Ronaldo

Good Bye Cristiano ronaldo | Rip Cristiano

Rip #fyp #ronaldo #cristianoronaldo #rip #sad #viral #blowthisup #foryoupage #cr7

He’s dead 🥶☠️ #ronaldo #football #fyp #foryou #soccer

Recommended : Did Lionel Messi Just Die In High Speed Car Accident?!

 

Truth : Cristiano Ronaldo Did Not Die Suddenly In Tragic Car Accident!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Cristiano Ronaldo Is Still Alive + Well!

Cristiano Ronaldo (born Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro on 5 February 1985) is still very much alive and well, as of Monday, 5 February 2024!

Of course, you will want “proof of life”, don’t you? Ronaldo posted a photo of himself after scoring his 750th goal in club football on Wednesday, 25 February 2024, on Instagram.

That post came at the Al Nassr game in the Saudi Pro League against Al Shabab. After Al Nassr was given a penalty kick, Cristiano Ronaldo kicked the ball into the back of the net. His total goal count is now 877.

Recommended : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Tragic Accident?!

Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These social media posts, as well as YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Cristiano Ronald’s death!

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s best footballers and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe!

Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Cristiano Ronaldo died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook / TikTok videos?

Fact #3 : Viral Car Accident Photo Was From 2009

The viral photo of a badly damaged car is genuine, and shows a car in which Cristiano Ronaldo drove and crashed. However, that happened many years ago, when the Portuguese footballer was just 23 years old!

At 10:20 am on 8 January 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo crashed his Ferrari sports car into a roadside barrier in a tunnel on the A538 Wilmslow Road near the Manchester airport, on the way to train with the Manchester United team.

The car was badly damaged, with one of the front wheels sheared off and thrown over a hundred metres away. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was not injured, and got out of his car by himself, and later went on to train that morning.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

Fact #4 : They Used Photos From Other Funerals!

Because Cristiano Ronaldo never died in a car crash or hospital, these fake news creator have to resort to using photos from other funerals.

In this example, the fake news creator merely added an inset photo of Cristiano Ronaldo with an arrow, a crying emoji and a LIVE chyron, to a photo of the funeral procession of IRA veteran Bobby Storey, which occurred on 30 June 2020.

If you take a closer look, you will see a bagpiper and Argos – a retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. You may also notice that everyone’s white! That’s because the photo was taken in Belfast, not Portugal!

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portuguese. Why on Earth would his funeral be held in Ireland?! And why would his family want a bagpiper at his funeral?!

Recommended : Clint Eastwood Just Died On The Way To Hospital?!

Fact #5 : Cristiano Ronaldo Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Cristiano Ronaldo death hoax is, ironically, just another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the February 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 39-year-old footballer is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Cristiano Ronaldo Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Cristiano Ronaldo’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justine Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Die Of Heart Attack?!

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Does UN Document Show New World Order Goals For 2030?!

Does a viral UN document show its secret New World Order mission goals for 2030?! Take a look at the document, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : UN Document Shows New World Order Goals For 2030!

People are sharing a photo of a UN (United Nations) document which allegedly shows its secret New World Order mission goals for 2030!

Andrew Bridgen MP :The UN, WHO and WEF are all working to the same goals and I don’t like them and I don’t think my constituents will either, which is probably why they are not getting much publicity in the legacy media.

Recommended : Did EU Legalise Child Porn As WEF Pedophilia Agenda?!

 

Truth : UN Document Of New World Order Goals For 2030 Is Fake!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media platforms like Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photo Does Not Show Any UN Document

Let me start by simply pointing out that the photo does not show any legitimate UN document. It appears to be a photo taken using a smartphone – you can actually see the shadow of the smartphone!

The so-called UN document appears to be nothing more than a piece of paper printed on a monochrome printer, with a list of common New World Order conspiracy tropes:

NEW WORLD ORDER
UN Agenda 21/2030 Mission Goals

The list is so cheesy and poorly designed and formatted, it’s amazing that anyone would actually believe it’s a genuine UN document.

Needless to say – there is no such UN document, and none of those people who shared that photo ever provided any evidence to back it up.

A UN spokesperson also confirmed in September 2020 that that was “not a genuine UN document“.

Fact #2 : Fake UN Document Is Old

This fake UN document is old, having circulated since 2005. In fact, it appears that a conspiracy website first posted it on 29 September 2005, in an article called “Inside the secretive Bilderberg Group” (archive).

Even though this list is over 18.5 years old, it doesn’t seem to have come true. In fact, it looks like the evil elites have less than 7 years to accomplish all of their dastardly plans!

Recommended : Did France Pass “Article Pfizer” Law To Ban mRNA Criticism?!

Fact #3 : UN Agenda 21 Was A Non-Binding Resolution

UN Agenda 21 was a non-binding resolution that was adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.

The resolution called for nations to take a holistic approach to social, economic, and environmental changers. It also proposed potential solutions for global problems, and called for disenfranchised groups to be empowered.

Not only are UN Agenda 21 goals highly commendable, they are non-binding. That means – countries are not required to actually comply with those goals. They are aspirational, not obligatory.

In addition, none of its goals were listed in the fake UN document.

Fact #3 : 2030 UN Agenda Isn’t Legally Binding

The 2030 date in the title of the fake UN Document is likely just a coincidence (since the list first appeared in 2005). However, some fact checkers believe it may be referencing the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It is possible that some people may be recirculating this old fake UN document from 2021-2024 in reference to that UN agenda. If so, they would be wrong again.

Adopted in September 2015, the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development is a list of non-binding economic and social goals, which include ending all poverty and world hunger, as well as achieving global gender equality.

Just like Agenda 21, the 2030 UN Agenda isn’t legally binding, and are aspirational, not obligatory. None of its goals are listed in the fake UN document either.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Go Back To > Fact Check | PoliticsTech ARP

 

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Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital?!

Celine Dion just died suddenly in the hospital?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-02-24 : Added new updates, including updated MediaMass claim.
Updated @ 2023-08-31 : Added video, and updated with new examples, etc.
Originally posted @ 2023-04-17

 

Claim : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital!

People are sharing YouTube and TikTok videos claiming that Celine Dion just died in a hospital from Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), or after a tragic car / plane crash, with titles like :

30 minutes ago, R.I.P. Celine Dion (†55) Died on the way to the hospital, Farewell in tears

1 Hour Ago / R.I.P Celine Dion Died In France / Fans send their condolences to the singer

Recommended : Did Celine Dion Attend Son’s Wedding In Wheelchair?!

 

Truth : Celine Dion Did Not Die Suddenly In Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported Her Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported her death or car accident!

When Celine Dion announced that she was suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome, the media breathlessly reported it around the globe.

Celine Dion is not just a famous singer. She is a national treasure in Canada, and a music legend. If she fell and broke a nail, you can be sure that celebrity blogs would have excitedly reported it, if not the mainstream media.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet or even a celebrity blog reported that Celine Dion was involved in any car or plane crash, much less died in a hospital of a “dangerous, incurable disease”. That’s because it never happened!

Fact #2 : Celine Dion Is Still Alive!

The truth is – Celine Dion (born Céline Marie Claudette Dion on 30 March, 1968) is very much still alive, as of Saturday, 24 February 2024! Of course, you guys want “proof of life”, right?

Well, on Sunday night, 4 February 2024, Celine Dion appeared at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, to present the award for the Album of the Year to Taylor Swift. The 55 year-old singer walked out by herself to “The Power of Love”, which Taylor Swift sang along to with the crowd.

Thank you all. I love you right back. When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart.

Those who have been blessed enough to be here, the Grammy Awards, must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music bring to our lives and to people all around the world.

And now it gives me great joy to present a Grammy Award that two legends — Diana Ross and Sting — presented to me 27 years ago.

Wearing a pastel gown and brown coat, Celine Dion would later be photographed embracing Taylor Swift after the awards show. Needless to say – Celine Dion is very much still alive. She doesn’t even need to use a wheelchair, even though she is still suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome!

Recommended : Was Celine Dion Disabled By Vaccine Side Effect?!

Fact #3 : Celine Dion Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.

This is a pretty good Photoshop effort, although you can see how Celine Dion’s dark brown hair suddenly became grey hair. And of course, you have to wonder why Celine Dion would still has her makeup on!

The truth is the fake news created edited the photo of Jan Key – a 65 year-old lady from Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was hit by a car on November 21, 2019.

The photo was taken by her daughter, Kitty Jenkins, on November 26, after Jan Key underwent a second surgery for her broken arm and collarbone. She underwent emergency surgery five days ago to treat her broken leg.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

This photo, on the other hand, is a pretty bad Photoshop edit of a photo taken at the August 2018 funeral of Oliver Dragojević – a famous Croatian singer and composer.

To make it look like a Celine Dion funeral, the fake news creator added Lady Gaga appearing to cry, and unbelievably – René Angélil was edited in, with a portrait of Celine Dion magically floating in front of him.

For those who are not aware, René Angélil was Celine Dion’s manager who eventually married her on December 17, 1994. The only problem is – René Angélil died many years ago – on January 14, 2016 from throat cancer!

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In High Speed Car Crash?!

But I would like to give a special Bad Photoshop award to the fake news creator who came up with this gem.

Not only did he/she use the visage of a smiling Celine Dion, it was stitched on so badly, it’s really, REALLY funny!

Celine Dion, who was supposed to be dying in hospital from a terrible car accident, not only has both her eyes open and smiling, it looked the accident smashed her face sideways!

What a terrible, terrible Photoshop edit! If you are going to cheat people, at least put in some effort!

Recommended : Did Cristiano Ronaldo Just Die In Tragic Car Accident?!

Fact #4 : Celine Dion Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Celine Dion death hoax is, sadly, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of singer Céline Dion’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the February 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like S’il suffisait d’aimer, My Heart Will Go On or Pour que tu m’aimes encore is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Celine Dion Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Celine Dion’s unnamed rep confirming that she is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justine Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. She’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | CelebrityTech ARP

 

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Is Google Shutting Down Gmail For Good?!

Is Google shutting down Gmail for good by August 2024?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Google Is Shutting Down Gmail For Good!

A post has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), allegedly posted by the SVP of Product at Google, who claimed that he accidentally fired the entire Gmail team, and ordered it shut down after misreading a message from CEO Sundar Pichai!

Chris Bakke : I’m the SVP of Product at Google ($28.8M TC).

Last night, Sundar asked me to “fire the entire Gemini team.”

I misread his message (insanely bad service at my 7br 11bath cabin in Park City) and I accidentally fired the entire Gmail team.

Gmail…Gemini.

Look at that quickly without your glasses when you’re 7 margaritas deep at the fire pit on a Wednesday and you’d make the same error.

I mean you get how that’s confusing right?

Anyway, I’m rolling with the decision.

Gmail’s gone.

A screenshot of a Google notice about sunsetting Gmail was attached to the post, and it suggested that Gmail accounts would become inaccessible after 1 August 2024.

Google is sunsetting Gmail

Dear Gmail User,

We are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail. After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close. As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service. This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails.

Why Gmail is Sunsetting

The decision to sunset Gmail has been made with careful consideration of the evolving digital landscape and our commitment to providing high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our users. In the spirit of progress and adaptation, we are focusing our resources on developing new technologies and platforms that will continue to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact online.

What This Means for You

Email Access: Up until August 1, 2024, you will be able to access and download all your emails. After this date, Gmail accounts will become inaccessible.

Recommended : Is WhatsApp Going To Charge Backup Storage Fee?!

 

Claim : Google Is Not Shutting Down Gmail At All!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Google Is Not Shutting Down Gmail

Let me start by pointing out that Google is not shutting down Gmail. For one thing – no one received the “Google is sunsetting Gmail” email. There is also no announcement on the Google blog.

There is also an absence of legitimate news and tech media reporting on such a shocking announcement. In fact, all you will find are fact check articles like this, telling you that this is just another example of fake news on X.

There is also the fact that the official Gmail account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a terse response:

Gmail is here to stay

To be clear – Google is not shutting down Gmail. This is just satire / shitposting on X.

Google is itself highly-reliant on Gmail services, and would be in deep shit if Gmail goes down for even an hour, never mind shut down forever.

Recommended : WhatsApp : No More Free Unlimited Backup On Android!

Fact #2 : Chris Bakke Isn’t Google Product SVP

I should also point out that Chris Bakke is not the Senior Vice President of Product at Google in charge of Gmail. In fact, he’s currently working at X, not Google!

Chris Bakke was the founder and CEO of Laskie, a tech recruitment company that X (formerly Twitter) purchased in May 2023. He is currently the Product Lead for X, and is known to be a notorious “shitposter” or “trash poster” on the social media platform.

When Austen Allred, another tech founder, tweeted about the acquisition when it was revealed, Elon Musk said he thought it was a good sign:

Austen Allred : Only fitting that Twitter’s first acquisition in the Elon era is a company run by a notorious shitposter.

Elon Musk : I regard that as a good sign 🙂

Elon is probably going to give Chris a bonus for the millions of views and engagement his new “shitpost” has generated on X. Throw some our way, Chris, will ya!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | InternetTech ARP

 

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Why Red Cross Don’t Separate COVID Vaccinated Blood!

Some people are now making a fuss about the Red Cross not separating COVID-19 vaccinated blood, from unvaccinated blood.

Find out why the Red Cross is not separating donated blood based on the donor’s COVID-19 vaccination status!

 

Red Cross Does Not Separate COVID Vaccinated Blood!

People are sharing an audio clip of a Red Cross official telling an “undercover journalist” that they do not separate donated blood based on the donor’s COVID-19 vaccination status.

Cue the (feigned?) shock, horror and outrage on social media…

Steven Crowder : BREAKING: @RedCross official tells undercover journalist they DO NOT SEPARATE donated blood based on COVID-19 vaccination status; ADMITS unvaccinated recipients can UNWITTINGLY RECEIVE blood from vaccinated donors

THIS. IS. INSANE.

Recommended : Is Red Cross Rejecting COVID Vaccinated Blood?!

 

Why Red Cross Don’t Separate COVID Vaccinated Blood!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is Old News

Let me start by pointing out that the fact that the Red Cross does not separate donated blood based on the donor’s COVID-19 vaccination status is not “breaking news”. It’s actually old news.

The Red Cross has stated that it does not label or separate blood products according to the donor’s COVID-19 vaccination status since September 2022, if not earlier.

14 September 2022 : We don’t label blood products as containing vaccinated or unvaccinated blood as the COVID-19 vaccine does not enter the bloodstream & poses no safety risks to the recipient. If you have safety concerns about potential blood transfusions, please speak with your medical care team

4 January 2023 : Blood products aren’t labeled with the donor’s vaccination status & there’s no scientific evidence that the vaccine enters the bloodstream.

You don’t need to be an “undercover journalist”, or even attempt to “trick” any Red Cross official into revealing what has already been openly stated for more than 1.5 years now.

Just because someone is ignorant about old news does not make this breaking news. What next will these Johnnys-come-lately reveal next? That vaccines must evolve to adapt to new COVID-19 variants???

Recommended : Did WEF Pass Law To Criminalise Criticism Of mRNA?!

Fact #2 : Red Cross Says Vaccinated Blood Safe For Transfusion

After recent claims that blood donors were being rejected or deferred because they were COVID-vaccinated, the American Red Cross responded that it follows FDA regulations and protocols, and that vaccinated blood are safe for transfusions.

The safety of blood donors and the recipients who receive donated blood is our top priority. The Red Cross, like all blood collectors in the U.S., follows FDA regulations and protocols. This includes guidance related to those who receive vaccinations such as the COVID-19 vaccine.

Individuals can donate blood after getting an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine as long as they are feeling well and symptom free at the time of donation. Those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine are asked to provide the name of the manufacturer to ensure it is an FDA approved vaccine. If the donor can not remember the name of the manufacturer, they are asked to wait two weeks from their vaccination to give blood.

Donations from those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 are safe for transfusion. Similar to other vaccines such as measles, mumps or influenza, the COVID-19 vaccine is designed to generate an immune response to help protect an individual from illness. The vaccine components themselves are not found within the blood stream.

Let me just repeat this – blood products from COVID-vaccinated donors are safe for transfusion. Hence, there is no need to separate them based on the donor’s COVID-vaccination status, just like how blood products are not separated based on whether their donors received the measles, mumps, or influenza vaccines.

Fact #3 : Red Cross Is Not Obligated To Cater To Your Preferences

Donated blood products are meant to save lives. Organisations that receive and process blood products have to comply with regulations, and best practices. These are not trivial products that for-profit companies can cater to the whims and fancies of the consumer.

Hence, Red Cross and other similar blood organisations are not obligated to cater to anyone’s preferences of “unvaccinated” blood. If you wish to receive only “unvaccinated blood”, then you will have to donate and store your own blood, or have an unvaccinated friend or relative donate their blood for you to use.

Go ahead, and knock yourself out. Just don’t insist that organisations like the American Red Cross must cater to your whims and fancies.

Recommended : Did Pfizer Call mRNA Vaccines Deadliest Drug In History?!

Fact #4 : Blood Of Vaccinated People Are Safe For Transfusions

It isn’t just the Red Cross that claims that the blood of COVID-19 vaccinated people are safe for transfusions. Other organisations like the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies and America’s Blood Centers issued a joint statement with the American Red Cross on this very issue:

The following statement has been issued by AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross regarding misinformation concerning COVID-19 vaccines and blood donations:

Amid ongoing misinformation about COVID-19 vaccinations and blood donation, America’s Blood Centers, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB), and the American Red Cross reiterate the safety of America’s blood supply and assure the public that vaccines do not pose a risk to patients receiving blood transfusions.

Blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for use in the U.S. are safe for transfusion. Similar to other vaccines such as those for measles, mumps or influenza, COVID-19 vaccines are designed to generate an immune response to help protect an individual from illness, but vaccine components themselves do not replicate through blood transfusions or alter a blood recipients’ DNA.

In summary, there is no scientific evidence that demonstrates adverse outcomes from the transfusions of blood products collected from vaccinated donors and, therefore, no medical reason to distinguish or separate blood donations from individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccination.

All blood collection organizations in the U.S. are required to follow Food and Drug Administration guidelines and regulations to collect, process and distribute blood products for patients in need. The FDA explicitly allows donors who have recently received approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccines to give blood as long as they are healthy on the day of donation and meet all other eligibility criteria. On multiple occasions, the Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that there is no evidence to support concerns related to the safety of blood donated by vaccinated individuals.

All Americans, including both blood donors and blood recipients, should feel confident that receiving a blood transfusion is safe. COVID-19 vaccines do not replicate, and all blood donations offer the same life-saving therapeutic benefits, regardless of the vaccination status of the donor.

You will also note that this statement was issued on 27 January 2023, which makes it old news too… Will this statement now become “breaking news” too? I certainly hope not…

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Did McDonald’s Lose Toxic Meat Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver?!

Did McDonald’s just lose its legal battle against Jamie Oliver over its toxic pink slime meat?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : McDonald’s Loses Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver!

People are claiming on social media that McDonald’s just lost its legal battle against British chef Jamie Oliver over its toxic pink slime meat!

Keep it Real : [McDonald’s loses the legal battle with chef Jamie Oliver, who proved that the food they sell is not fit to be ingested because it is highly toxic.

Chef Jamie Oliver has won a battle against the world’s largest junk food chain. Oliver proving how buyers are made.

Recommended : Can You Use Magnet To Detect Heavy Metals In Tea Bags?!

 

Truth : McDonald’s Did Not Lose Legal Battle With Jamie Oliver!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Was No McDonald’s – Jamie Oliver Lawsuit

Let me start by pointing out that there was no legal battle between McDonald’s and Jamie Oliver. McDonald’s did not sue Jamie Oliver, and Jamie Oliver also did not sue McDonald’s.

Fact #2 : Jamie Oliver Did Not Target McDonald’s

Jamie Oliver did not actually target McDonald’s. So there is really no reason for McDonald’s or Jamie Oliver to sue one another.

In the episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution that aired on 12 April 2011, Jamie Oliver spoke out against Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), which he derisively referred to as “pink slime”.

Fact #3 : Jamie Oliver Did Not “Discover” Pink Slime

While much has been made about Jamie Oliver’s “battle” against pink slime, he did not create that term, and he wasn’t even amongst the first to speak out against LFTB, which has been sold since 2001.

The term “pink slime” was reportedly coined by USDA microbiologist Gerald Zirstein in a 2002 email to his colleagues. He was, arguably, also the first to criticise LFTB.

I do not consider the stuff to be ground beef, and I consider allowing it in ground beef to be a form of fraudulent labeling.

Michael Moss from The New York Times posted not one article, but at least two articles on the safety of LFTB – on 3 October 2009, and then on 30 December 2009,.

Two years later, ABC News would air a series of reports on LFTB in March 2011. It was only after the extensive coverage by ABC News that Jamie Oliver actually featured LFTB on his show.

Recommended : Is Seafood In Europe Highly Radioactive According To IAEA?!

Fact #4 : LFTB Is Ammonia-Treated Beef Paste

Despite its gross sounding name and look, LFTB is simply meat that has been separated from the fat in beef trimmings, and treated with ammonia to kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli.

The LFTB technology basically recovers meat that would otherwise be wasted and thrown away. Think of LFTB as low-fat beef paste. Regular ground beef consists of about 30% fat, while LFTB only has about 5% fat.

Fact #5 : McDonald’s Stopped Using LFTB In 2011

McDonald’s announced on 31 January 2012, that it stopped adding Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) to its burgers since the beginning of 2011, and that it was no longer available in its products since August 2011:

At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers. This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world.

In other words – McDonald’s made the decision to stop using LFTB in its burgers in early 2011 – months before ABC News or Jamie Oliver covered LFTB. It was only in August 2011 that all of its LFTB-based products were cleared out of its supply chain.

Fact #7 : Ammonia In LFTB Isn’t Toxic

Even though McDonald’s no longer uses “pink slime” in their burgers, I should point out that the amount of ammonia used in LFTB isn’t dangerous.

The amount of ammonia present in Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) is actually comparable to ammonia levels present in existing foods:

Food Ammonia Level
American Cheese 813 ppm
Unblended LFTB 400-500 ppm
Ketchup 411 ppm
Onions 342 ppm
Blended Beef Patty
with 15% LFTB
200 ppm
Ground Beef 101 ppm

Ammonium hydroxide isn’t just used to treat LFTB meat trimmings, it is also used to produce a wide variety of foods like cheese, puddings, chocolate, and even as a leavening agent in bread. In fact, the ammonium hydroxide is classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) by the US FDA, when used in appropriate concentrations.

Fact #8 : LFTB Uses Ammonium Hydroxide Gas

In his viral video, Jamie Oliver is seen showing a front loading washing machine filled with meat, with ammonia-based cleaning products in the background. He then pours from a bottle marked with “Ammonia” and a skull and crossbones symbol into a large tub filled with pieces of beef.

That is not an accurate reflection of how LFTB products are made, because the ammonium hydroxide used in the LFTB process is gaseous, not liquid. In addition, the LFTB process only uses the ammonium hydroxide gas to increase the pH of the separated meat trimmings, from 5.7 to 9.6 (source).

If there ever is a lawsuit over that Jamie Oliver video, he would be hard-pressed to explain how that demonstration accurately replicates how LFTB meat is really produced.

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Did France Pass “Article Pfizer” Law To Ban mRNA Criticism?!

Did France just pass a new “Article Pfizer” law to ban and criminalise any criticism of mRNA vaccines?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : France Passed “Article Pfizer” Law To Ban mRNA Criticism!

People are sharing articles and/or a screenshot on X (formerly Twitter), which appears to show that France just passed a new “Article Pfizer” law to ban and criminalise any criticism of mRNA vaccines!

Dr. Kat Lindley : France: any criticism of mRNA platform punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment and 45,000 euros.

“Article 4 is central to the new law, which was first deleted but then reinstated. This creates a new criminal offense and criminalizes the “ request to stop or refrain from therapeutic or prophylactic medical treatment” as well as “the request to use practices that are presented as therapeutic or prophylactic ”. This means that any resistance to mRNA treatment (and other corporate medical methods) can be criminalized in the future.”

Recommended : Did COVID vaccines kill 14X more people than they saved?

 

Truth : France Did Not Pass “Article Pfizer” Law To Ban mRNA Criticism!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : French National Assembly Passed Article 4 On 14 February 2024

Let me start by pointing out that the controversial bill that has gotten anti-vaccine activists so riled up is called The Bill To Strengthen The Fight Against Sectarian Excesses And Improve The Support Of Victims. You can read the bill as it was presented to the Senate on 15 November 2023.

What particularly incensed them was Article 4 of that bill, which many are calling “Article Pfizer“. It failed the first vote on Tuesday, 13 February, but passed in the National Assembly with a vote of 116 to 108 on Wednesday, 14 February 2024.

Fact #2 : French Bill Does Not Involve Pfizer / mRNA

Regardless of what one may think of the new French bill or its Article 4, it does not have anything to do with Pfizer or the criticism of mRNA vaccines in France.

To the best of my knowledge – neither Pfizer nor mRNA vaccines were mentioned even once in the entire bill, or Article 4 itself! In fact, none of those who claimed that Pfizer and mRNA vaccines are involved ever provided any evidence they were mentioned in the bill!

If that’s true, you have to wonder – why do some people claim that the French bill, or its Article 4, would fine or imprison anyone who criticises or refuses to accept mRNA vaccines???

Recommended : Does Pfizer CEO aim to cut world population by 50%?

Fact #3 : Article 4 Targets Health Disinformation

As the La Chaîne parlementaire (LCP) explained, Article 4 of the bill made it a crime to incite the “abandonment of care” in France.

Specifically dedicated to therapeutic-type excesses, this Article 4 creates a new crime aimed at punishing “the provocation to abandon or refrain from following medical-therapeutic or prophylactic treatment“, as well as “the provocation to adopt practices presented as having a therapeutic or prophylactic purpose“, when these incentives may be “particularly serious” for physical or mental health.

In other words – Article 4 of this French bill makes it a crime to convince or encourage people not to accept reasonable medical treatment or prophylactic treatments (like vaccines), or to undertake treatments that can cause serious physical or mental harm.

Why would anyone want to continue letting unscrupulous people promote fake cures, or mislead people about proven medical treatments and prophylactics???

Recommended : Did Scientists Call For Global mRNA Vaccine Moratorium?!

Fact #4 : French Bill Targets Self-Declared “Gurus”

As LCP explained in a separate article, the overall bill targets “sectarian excesses in the digital space and the new gurus 2.0“, pointing out that the COVID-19 pandemic enabled many of these “gurus” to take advantage of social networks to promote sectarian excesses:

The text also stresses that “the health crisis has been an ideal ground for these new sectarian excesses. New forms of “gurus” or self-proclaimed master thinkers act online, taking advantage of the vitality of social networks to federate real communities around them.”

In other words – if the bill passes and becomes law, it only endangers self-proclaimed “gurus” and cults that use social media and the Internet to snare their victims.

There does not seem to be any provision in the law to fine or imprison people in France who criticise mRNA vaccines, or pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer.

Fact #5 : Article 4 Was Amended Before Passage

According to LCP, Article 4 was amended after it first failed to pass, to include these amendments:

  • a crime would not be committed when proof of the free and informed consent of the person is provided”
  • whistleblowers of such crimes would be protected as “the information reported or disclosed by the whistleblower under the conditions provided for in Article 6” of the aforementioned law “does not constitute a provocation

In other words, these gurus would not be guilty of any crime if the people they convince to go against proven medical treatments acknowledge that they provided their free and informed consent.

Recommended : Did Pfizer Call mRNA Vaccines Deadliest Drug In History?!

Fact #6 : French Bill Isn’t Law Yet

While many people claim that the bill or its Article 4 were passed into law, that is simply not true. As of 16 February 2024, this bill, and its Article 4, has not become law in France.

After the amended Article 4 passed on 13 February, the entire bill passed in the National Assembly the next day – on 14 February 2024, with an overwhelming 151 to 73 vote. Even so, that does not make the bill a law yet.

For one thing – that was only the first reading in the National Assembly. The bill now goes to the Senate for its approval or amendments, before returning to the National Assembly for its second reading if there are any amendments.

Only after the final bill is approved by both houses, can it then be sent to the President of France for his signature. Assuming there is no request for a constitutional review, the bill only becomes law once the French President signs it, and the Prime Minister countersigns it, and it is sent to the Journal Officiel for publication.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bill Gates Order Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News?!

Did Bill Gates order governments to blacklist citizens who share fake news / misinformation?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Orders Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that Bill Gates just ordered governments to blacklist citizens who share misinformation / fake news!

Bill Gates Orders Govt’s To Blacklist Citizens Who Share ‘Non-Mainstream’ Content Online

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Order Blacklist Of People Sharing Fake News!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Bill Gates Did Not Order Any Blacklist

Let me start by pointing out that there is no evidence Bill Gates ordered any government to blacklist their citizens who spread fake news / misinformation. There was no announcement, no document or press release, not even a leaked video or audio of Bill Gates ordering a blacklist of people who post or share fake news / misinformation.

As usual, The People’s Voice offered no evidence to back up its “fact checked” claim.

Fact #2 : Satya Nadella Is Microsoft CEO, Not Bill Gates

Interestingly, The People’s Voice article used a photo of Bill Gates, even though he handed over day-to-day operations at Microsoft more than 15 years ago. He also stepped down as Microsoft Chairman, when Satya Nadella was appointed as CEO in February 2014.

For people who are unaware, Satya Nadella is both CEO and Chairman of Microsoft. It is Nadella who decides what Microsoft does, not Bill Gates.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Planning To Kill Billions Using Turbo AIDS?!

Fact #3 : Satya Nadella Never Ordered Any Blacklist Either

Satya Nadella never ordered any governments to blacklist citizens who share fake news / misinformation either.

In his interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, he only said that the technology is there to tackle disinformation and misinformation, and the problem is deciding on the policy:

Then the question, again, comes back to: How do we build consensus between parties, candidates, and the norms around what is acceptable or not acceptable?

As the interview clearly shows, Satya Nadella isn’t dictating what is considered acceptable, or not acceptable. Why would anyone claim otherwise?

Fact #4 : Bill Gates X Post Is Fake

The People’s Voice article and video used a cover photo which appears to feature a screenshot of a post by Bill Gates on X (formerly Twitter), in which he appears to say, “Wanna share fake news? No internet for you!

That is definitely a fake screenshot, because Bill Gates never posted that on his X account. In fact, Bill lGates appears to have stopped posting on X after 7 October 2023.

As usual, The People’s Voice article and video offered no evidence, or a link, to prove that Bill Gates ever posted it.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Facing Life Behind Bars For Child Rape?!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was Carrie Johnson Just Exposed As Occult Satanist?!

Was Boris Johnson’s wife, Carrie Johnson, just exposed as an Aleister Crowley worshipping occult Satanist?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Carrie Johnson Was Just Exposed As Occult Satanist!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims or suggests that Boris Johnson’s wife, Carrie Johnson, was just exposed as an Aleister Crowley worshipping occult Satanist!

Former British PM Boris Johnson’s Wife Exposed as Aleister Crowley Worshiping Occult Satanist

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie Johnson has been exposed an occult Satanist who worships Aleister Crowley, the unabashed occultist and self-described “wickedest man in the world.”

The revelations comes days after Vladimir Putin revealed to Tucker Carlson that Johnson as prime minister scuppered a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Photos of Johnson’s wife engaged in ritual Satanic acts have now emerged, with the former prime minister’s wife pictured next to a man with “Do as thou wilt” and “Big beast” scrawled on his body.

During Johnson’s time as prime minister, Bradshaw capitalized on her public persona by campaigning against single use straws.

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Order Christians To Pray To Satan?!

 

Truth : Carrie Johnson Was Not Just Exposed As Occult Satanist!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Daily Mail Posted Them in 2018

The People’s Voice article claimed or suggested that photos of Carrie Johnson engaging in ritual Satanic acts were revealed “days after” the Vladimir Putin – Tucker Carlson interview was released.

That’s simply not true, because The Daily Mail posted those photos on 12 September 2018 – more than 5 years earlier!

Fact #2 : Photos Were Posted On Carrie Johnson’s Social Media

The photos were not leaked or exposed, because it appears that Carrie Johnson posted them on her own social media account! As per The Daily Mail article:

She may have gone to ground since finding herself at the centre of a political storm, but there was a time when Carrie Symonds was rather less camera-shy, as these pictures show.

Taken from Miss Symonds’s social media posts, they show the 30-year-old former Tory aide, who has been linked to Boris Johnson, in a variety of glamorous poses on holiday, and even starring in a ‘satanic sex cult’ theatre production during her university days.

Fact #3 : It Was A University Play

The photos also do not show Carrie Johnson (born Caroline Louise Beaver Symonds on 17 March 1988) engaging in “ritual Satanic acts” as The People’s Voice article claimed.

The photos showed her acting in a play at Warwick University, where she was a drama student from 2006 to 2009. The theatre production was based on the writings of the self-styled mystic Aleister Crowley, who died in 1947.

Carrie Johnson was just acting in the play, and wasn’t actually engaging in Satanic acts… just like how Tom Cruise was only acting in the Mission Impossible movies, and isn’t actually an agent of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF).

Recommended : Did Taylor Swift Murder Fan In Illuminati Blood Ritual?!

Fact #4 : Aleister Crowley Wasn’t A Satanist

Despite being described as a Satanist, Aleister Crowley stated that he did not consider himself one, and he did not worship Satan, because he doesn’t even believe the Christian worldview that Satan exists!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Pope Francis Order Christians To Pray To Satan?!

Did Pope Francis just order Christians to pray to Satan for real enlightenment?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Pope Francis Orders Christians To Pray To Satan!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims Pope Francis just ordered Christians to pray to Satan for real enlightenment!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Pope Francis Orders Christians To ‘Pray to Satan’ for ‘Real Enlightenment’

Recommended : Did This Muslim Man Just Marry An 8 Year-Old Girl?!

 

Truth : Pope Francis Did Not Order Christians To Pray To Satan!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Pope Francis Did Not Order Christians To Pray To Satan

Let me start by simply pointing out that Pope Francis did not order Christians to pray to Satan for real enlightenment in a ceremony that was broadcasted across the world.

There was no broadcast, international or otherwise, in which Pope Francis ever ordered Christians to pray to Satan. The People’s Voice certainly offered no evidence to back up its claim – not even the video of the ceremony that was allegedly broadcasted to the entire world.

If Pope Francis really called for Christians to pray to Satan, it would have been covered worldwide by news outlets, Christian websites, and social media would have “blown up”. Yet, no one mentioned this except for The People’s Voice???

Fact #2 : Pope Francis Never Called Klaus Schwab “More Important Than Jesus”

The People’s Voice article also offered no evidence that Pope Francis ever called WEF founder Klaus Schwab “more important than Jesus”. In fact, it only referred to its own article (long debunked) making that claim.

Fact #3 : Pope Francis Screenshot Is Fake

The People’s Voice article and video used a cover photo which appears to feature a screenshot of a post by Pope Francis on X (formerly Twitter), in which he appears to say “We must open our hearts to Satan, for he is risen.

That is definitely a fake screenshot, because Pope Francis never posted anything like that on his X account. On top of that, the screenshot shows Pope Francis’ account with a blue checkmark. The real Pope Francis account has a gray checkmark.

Recommended : Did Pope Francis Suddenly Become A Fashion Icon?!

Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice.  Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bruce Willis Just Die On The Way To The Hospital?!

Did Bruce Willis just die suddenly on the way to the hospital?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-01-27 : Updated with new details and versions.
Originally posted @ 2023-05-30

 

Claim : Bruce Willis Just Died On The Way To The Hospital!

People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming to prove that Bruce Willis just died suddenly at home, or on the way to the hospital, with titles like :

5 Minutes Ago / UNEXPECTED Death Of Bruce Willis On The Way To HOSPITAL / R.I.P. Star

Stop breathing 5 minutes ago / Bruce Willis Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye Bruce Willis

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In A High Speed Car Crash?!

 

Truth : Bruce Willis Did Not Die On The Way To The Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media reported Bruce Willis’ death.

Never mind the slew of ridiculously terrible movies he participated in before his retirement, Bruce Willis remains a Hollywood mega star. His diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) got front page news all over the world!

If Bruce Willis really did die, whether from his dementia, a car accident, or a heart attack, the worldwide media would have reported it. Such momentous news would not have been left to a bunch of small-time celebrity death blogs / small YouTube and Facebook channels!

The truth is – no legitimate media outlet reported that Bruce Willis died suddenly from any cause, because it never happened

Fact #2 : Bruce Willis Is Still Alive + Well!

Bruce Willis did not die, and is still very much alive and well, as of Saturday, 27 January, 2024. That was when he posted a photo of himself on his official Instagram account.

Bruce Willis officially retired from acting in March 2022, after his aphasia diagnosis, and his family announced that his aphasia was caused by frontotemporal dementia on February 16, 2023.

However, Bruce Willis did not die in 2022 or even February, May, August, or December 2023 as alleged by people on social media. He’s very much still alive!

In fact, on Tuesday, January 23, 2023, he posted a video on Instagram, showing him with his grandchildren at the beach.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In A Car Accident?!

Fact #3 : Bruce Willis Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of three examples used in many of these videos.

This photo that shows Bruce Willis on a hospital bed, was edited from a stock photo of an old man, taken by Raul Rodriguez. It’s titled “Elderly 80 plus year old man recovering from surgery in a hospital bed“.

In addition, the purple ribbon isn’t used for awareness of frontotemporal dementia, which is relatively uncommon. The purple ribbon is often used to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and pancreatic cancer.

Incidentally, frontotemporal dementia is different from Alzheimer’s disease, affecting a different part of the brain, and presenting with different symptoms.

Recommended : The Sara Lee Car Accident / Death Video Scam!

This photo of a large funeral is not of Bruce Willis, but of Irish makeup artist Cathriona White, taken on October 10, 2015.

If you look carefully, you can spot actor Jim Carrey looking sombre next to the pallbearer. He dated Cathriona White for three years, from 2012-2015. She died from a suicide by prescription drug overdose on September 28, 2015.

The fake news creator just added a photo of Bruce Willis, making it look like Jim Carrey and the lady beside him were carrying it. The truth is there was no photo, and they were just holding hands.

This photo of Bruce Willis’s funeral is also fake. This is actually a photo of Serbian folk singer, Šaban Šaulić, who died on February 17, 2019. His funeral was held on February 22, 2019.

The fake news creator flipped the photo, and superimposed a large and overly bright head of Sylvester Stallone together with a photo of Bruce Willis magically floating in front of him!

Recommended : Did Michael J. Fox Die Suddenly From COVID-19?!

Fact #4 : Bruce Willis Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Bruce Willis death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of actor Bruce Willis’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in The Fifth Element or Die Hard is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Bruce Willis Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Bruce Willis’ unnamed reps confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Brad Pitt, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justine Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Get Aphasia From COVID-19 Vaccine?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was Oprah Just Exposed In Jeffrey Epstein Client List?!

Was Oprah Winfrey just exposed in the Jeffrey Epstein list, as one of his clients?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Oprah Winfrey Just Exposed As Jeffrey Epstein Client!

People are claiming on social media that Oprah Winfrey was just exposed in the Jeffrey Epstein list, as one of his clients. At least one person even claimed that she was arrested as a result!

Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 News : 🚨JUST IN: Oprah Winfrey has been revealed as a client on The Epstein List.

Recommended : Was Oprah Winfrey Just Arrested + Jailed In Gitmo?!

 

Truth : Oprah Winfrey Was Not Arrested Or Exposed As Epstein Client!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Jeffrey Epstein List Is All-Encompassing

First, I should point out that the so-called “Jeffrey Epstein list” that was released as by New York judge Loretta A. Preska, is not is a list of his clients, or people who were somehow complicit in his crimes.

The list of names that is set to be released soon comprises of everyone involved or named in the defamation lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell – Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and convicted accomplice. For example:

  • People who were accused of wrongdoing
  • People making those accusations of wrongdoing
  • Victims of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and/or their associates,
  • Potential witnesses to those crimes, or witnesses called by the defense
  • Employees of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell
  • People who visited Jeffrey Epstein’s home or island
  • People who flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s private plane

In other words – this Jeffrey Epstein list is not his “black book” of people who took part in his crimes, or abetted them. It comprises of people who was once associated with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, including victims and witnesses.

Fact #2 : Epstein Is Not Weinstein

I should also point out that Jeffrey Epstein is not Harvey Weinstein. Their surnames may rhyme, but they are not related, and are completely different men.

Yet, people who posted about Oprah Winfrey being “exposed” in the Jeffrey Epstein List as a client, bizarrely used this photo of Oprah and Harvey Weinstein.

Did they confuse the two men because they had similar-sounding surnames? Or did they use the Oprah-Weinstein photo because they couldn’t find any Oprah-Epstein photo?

Recommended : Jeffrey Epstein List : Watch Out For Fake Lists!

Fact #3 : Oprah Winfrey Was Not Arrested

This is really silly, but it has to be said – Oprah Winfrey was not arrested after being “exposed” in the Jeffrey Epstein List.

Oprah Winfrey is a mega celebrity, and one of the richest women in the world, with a net worth of $3.5 billion as of May 2023. If she was ever arrested, it would have been international news.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet, not even celebrity blogs, have reported that Oprah Winfrey was in any legal trouble, never mind arrested!

On top of that, Oprah posted a video on Instagram on Monday, 15 January 2024, in which she thanked Dolce & Gabbana for the purple dress she wore to the 29th Critics’ Choice Awards the day earlier.

Needless to say – she was seen in public, with the other cast members of The Color Purple, at the Critics’ Choice Award on Sunday, January 14 2024!

Recommended : Did Jamie Lee Curtis Post Photo Of Naked Child In Box?!

Fact #4 : Oprah Was Only Mentioned Incidentally

In the court documents released by Judge Preska, Oprah’s name came up five times. However, she was never mentioned as a witness, a victim, or a potential accomplice. In fact, her name only came up incidentally!

Exhibit 1 : Oprah’s name appeared in the screenshot of a Daily Mail article (in a separate suggested article called Oprah sells Gustav Klimt painting for whopping $150million to private buyer in China…).

Exhibit 8 : Oprah’s name appeared in the screenshot of a Radar Online article (in a separate suggested article called Oprah Surprisingly Says Goodbye To Her Neighbor Ellen Degeneres).

In the remaining three mentions (here, here and here), Oprah was referenced in a single email between Sharon Churcher and a book agent, as a description of the “market” Virginia Giuffre’s book would appeal to:

Hi Jarred

Hopefully you have Virginia’ s book pitch by now.

She has some amazing names which she can share with you in confidence and I think she also has a human interest story that could appeal to the Oprah/female set as well as the Wall Streeters who follow Epstein — a hedge fund king.

In short – Oprah was quite irrelevant in the Giuffre vs. Maxwell case. Her name appeared incidentally in some documents, but she was never mentioned as an individual of interest.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

[/su_note]

 

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Is China Preparing Mobile Cremation Vans For Disease X?!

Is China preparing mobile cremation vans for Disease X, which has a 100% mortality rate?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : China Prepares Mobile Cremation Vans For Disease X!

People are sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter), while claiming or suggesting that China is buying up, or assembling, mobile cremation vans for an outbreak of Disease X, which has a 100% kill rate!

DiedSuddenly : Reports out of China are saying that a new disease X is emerging with a 100% kill rate on the lab tested mice.

At the same time, China is assembling mobile crematoriums. How do you interpret this?

Recommended : Is Australia Building mRNA Vaccine Cardiac Arrest Registry?!

 

Truth : China Is Not Preparing Mobile Cremation Vans For Disease X!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Disease X Does Not Exist

First, let me start by pointing out that Disease X does not exist. Disease X is merely a placeholder name for a hypothetical, unknown pathogen that could cause a future epidemic.

It is used by healthcare organisations and policy makers as an easy way to label an unknown disease that could potentially emerge in the future.

If a new pathogen emerges, it won’t be called Disease X. Remember when news first broke about a new coronavirus emerging in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019? It wasn’t called Disease X then.

Initially, the WHO called it the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. Then, the disease itself was named as COVID-19, while the virus that causes it was named as SARS-CoV-2.

Fact #2 : Disease X Was Adopted By WHO In 2018

Disease X itself isn’t even new, being adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in February 2018. Its genesis is even older.

Disease X was “created” as part of pandemic preparations initiated in May 2015, when the WHO was asked by member nations to generate ideas to reduce the time lag between the identification of viral outbreaks, and the approval of vaccines and treatments.

To address the very real possibility of an unknown infectious disease that could potential cause a future epidemic or pandemic, the WHO added Disease X as a placeholder name for that “knowable unknown” pathogen in February 2018.

Fact #3 : There Is No Disease X In China

To be clear – there is no Disease X in China, or anywhere else in the world. Needless to say, claims that Disease X has killed 100% of lab-tested mice are also false.

Recommended : Did COVID-19 Vaccines Cause 17 Million Deaths?!

Fact #4 : Video Shows A Mobile Pet Cremation Van

These fake news posts attach a video of mobile cremation vans to scare you into believing that China has an outbreak of Disease X, or that there is a conspiracy to create a Disease X pandemic.

The truth is – this appears to be a promotional video for mobile cremation vans for pets! It’s even mentioned in the video, at around the 30 second mark (thanks, Yuh Hui!):

宠物殡葬专用火化车
全 国可上牌年检
操作简单 自动点火

Special cremation vehicle for pet funerals
Annual license inspection is available nationwide
Easy to operate, automatic ignition

At around the 18 second mark, the video also states that the cremation chamber measures 90 cm x 130 cm. That is only big enough for a pet, like a cat or a dog. Such mobile pet cremation vans are common in Japan and Korea.

Recommended : Did mRNA Vaccines Trigger Severe Nerve Damage?!

Fact #5 : Cremation Requires A Lot Of Energy

While cremation is popular in China, and is used extensively to handle bodies of people who died from COVID-19, it is not practical to use mobile crematoriums. After all, it takes a lot of energy and time to create bodies.

Cremating a body takes 2-4 hours, at temperatures of 760-1,150 °C. That’s roughly equal to the amount of fuel the van would need to drive some 7,725 kilometres (4,800 miles)! A van would not be large enough to hold a human-sized crematorium, or have enough fuel to cremate a single body.

It also doesn’t make sense for China to use mobile cremation vans, when it has over 7,000 crematoriums, which are capable of cremating some 6 million bodies (in 2021).

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Justin Bieber Just Die In Tragic Car Accident?!

Did Justin Bieber just die in a hospital after a high speed car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-14 : Refreshed for a new release
Originally posted @ 2023-04-13

 

Claim : Justin Bieber Died Suddenly In High Speed Car Crash!

People are sharing YouTube, Facebook and TikTok videos claiming that Justin Bieber just died suddenly in a high speed car crash, with titles like :

10 minutes ago in Los Angeles, American famous singer Justin Bieber died suddenly in car accident

( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

12 Minute ago ( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

RIP Justin Bieber… We lost him in a car crash over 100mph if your depressed please reach out.

( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 120mph, coroner’s report reveals

( RIP ) Very Sad 20 Second ago in Chicago, Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

7 minutes ago Justin Bieber died in car accident after crashing at over 100mph…. RIP legend…very sad news

Justin Bieber died #justinbieber #justinbieberdied #death #singer #justinbieberupdates #ytshorts

Recommended : Clint Eastwood Just Died On The Way To Hospital?!

 

Truth : Justin Bieber Did Not Die In Car Accident!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos have been circulating for days now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Justin Bieber’s death.

Justin Bieber is a megastar, with a beautiful celebrity model wife. If something happened to him, not will it be eagerly reported on by celebrity blogs, the worldwide media would no doubt cover it too.

When Justin Bieber revealed that he is suffering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, the worldwide media breathlessly reported on his condition, including he cancelled the rest of his concerts.

No legitimate media outlet has reported that Justin Bieber died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites like NewsC60 / Fact Journal Media / NewsC8, or random YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos?

Fact #2 : Justin Bieber Is Still Alive + Well!

Justin Bieber is still very much alive and well, as of Sunday, 14 January, 2024. Of course, you want “proof of life”, don’t you?

Well, Justin Bieber himself posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram on 7 January 2024, to share how excited he is for 2024:

excited for this next year. New beginnings

One of them is a video of him playing golf. Needless to say – he looks very well, f or someone who allegedly got smashed into pieces in a terrible car accident.

This happened many days, weeks and even months after those YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos claimed that he died in a high speed car accident! What a miracle!

Obviously, we can confirm that all those videos and articles about Justin Bieber dying from a tragic car accident are FAKE.

Read more : Did Vaccine Injury Force Justin Bieber To Cancel Tour?!
Read more : Did Justin Bieber Get Ramsay Hunt Syndrome From Vaccine?!

Fact #3 : Justin Bieber “Died Suddenly” Photos Were Edited

I analysed this photo used in some of the videos, and confirmed that Justin Bieber wasn’t even involved in that car accident, never mind die in it.

This is actually a photo of a car accident that happened in July 2022, involving Justin Bieber’s step grandmother, Kathy Bieber.

Marty Denham was outside his shop when he heard a loud noise on Lorne Avenue West and saw one vehicle had collided with another.

“I had my back to it, I turned around, there was probably a five-count and the entire car blew up behind them,” he said.

One of the vehicles was consumed by flames almost instantly.

That’s when Denham saw a woman jump out of the car to safety.

“We thought we were watching a person die because we thought the girl was the passenger.”

Denham said one of the people involved in the crash was Kathy Bieber, who is married to the pop star’s grandfather on his dad’s side of the family.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die Suddenly At Home / Hospital?!

Here is another popular photo used to show Justin Bieber dying in a hospital after his tragic car crash, but that’s not him in that hospital bed.

That is really a photo of doctors and nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center treating a COVID-19 patient, that Victor J. Blue of the New York Times took in April 2020.

Photo credit : Victor J. Blue, New York Times

Fact #4 : Justin Bieber Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Justin Bieber death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which appears to regularly update / change the dates.

News of singer Justin Bieber’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like Beauty and a Beat, Boyfriend or Baby is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Justin Bieber Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Justin Bieber’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Was Prince William Caught Seducing Jacinda Ardern?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Lionel Messi Die Suddenly In Tragic Car Crash?!

Did football legend Lionel Messi just die suddenly in a high speed car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-09 : Updated with new information
Updated @ 2023-09-24 : Added video fact check and comparison!
Originally posted @ 2023-04-20

 

Claim : Lionel Messi Died Suddenly In High Speed Car Crash!

People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim that football legend Lionel Messi just died suddenly in a high-speed car accident, with photos of the tragic car crash!

#fyp #soccer #messi #dead rest in peace legend👑⚽️🕊️

LIONEL MESSI DIES IN UNBELIEVABLE CAR CRASH

Messi, Xavi and Christiano dead after car accident

#Rip Messie Messie❤️ respect for Messie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⚽️🥅
Messie the best of the world ❤️🇦🇷❤️❤️#Messie

INFO CHOC: Lionel Messi est décédé
SHOCK INFO: Lionel Messi has died

Recommended : Did Cristiano Ronaldo Just Die In Tragic Car Accident?!

 

Truth : Lionel Messi Did Not Die In High Speed Car Crash!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These social media posts, as well as YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Lionel Messi’s death!

Lionel Messi is one of the world’s best footballer and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe! And his fans would have mourned his death on social media.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Lionel Messi died recently from any cause, never mind a tragic car accident. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / TikTok videos?

Fact #2 : Lionel Messi Is Still Alive + Well!

Lionel Messi (born Lionel Andrés Messi on 24 June 1987) is still very much alive and well, as of Tuesday, 9 January 2024.

Of course, you want proof of life, right? What you should be asking is the proof of death when you see social media claims that some celebrity or athlete has died. But I digress…

Well, Lionel Messi himself posted a photo with his family on New Year’s Day – 1 January 2024. As you can see, not only is he very much still alive, his family looks great!

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Fact #3 : This Car Accident Photo Was From 2009

To convince you that Lionel Messi died (even though he’s still alive), the fake news creators had to make use of unrelated car crashes.

In this example, the video claimed that Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, died in this car accident.

The truth is – that is a photo of a Ferrari 599 that crashed in October 2009, on the Great Ocean Road in southern Victoria, Australia. The driver was a 64 year-old man called Carlo Vaccari.

Mr. Vaccari lost control while driving his Ferrari 599 at 80 km/h and ploughed into two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. He was convicted of careless driving, but only fined $3000.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

Fact #4 : This Car Accident Photo Was Posted In 2014

It is unknown when this car accident happened, but this undated car accident photo was posted by WreckedExotics.com on August 13, 2014.

Apparently, the driver lost control of his Ferrari 458 Italia while trying to overtake another car, and crashed into a trash bin. The driver left the scene of the accident, possibly under the influence of drugs / alcohol.

Even though this incident happened in Madrid, Spain, this photo is old and has nothing to do with Lionel Messi.

Recommended : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #5 : This Car Accident Occurred In 2012

This photo does not show Lionel Messi’s fatal car crash. This accident actually occurred at around 9 PM on 1 September 2012, at the E42 highway near Francorchamps in Belgium.

The driver was a 63 year-old man from Saint-Ghislain, and was obviously not Lionel Messi.

Recommended : Did Toby Keith Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #6 : Lionel Messi Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Lionel Messi death hoax is, ironically, also fuelled by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in its fake fact check article:

News of footballer Lionel Messi’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 36-year-old footballer is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Lionel Messi Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Lionel Messi’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Do mRNA vaccines have 1 in 800 severe adverse event rate?!

Do mRNA vaccines have a severe adverse event rate of 1 in 800 vaccinated people?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-07 : Updated after these claims went viral again
Originally posted @ 2923-10-08

 

Claim : mRNA Vaccines Have 1-in-800 Severe Adverse Event Rate!

People are sharing a Twitter (X) post by Leading Report, which suggests that a landmark paper has shown that mRNA vaccines have severe adverse event rates, and is therefore dangerous and should be pulled from the market.

BRAKING: Landmark paper shows the COVID vaccine has a 1/800 severe adverse event rate; in comparison, the swine flu vaccine was pulled from the market for 1/100,000.

This study was also mentioned in a video (example) featuring Bret Weinstein and Tucker Carlson that is circulating on X (formerly Twitter) in January 2024.

17 million deaths from the Covid vaccine? That’s like the death toll of a global war!

– Yes, absolutely, this is a great tragedy of history, it’s of that proportion.

@TuckerCarlson speaks with @BretWeinstein

Recommended : Is Australia Opportunistically Vaccinating People Under Sedation?!

 

Truth : mRNA Vaccines Were Not Proven Dangerous!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS about the mRNA vaccines, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Study Was Published In September 2022

First, let me just point out that the study in question isn’t new. It was actually published in the journal Vaccine on September 22, 2022, and you can read the full version here.

This study was even mentioned earlier by Dr. Aseem Malhotra in an interview with Joe Rogan several months ago, which you can read here. Perhaps that’s why Leading Report labelled the news as “BRAKING”, instead of “BREAKING”?

Here is an excerpt from the Fraiman, et. al. study:

Serious adverse events of special interest following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in randomized trials in adults

Fact #2 : The Study Looked At Reported AESI, Not Side Effects

The Fraiman et. al. study looked at Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI) reported in the original Phase 3 trials of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines from 2020. It’s short, so I’m reproducing the results here for your convenience:

Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were associated with an excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest of 10.1 and 15.1 per 10,000 vaccinated over placebo baselines of 17.6 and 42.2 (95 % CI -0.4 to 20.6 and -3.6 to 33.8), respectively.

As you can see, the Fraiman et. al. study looked at “serious adverse events“, not side effects.

Recommended : Do mRNA Vaccines Increase Risk Of Death + Injuries?!

Fact #3 : Adverse Events Are Not Necessarily Side Effects

I should now point out that Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESI) are not necessarily vaccine side effects. That’s why they are called “adverse events“, and not “side effects“.

Adverse events are “unfavourable” or “unintended” events that happen after vaccination or taking a drug, – which may or may not be caused by the vaccine / drug – like having an anaphylactic reaction, or getting into a car accident.

All reported adverse events have to be investigated to find out if they are related (anaphylactic reaction) or not (getting into a car accident) to the vaccine or drug that was taken.

Even if an adverse event was “possibly caused” by the vaccine, it must still be confirmed that the vaccine directly caused it, because an anaphylactic reaction (for example) can also occur from a bee sting, or an existing peanut allergy.

Only once an adverse event is confirmed to be caused by the vaccine, is it then a vaccine side effect. Otherwise, it is merely an adverse event, not a side effect.

Fact #4 : Brighton AESI List Is More Specific

Unlike the much wider AESI list of 1,291 adverse events used by Pfizer, the priority AESI list from the Brighton Collaboration is much more specific. You can download the December 2020 version here (PDF).

While the Brighton Collaboration AESI list is more specific, it includes adverse events that may not be related to the vaccine itself. As stated at the top of its Executive Summary on Page 4, the AESI list was created based on:

  • known association with immunization or a specific vaccine platform;
  • theoretical association based on animal models;
  • occurrence during wild-type disease as a result of viral replication and/or immunopathogenesis.

As noted in Fact #3, these adverse events are not necessarily vaccine side effects. Again, that’s why they are called “adverse events”, and not “side effects”.

Recommended : Why Adverse Events of Special Interest Are NOT Side Effects!

Fact #5 : The Study Used An Expanded Brighton AESI List

At first glance, one may be forgiven for thinking that the Fraiman et. al. study used the more specific Brighton Collaboration AESI list.

However, they actually expanded the Brighton list with 29 additional adverse events that the Brighton Collaboration rejected because they were “known to have been reported but not in sufficient numbers to merit inclusion on the AESI list“.

The 29 additional adverse events (see Page 8) that Brighton Collaboration declined to include in the priority list, but the authors added anyway include adverse events like:

  • abscess, alopecia, conjunctivitis, mania, psychosis
  • breast milk, ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy, neonatal diagnoses, foetal diagnoses
  • host-specific diagnoses not related to pregnancy : geriatric, HIV

You can clearly see why the Brighton Collaboration refused to include many of those adverse events – they were most definitely not related to COVID-19 vaccine side effects!

In other words – the Fraiman et. al. study was skewed by the inclusion of 29 additional adverse events that were expressly rejected by the Brighton Collaboration.

Fact #6 : Study Did Not Prove mRNA Vaccines Are Dangerous

While Leading Report suggested in its post that the Fraiman et. al. study showed that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are 125X more dangerous than the swine flu vaccine that was withdrawn from the market, that is not the case at all.

The study offered ZERO EVIDENCE that the mRNA vaccines increased the risk of death or hospitalisation or injury. Neither did it show that the risks of getting the mRNA vaccines exceeded its benefits.

There is already a lot of data on actual, proven COVID-19 vaccine side effects, after more than 20 months of vaccinations (from December 2020 until September 2022). If they wanted to prove that the mRNA vaccines are dangerous, they could have reanalysed the original Phase 3 trial data using proven serious side effects, not serious adverse events.

Unfortunately, they chose to use adverse events instead of side effects, and ended up proving nothing in their study. What a waste of time.

More than a year after this study was published, not only have the mRNA vaccines not been withdrawn from the market, improved versions of the mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 have been approved! That would hardly be the case, if this was really a landmark study, would it?

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Singapore Recommend Against Second Booster Dose?!

Did Singapore make a sudden U-turn and recommend against getting the second COVID-19 booster dose?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-12-19 : Refreshed after it went viral again.
Originally posted @ 2022-07-26

 

Claim : Singapore Recommends Against Second Booster Dose!

People are sharing a link to a Channel News Asia article, claiming that the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) are advising people aged 60 to 79 against getting the second booster dose.

They are also claiming that the Singapore government made this sudden U-turn due to adverse effects from the COVID-19 vaccines.

Singapore MOH: Second COVID-19 booster NOT RECOMMENDED for people aged 60 to 79.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/covid-19-vaccine-second-booster-senior-60-79-2641261

With all the adverse effects, Singapore government is making a sudden U-turn. 😳🤔😷

Read more : Can 4th Vaccine Jab Shut Down Our Immune System?!

 

Truth : Singapore Recommends Second Booster For Vulnerable Adults

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by anti-vaccination activists to scare people from protecting themselves against COVID-19, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Was An Old Article

First, let me establish some facts about the Channel News Asia article. It’s a genuine news report, in which, Singapore’s Director of Medical Services said that :

The Expert Committee on COVID-19 (EC19V) does not recommend that people aged 60 to 79 years take a second booster shot, but they can take the jab if they wish to.

However, that news is not recent – it was published on 22 April 2022 – more than 3 months before it went viral in July 2022, and more than 1.5 years when it went viral again in December 2023. I will explain below why this is critical.

Fact #2 : There Was No U-Turn

Anti-vaccination activists falsely claimed that this was a U-turn, to mislead you into believing that they did so because of adverse effects from the booster dose.

The truth is – there was no U-turn. The April recommendations actually expanded who can receive the second booster dose.

In March 2022, the Singapore Expert Committee on COVID-19 (EC19V) recommended that only people age 80 years and above should get the second booster dose.

The April 2022 announcement actually expands coverage to senior citizens 60 to 79 years in age, although they do not recommend that they get the second booster dose yet.

Read more : Do mRNA Vaccines Cause Invasion Of Killer Lymphocytes?!

Fact #3 : First Booster Dose Still Provided Good Protection

Anti-vaccination activists are also misleading you on WHY the Singapore MOH said that the second booster dose was not recommended for people aged 60-79.

The CNA article itself already stated the reasons clearly, but the trouble is – most people don’t even bother to read beyond the headlines.

So here is the truth – the Singapore MOH recommended against the second booster dose for that age group because the effectiveness of the first booster dose for that age group remained high – 80% to 90% at the 120- to 180-day mark.

This affirms the importance then of having up-to-date vaccinations to reduce the risk of getting severe infections and dying from COVID-1.

Fact #4 : It Was A Strategy To Defend Against Next COVID-19 Wave

Singapore had COVID-19 under control in April 2022, and the additional protection from the second booster dose wanes after about 2 months.

So they wanted to delay vaccinating the younger population (under 80 years old) until they face a new wave of more virulent Variants of Concern (VOC).

That was when the second booster dose would be most effective – boosting protection at a time of high viral transmission.

If we need to provide the second booster dose for the younger population, this is more appropriate as a strategy to augment immune protection in a time when we are experiencing a new wave of a highly transmissible or highly virulent novel VOC (variant of concern) rather than at a time where the situation is improving.

Read more : Did Study Show Pfizer Vaccine Altering Liver DNA In 6 Hours?! 

Fact #5 : Singapore Expanded Second Booster To 50+

On 10 June 2022, the EC19V updated their recommendations, offering the second booster dose in Singapore to:

  • all persons aged 50 years and older
  • persons aged 18 years and above who are medically vulnerable too severe COVID-19

This decision came after Singapore got hit with a new wave fuelled by the highly-contagious Omicron variants that started in May and continues to surge even now, at the end of July 2022.

Fact #6 : Second Booster Dose Same As Primary Vaccine

Singapore offers three booster doses – Moderna Spikevax, Pfizer COMIRNATY and Novavax Nuvaxovid.

The Pfizer and Novavax booster doses have the same dosage as the primary doses, but the Moderna vaccine is offered at half the primary dose.

The first and second booster doses are really the same vaccine as the primary series vaccine, so there is no reason for new adverse effects to develop.

If you experienced no adverse effects with the first two primary doses, there is simply no reason why you should develop new adverse effects with either the first or the second booster doses, if they are of the same vaccine.

Fact #7 : COVID-19 Vaccines Proven Safe + Effective

COVID-19 vaccines underwent massive clinical trials, and were only approved after they were proven to be safe and effective.

In addition, they were constantly monitored after they received their approvals, which picked up rare side effects after they were administered to billions of people.

Anti-vaccination activists have often claimed that those who received the vaccine would die. Yet, the opposite was true – the vaccines are not only safe, they are effective in protecting people from getting hospitalised or dying from COVID-19.

Even Steve Kirsch is healthy and well, despite being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19!

Read more : Antivax Steve Kirsch Admits He’s Fully-Vaccinated!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Directed Energy Weapons Cause Viral Cleveland Fire?!

Did Directed Energy Weapons cause the fast-spreading fire in Cleveland that went viral?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Directed Energy Weapons Caused Viral Cleveland Fire!

People are sharing a viral video clip of a fast-spreading fire in Cleveland, which they claim / suggest is evidence of Directed Energy Weapons being tested on Americans!

MAVERICK X : Another very strange phenomenon from Cleveland, USA which happened recently.

It appears like the consequences of testing directed energy weapons, maybe even preparing us for alien invasion.

Everything is staged my friends.

Recommended : Did Israel Orchestrate 9/11 False Flag Attacks?!

 

Truth : Directed Energy Weapons Did Not Cause Viral Cleveland Fire!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / propagated by conspiracy theorists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In June 2022

First, I should point out that the video above was originally posted by Scotty Kash in TikTok (archive) on 19 June 2022. The fire apparently happened at around 2 AM on 18 June 2022.

The video went viral on TikTok and Twitter in July 2022, and then again on X (formerly known as Twitter) in December 2023.

This fire did not happen “recently” in Cleveland, as claimed by some people, unless “recently” is defined as anything over 1.5 years ago!

Fact #2 : Fire Was Apparently Caused By A Cigarette

According to Cleveland fire investigators, the fire started was apparently “sparked by a cigarette that was carelessly discarded

There is no evidence, then in 2022 and now in 2023, that the fire was caused by any Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) testing. The last I checked – an errant cigarette is not considered a Directed Energy Weapon…

Recommended : Was Stephen Colbert Arrested For Fraud + Child Sex?!

Fact #3 : Fire Started In A Single Mulch Bed

According to witnesses at the scene, the fire appeared to start in a single mulch bed, but quickly spread to other nearby mulch beds due to strong winds.

Videographer Drew Griffing spotted the fire after getting off work at the nearby Forward Night Club:

I saw some smoke, saw some sparks, originally thought maybe it was car on fire, and then as I got closer, I saw one mulch bed and the wind was blowing all the sparks into the other mulch beds, you know chain reaction and it was reminiscent of a wild fire.

Eventually, at least 20 mulch beds were set on fire by the blaze. Just in case you are wondering – mulch is highly flammable, so it only requires a fire source to set it on fire, and a good wind to spread it to other mulch beds. As Cleveland Fire spokesperson Lt. Mike Norman explained:

You have a smoldering cigarette, and then mulch is a fuel, you know it’s wood chips, we’ve had a couple hot days, I’m sure that mulch got nice and dry, so that ignition source and that fuel, and then the wind, you know that wind driven fire, wind fuels that fire and that fire spread pretty quickly.

Fire officials pointed out that this is why it is so important to make sure cigarettes are completely extinguished before people dispose of them.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Bill Gates Create Lab-Grown Meat That Moves?!

Did Bill Gates just create a synthetic, lab-grown chicken drumstick made from “mystery meat” that can move?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out why hybrid immunity offers even better protection!

 

Claim : Bill Gates Created Lab-Grown Meat That Moves!

People are sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter), which claimed or suggested that Bill Gates just created a synthetic, lab-grown chicken drumstick made from “mystery meat” that can move!

The video which is attached to the post shows a cooked chicken drumstick which appears to be twitching and moving!

In that viral post, Lauren Witzke called for the lab-grown mystery meat to be seized and destroyed, and that the scientist(s) who created it should be arrested.

Lauren Witzke : All of Bill Gates’ Lab-grown mystery meat should immediately be seized and incinerated followed by the immediate arrest of every scientist responsible for this monstrosity.

Her video and post were then shared / promoted by other X accounts that often promote or share misinformation. For example, the infamous DiedSuddenly account:

DiedSuddenly : This is insane.

And somehow, vaccines get linked to it…

Naughty Beaver : When you find out what was going on underground on this planet and out in space, you will quickly see why some of us knew to run from all of this so early. Vaccines included. 😒

Recommended : FDA To Ban BVO – A Stabiliser Used In Soft Drinks!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Did Not Create Lab-Grown Meat That Moves!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created / circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Created By Russel Cameron

Let me start by pointing out that the video has a watermark :

@providingforthecommunity Russel Cameron

Anyone who even takes 5 seconds to do a web search for Russel Cameron will quickly realise that the video has nothing to do with Bill Gates, or any lab-grown mystery meat!

Fact #2 : It Was A Russel Cameron Video Art

Russel Cameron is a self-taught American artist and sculptor. A Brooklyn, New York, native, he specialises in created “dark emotive and somewhat unsettling sculptures”. He has two Instagram channels:

  • @russelcameron, which showcases sculptures featuring anatomical parts
  • @providingforthecommunity, which showcases food-based video art

The original viral video was posted on Russel Cameron’s @providingforthecommunity Instagram page on Sunday, 26 November 2023.

Fact #3 : Russel Cameron Never Mentioned Bill Gates

It is uncertain why anyone would think that this video had anything to do with Bill Gates, as Russel Cameron never alluded to it on his Instagram post.

providingforthecommunity : Quality you can trust. #reel #reels #instareels #instagram #instadaily #labgrown #insta #instagood #labmeat

As you can see, Russel Cameron never mentioned Bill Gates even once in his post…

Recommended : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Radioactive?!

Fact #4 : Cooked Meat Would Not Be Moving

I should also point out that anyone with an ounce of common sense would realise that the video is not genuine as the cooked drumstick was twitching and moving on its own.

Never mind the fact any lab-grown meat would lack nerve cells to trigger such muscle spasms, the muscle cells would be incapable of moving after being cooked.

Have you ever seen a cooked chicken drumstick move? So why should a cooked synthetic drumstick move, even if it’s made in a lab?

Fact #5 : Lab-Grown Meat Isn’t New

Frankly, I don’t even understand what’s the fuss about lab-grown meat. It’s hardly a new concept. Even Winston Churchill himself wrote about the possibility in 1931:

We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.

The real work on lab-grown meat (also known as cultured meat) started in 2001, both in the private sector, and NASA experiments.

Fact #6 : Lab-Grown Meat May Be The Future

Lab-grown meat isn’t even controversial. In fact, it is seen as more ethical and environmentally-friendly way to produce meat… if scientists can figure out how to make it indistinguishable from real meat, and cheap enough to mass produce.

In May 2008, PETA even offered a $1 million prize to the first company that can bring cultured chicken meat to consumers by 2012. That contest was later extended to 4 March 2014. Unfortunately, no company won that contest…

Since then, many commercial companies have been established to try and produce affordable cultured / lab-grown meat products.

The public also appears to be highly supportive of lab-grown meat. On 27 April 2022, the European Commission approved a request to collect signatures for the European Citizens’ Initiative to “End the Slaughter Age“, which proposed to shift subsidies from animal husbandry to cellular agriculture.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Free TNG RFID Bar Code Scam Fact Check!

Will your phone get hacked if you scan the TNG RFID bar code?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-11-17 : Added new version, and more details.
Originally posted @ 2023-05-10

 

Claim : Scanning TNG RFID Bar Code Can Hack Your Phone!

This warning about an RFID bar code scam has gone viral on WhatsApp, and social media, claiming that scammers are sending people free TNG RFID stickers, and asking them to scan the bar code.

Allegedly, scanning the TNG RFID bar code will cause your phone to be hacked by these scammers!

They send the RFID to you. When you scan the bar code they hack your hp
It’s a scam

他们将 RFID 发送给您。 当您扫描条形码时,他们会入侵您
这是一个骗局

Mereka menghantar RFID kepada anda. Apabila anda mengimbas kod bar mereka menggodam anda
Ia satu penipuan ☠️👻💩😱😰

If you get this free RFID card via courier, please throw away. Another scam.

Recommended : Bank Letter QR Code Scam : What You Need To Know!

 

Truth : Scanning TNG RFID Bar Code Will NOT Hack Your Phone!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : TNG RFID Bar Code Cannot Hack Your Phone

First of all – let me just say that the TNG RFID bar code cannot hack your phone. In fact, no one can hack your phone just because you scan an RFID bar code.

The bar code is nothing more than a series of numbers, which you can readily see printed under the bar code. These numbers cannot possibly hack your phone / smartphone.

Fact #2 : TNG Bar Code Is Used To Register RFID Sticker

The bar code visible in the clear window of the TNG RFID self-fitment kit is merely the serial number for the RFID sticker (also known as an RFID tag).

This serial number is used to register the RFID sticker, by scanning scan the bar code using the TNG eWallet mobile app. All it does is link the RFID sticker to your TNG eWallet account, so that all toll charges are automatically deducted from that account.

Fact #3 : TNG RFID Swapping Can Be Easily Detected

One of our readers suggested that the scammer might have swapped out the bar code, to trick you into registering a different TNG RFID sticker owned by the scammer.

This would allow the scammer to use his/her TNG RFID sticker to go through highway tolls for free, while you would be charged for his/her travels.

While that is plausible, it would be quickly detected by the victim who would not be able to use the RFID sticker to get through the toll. The victim would also be able to detect the illegal charges to his/her TNG eWallet account.

Read more : TNG RFID Self-Fitment Guide : How To Do It Yourself

Fact #4 : TNG RFID Is Unique To Each Chip

One of our readers suggested that the scammer may be trying to trick people into scanning the barcode of a duplicated RFID sticker. The scammer can then use the duplicate RFID sticker to go through tolls, which would be charged to the victims’ TNG eWallet accounts.

Now, Touch ‘n Go has not revealed much about how it is protecting its RFID stickers, only saying that each TNG RFID sticker has an embedded radio-frequency chip that makes every sticker “unique to each customer”.

But that suggests that the RFID stickers are not only encrypted, the chip has a private key that prevents duplication, which makes a lot of sense. Without such encryption and private key, anyone can literally just read the number off any RFID sticker in a parking lot, and duplicate it in a programmable RFID sticker.

Unless the scammer has somehow stolen the private keys, and can perfectly duplicate the RFID stickers, this seems like an improbable scam. More so when the scammers would be limited to using the tolls for free. Hardly worth the effort, if you ask me.

Fact #5 : There Are Easier + Cheaper Ways To Hack Your Phone

Truth be told – there are far easier and cheaper ways to hack your phone, than send you a free RFID sticker and ask you to scan the bar code.

These scammers will have to put in considerable expense and technical expertise into hacking the TNG eWallet app, and inserting their malware that the fake RFID number would trigger.

But why bother? If they can hack the TNG eWallet, they don’t even need to send you any fake RFID bar code to scan!

Making fake RFID stickers (tags) that look like genuine TNG RFID self-fitment kits costs money. Sending these fake kits also put them at risk, because deliveries can be traced.

There are many other ways to compromise your smartphone. There is simply no reason why scammers to waste time and money on such a convoluted scheme.

Recommended : WhatsApp Block Button Scam : What You Need To Know!

Fact #6 : Packages Do Get Delivered Wrongly

The most plausible explanation for receiving a free TNG RFID sticker out of the blue is that it was wrongly delivered to you. If you receive one, check the name and address on the package. It may not be meant for you. In that case, contact the delivery company and have them resend it to the right person.

I have also personally experienced receiving packages that I did not order, some of which appear to be sent due to a database error of some sort – my name and phone number are on the package, but the address was wrong or non-existent.

Out of an abundance of caution, just don’t install any RFID sticker that you did not order. Or you can call up TNG to verify that the RFID sticker is legitimate.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Dolly Parton Just Died Suddenly In Hospital?!

Legendary singer Dolly Parton just died suddenly in the hospital?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-25 : Updated with new version and new details.
Originally posted @ 2023-05-05

 

Claim : Dolly Parton Just Died Suddenly In Hospital!

People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming that legendary singer Dolly Parton just died suddenly in a hospital of cancer or a stroke, with titles like :

5 Minutes Ago / The UNEXPECTED Death of Dolly Parton After A Long Battle With CANCER

7 minutes ago / R.I.P. Singer Dolly Parton Died on the way to the hospital

1 hours ago, Singer Dolly Parton died at the hospital, extremely painful

20 minutes ago / The family announced the sad news of Country singer Dolly Parton / Goodbye

30 minutes ago, Famous Singer Dolly Parton was found dead in the bathroom after suffering a stroke

7 minutes ago/ Dolly Parton passed away suddenly last night/ Goodbye actor Dolly Parton

10 Minutes Ago / Sad News / RIP Dolly Parton / Goodbye Dolly Parton

Minutes ago at Dolly Parton’s funeral, Blake Shelton: ‘I can’t believe she’s gone forever’

10 mins ago / With singer Dolly Parton’s tearful final goodbye, she is confirmed as..

5 Minutes Ago/Dolly Parton Is Currently On Life Support After Diagnosed With Dangerous Disease.

With heavy hearts as we report sudden death of 76-year-old singer Dolly Parton, goodbye and rest.

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In A High Speed Car Crash?!

 

Truth : Dolly Parton Did NOT Die Suddenly In Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported Her Death

These YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Dolly Parton’s death.

Dolly Parton is such a big celebrity, her death would have been covered globally by the media and celebrity blogs.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet, nor celebrity blog, has reported that Dolly Parton died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook videos?

Fact #2 : Dolly Parton Is Still Alive + Well!

Dolly Parton (born Dolly Rebecca Parton on May 13, 1946) is still very much alive and well, as of Friday, October 20, 2023, when she posted on Instagram about the release of her duet of the song, Wrecking Ball, with Miley Cyrus!

And just two days earlier, she posted an Instagram video promoting her book – Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones (US | UK | AU).

All those posts came many days to months after those YouTube and Facebook videos claimed that she died suddenly from a stroke, or cancer, or some “dangerous disease”.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Fact #3 : The Videos Provided No Evidence For Her Death

To generate ad money, the videos must engage you long enough, so they come up with some story that Dolly Parton was suffering from a “dangerous disease” or a “stroke”, and they drag out the video with details about Dolly Parton’s life.

In any case, after watching the videos, you will realise that none of them offered any evidence that Dolly Parton died from a stroke or any dangerous disease.

That may anger you, but it doesn’t matter. They got you to watch the video, generating income for them. And they know that most people will not realise that, and forward the fake news to their family and friends!

Fact #4 : They Videos Used Stock Photos

To make their videos more convincing, these fake video creators add faces of celebrities like Sylvester Stallone and Blake Shelton to the fake Dolly Parton funeral photos.

Take for example, this photo of Sylvester Stallone apparently leading the pallbearers carrying Dolly Parton’s coffin. Not only is Stallone smirking (odd for a funeral, isn’t it?), his head looks strange – it’s too large and you can see a second ear just right ear!

That’s because the fake news creator use the funeral photo from Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries that was taken on Sunday, January 21, 2018 by Getty photographer, Charles McQuillian, in her hometown of Limerick in Ireland.

The fake news creator had to make Sylvester Stallone’s head larger to cover up the face of the man in the real photo, but even so, was not able to cover up the man’s right ear completely.

The fake news creator also added a photo of Dolly Parton. In the real photo, you can see that the man was not holding anything.

Recommended : Did Michael J. Fox Die Suddenly From COVID-19?!

Fact #5 : Dolly Parton Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Dolly Parton death hoax, ironically, also bring driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of singer Dolly Parton’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the May 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You or Jolene is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Dolly Parton Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Dolly Parton’s unnamed rep confirming that she is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. She’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Can Scammers Hack Your Phone If You Call Back?!

Can scammers hack your phone if you answer their calls, or call back?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Scammers Can Hack Your Phone If You Call Back!

People are sharing this advice about scammers hacking your phone if you answer their calls, or call back!

Very Very Urgent …

Please pass this message to your family and friends NOW.

Recommended : WhatsApp Block Button Scam : What You Need To Know!

 

Truth : Scammers Cannot Hack Your Phone If You Call Back!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : This Is Old Fake News

First, let me just point out that this fake message isn’t even new. It has been circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms since April 2020, if not earlier.

Fact #2 : This Hoax Is Based On One Ring / Wangiri Scam

This hoax appears to be based on the 2019 FCC warning about the “One Ring” or “Wangiri” scam, where scammers use robocall devices to give victims a miss call, in hopes that they would call back and get charged for Pay-Per-Call services.

The Federal Communications Commission is alerting consumers to reported waves of “One Ring” or “Wangiri” scam robocalls targeting specific area codes in bursts, often calling multiple times in the middle of the night. These calls are likely trying to prompt consumers to call the number back, often resulting in per minute toll charges similar to a 900 number. Consumers should not call these numbers back.

Recent reports indicate these calls are using the “222” country code of the West African nation of Mauritania. News reports have indicated widespread overnight calling in New York State and Arizona.

Generally, the One Ring scam takes place when a robocaller calls a number and hangs up after a ring or two. They may call repeatedly, hoping the consumer calls back and runs up a toll that is largely paid to the scammer.

Consumer Tips: · Do not call back numbers you do not recognize, especially those appearing to originate overseas. · File a complaint with the FCC if you received these calls: www.fcc.gov/complaints · If you never make international calls, consider talking to your phone company about blocking outbound international calls to prevent accidental toll calls. · Check your phone bill for charges you don’t recognize.

This scam, however, does not involve hacking any phone. It only requires you to call back the number, which is a Pay-Per-Call service.

Once you call back, you will get charged a premium rate, as the scammers try to keep you on the line for as long as possible.

Recommended : Can Israel Seismic Wave Card Hack Your Phone?!

Fact #3 : Scammers Cannot Hack Phone Through Calls

It is simply not possible to hack your phone through a voice call, even if you’re using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), or apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.

What is possible though is voice phishing, also known as vishing. This is a form of social engineering, where scammers pose as a bank or police officer (or someone with authority) to obtain your bank account information, or trick you into transferring money into their bank accounts.

Fact #4 : 90# Telephone Scam Only Works With PBX / PABX

The #90 or 90# scam is a very old phone scam that only works on business landline phones that use a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) or PABX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange) system. Here is the official US FCC warning about this scam.

In this very old scam, the scammer pretends to be a telco employee looking into a technical problem with your phone lines, and asks you to help him by either mailing 90# or transferring the call to an outside line. If you do that, you will enable the scammer to place premium-rate calls that will billed to your phone number.

To be clear – these codes do NOT work on mobile phones or smartphones, because they do not run on PBX or PABX systems.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Israel Just Tear Up UN Human Rights Notice?!

Did an Israeli representative just TEAR UP a notice issued by the UN on Israel’s human rights violations in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Israel Envoy Tore Up UN Human Rights Notice!

People are sharing a video, which claimed to show an Israeli representative tearing up a 20-page notice that the UN issued to Israel for violating human rights during the Israel-Hamas War of October 2023.

BIG BREAKING 🔥⚡️
UN issued 20-page notice to Israel that it has violated human rights Israeli representatives came on stage for 2 minutes, took the notice in their hands tore it, and threw it away saying that terrorists have no human rights.
The World Loves Israel. #IsraelAttack #IsraelPalestineConflict #HamasWarCrimes

United Nations summoned Israel and gave them a report on human rights violations. Israeli representative come on the stage, tore the report and went away. 57 countries with green flags could do nothing about it. This is how a strong and powerful country answers.

Recommended : Israel FM Eli Cohen Confirm Hamas Put Children In Cages?!

 

Truth : Israel Envoy Tore UNHCR Report In 2021, Not 2023

We looked into the claim or suggestion that an Israeli representative tore up a notice that the UN issued to Israel for violating human rights, and here was what we found…

Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In October 2021

The viral video is genuine, but it was recorded almost two years ago – on October 29, 2021.

This video has nothing to do with the October 2023 war between Israel and Hamas.

Fact #2 : It Was A Report, Not A Notice

The paper that was torn up in the viral video was not a notice that the UN issued to Israel for violating human rights. It was the UNHCR’s annual report.

Fact #3 : That Was Ambassador Gilad Erdan

The man in the video is Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who was addressing the UN General Assembly after the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) issued its annual report.

In his speech, he said that the UN had a history of anti-Israel bias, and referred to the 1975 General Assembly resolution that labelled Zionism as “racism” – a designation that was only revoked in 1991.

Today, I addressed the @UN General Assembly and spoke out against the baseless, one-sided, and outright false accusations from the Human Rights Council’s annual report.

It was on this stage at this very body that the very right of the Jewish people to have a national home was itself declared to be racist. A decision that was justly over-turned. A decision that Israel’s Ambassador at the time, Chaim Herzog, tore up before the United Nations.

So to, the Human Rights Council’s obsessive anti-Israel bias, embodied, once again, by this report, should have no place in any body concerned with human rights, security or peace. It’s only place is in the dustbin of antisemitism, and that is exactly how we shall treat it.

And that was when Gilad Erdan tore a page (or two) from the UNHCR annual report.

Gilad Erdan himself posted a video of his speech on X (formerly Twitter), confirming both the date and the circumstances behind his actions.

Recommended : Is Hamas Keeping Jewish Children In Cages?!

Fact #4 : Gilad Erdan Spoke For More Than 2 Minutes

The message that accompanied the viral video claimed that Gilad tore the report in his 2-minute speech. This may seem like a small point, but even this point is categorically false.

The video that went viral WhatsApp and social media is only 28 seconds long, and Gilad Erdan himself posted a video clip that lasted 1 minute and 29 seconds.

However, there is a longer video of his speech lasting over 3 minutes. So we know for a fact that Gilad spoke for at least 3 minutes, if not longer.

Fact #5 : Israel Has Been Condemned Many Times

Frankly, that is hardly the first time that Israel was condemned by the Human Rights Council and/or UNHCR; and it was unlikely to be the last time either.

As Gilad Erdan pointed out in the longer version of his viral speech, Israel had been condemned by the Human Rights Council with 95 resolutions so far.

Since the establishment of the council 15 years ago, it has decided to blame and condemn Israel not 10 times like Iran or 35 times like Syria….the Human Rights Council has attacked Israel with 95 resolutions. Compared to 142 against all other countries combined.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Clint Eastwood Just Died On The Way To Hospital?!

Did Clint Eastwood just die suddenly on the way to the hospital?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-20 : Updated with a video, new versions + details
Originally posted @ 2023-05-08

 

Claim : Clint Eastwood Died Suddenly From Cancer / Ligma Virus!

People are sharing YouTube videos and articles claiming that Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood just died suddenly in the hospital from a Ligma virus infection, with titles like :

5 Minutes Ago / Clint Eastwood Died On The Way To The Hospital / Goodbye Clint Eastwood

Stopped Breathing 10 minutes ago / Legendary Clint Eastwood dies in hospital…

10 Minutes Ago / Sad News / RIP Clint Eastwood / Goodbye Clint Eastwood

SUDDEN DEATH of terminal cancer! American Actor Clint Eastwood has left fans with great pain.

5 Minutes Ago/ Hollywood Sends Condolences To His Family / We Report Sad News About Clint Eastwood..

Clint Eastwood’s funeral took place, millions of fans were present and in tears.

Clint Eastwood Funeral😭 As of Sources Clint Eastwood is no More

Funeral in Hollywood / Clint Eastwood Officially Dies at 92, Goodbye Legend

25 minutes ago / we send our condolences to the family of Clint Eastwood, goodbye Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood On Life Support After The Deadly Ligma Virus Spreads Through His Body

Recommended : Did Celine Dion Attend Son’s Wedding In Wheelchair?!

 

Truth : Clint Eastwood Did Not Die On The Way To Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Clint Eastwood Is Still Alive!

Clint Eastwood (born Clinton Eastwood Jr. on May 31, 1930) is still alive as of August 31, 2023.

He had not been sighted in public for over 550 days now, but celebrated his 93rd birthday on May 31, 2023. He also began filming his last movie, Juror No. 2, with Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette in June 2023.

Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos and articles have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death!

Clint Eastwood may not have been in the public eye for some time now, but he remains a Hollywood legend, not only as an actor but also as a filmmaker.

If he was really hospitalised for a viral infection, or even a fall, it would have been reported by both mainstream media, as well as celebrity blogs.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet or even a celebrity blog reported that Clint Eastwood was hospitalised, much less died from a viral infection. That’s because it never happened!

Recommended : Why Did Johnny Depp Faint + Cancel Budapest Concert?!

Fact #3 : Ligma Virus Does Not Exist

It is impossible for Clint Eastwood to die from a Ligma virus infection, because there is no such virus!

The Ligma virus was created in a 2018 Internet hoax, which claimed that Fortnite game streamer, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins died from it. The fake Ligma virus was simply resurrected and used in the Clint Eastwood death hoax.

Fact #4 : Clint Eastwood Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.

In this example, the fake news creator edited a photo of pallbearers leaving St. Mary Parish after a funeral for two siblings – 7 year-old Sean Munroe, and 8 year-old Lexi Munroe, who died after getting trapped in a wooden hope chest.

The funeral was not only far away in Franklin, Massachusetts, it occurred on January 20, 2014 – many years ago.

To make you think it was Clint Eastwood in that casket, the fake news creator simply added a large, floating picture in front of the man in the front.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

This photo does not show Clint Eastwood dying in the hospital from the Ligma virus. It is really a photo of Ahmet Dobran, an 82 year-old cancer patient who was attacked and robbed by three men.

That violent attack broke his back in three places, and Mr. Dobran died in the hospital five months later, after drifting in and out of a coma.

Not only did this incident happen far away in East London, this photo was taken a few years ago, in January 2018.

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In High Speed Car Crash?!

And this photo does not show Clint Eastwood’s funeral procession. It was actually taken many years ago – on 5 October 2017, at the funeral procession for Irish actor Marc O’Shea in Northern Ireland.

Fact #5 : Clint Eastwood Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Clint Eastwood death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of actor Clint Eastwood’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the October 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for the movie Invictus and best known for his roles in Dirty Harry or A Fistful of Dollars is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Clint Eastwood Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Clint Eastwood’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Nurse Lost RM380K After Pressing Instagram ‘Like’ Button?!

Did a Malaysian nurse lose RM380,000 after pressing the Instagram Like button?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Nurse Lost RM380K After Pressing Instagram Like Button!

People are sharing an article which claims that a Malaysian nurse lost RM380,000 after pressing the Like button in Instagram for RM5 commissions! Here is an excerpt from the article:

M’sian Nurse Loses RM380K After Pressing Instagram ‘Like’ Button For RM5 Commission

Too late to unlike

Recommended : Scam Alert : How Fake Job Syndicates Operate!

 

Nurse Did Not Lose RM380K After Pressing Instagram Like Button!

First of all, I would like to applaud the website for writing about job scams, but that’s really a misleading title.

Unfortunately, many people don’t read beyond the headlines. People are even asking if they will get “hacked” like the nurse if they like Instagram posts!

The truth is – the Malaysian nurse did not lose RM380,000 because she pressed on the Like button in Instagram. In fact, Instagram and its Like button have nothing to do with the actual scam!

Social Media Jobs Are An Easy Lure

As I have earlier written on how fake job syndicates operate, the “job” and “platform” are not important. These scammers generally offer social media jobs, because that’s what most people already use, so it’s easy to hook victims.

These syndicates will offer quick and easy tasks to do on social media, for example – liking Instagram photos and Facebook posts. Other (non-social media) tasks include liking YouTube videos and/or subscribing to YouTube channels, or even making comments on businesses in Google Maps.

Whether the job is on Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Google Maps, etc. is irrelevant. The first few “jobs” you are given are the bait. You will be paid for those simple tasks, like RM5 for liking an Instagram post, or RM10 for subscribing to a YouTube channel. Such an easy way to make money!

Paying For Jobs Is The Scam!

After you get the first payment, you will be asked to participate in a “prepaid job”. All you have to do is pay a “deposit” for the opportunity to make a lot of money in high-paying “jobs”.

At this point, you may feel that this is a genuine side job opportunity. After all, they paid you for the earlier jobs, didn’t they? Real scammers wouldn’t pay their victims, right? WRONG!

Once you make that first deposit, you are “hooked”. The scammers will not let you withdraw the money, but insist that you must continue with the next “prepaid job”, which would require another deposit. Then, you will be asked to pay again to participate in another “prepaid task”, and so on.

On paper, you appear to be earning a lot of money, but you won’t be able to withdraw any of that money. By the time you realise it’s a scam, you would have lost a LOT of money. That is the scam, not pressing on the Instagram Like button.

Recommended : How A University Student Lost RM22K In Online Job Scam!

Trying To Recover The Money Is The Scam!

In the nurse’s case, she fell for their trap to participate in the “prepaid assignment”. She ended up making 36 transactions worth RM387,000 to 21 different bank accounts over 13 days! She not only emptied her savings, she even loaned money from her friends and family members!

Why would any victim do that? Simple – the more money you invest in this fake job offer, the more desperate you will be to recover the money you “invested” and “earned”. To quit would mean losing everything, so you will feel that you have “no choice” but to continue.

To help you make that decision to “stick with the programme”, the syndicate have fake users in their Telegram group continuously posting bank deposit screenshots, while claiming that they just received their earnings.

The truth is – any money you send to their mule accounts will be quickly transferred to the scammers’ account. You will never see the money again.

As one student shared, he lost over RM22,000 in just two days, because he was so engrossed in trying to get back the money he “invested” earlier:

There’s one trick that this scammer is using. He let me start with a small investment, then proceed with stages.

They force me to continue because I want to rescue the money that I put in in the previous task. So it keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Just like that, two days, RM22300, gone.

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Again, I’m glad to see more publicity about fake job scams. But it is important that YOU understand that the scam does not involve the pressing of the Like button in Instagram, or Facebook, or YouTube, or any other online platform.

This is ultimately just another case of a fake job scam. In this nurse’s case, the scammers used the simple job of liking Instagram posts as the lure, but it will be different for other victims. These scammers will use any convenient platform to give you simple jobs to trick you into falling for their scam.

Just remember – there is no such thing as easy social media jobs. Even unscrupulous social media promoters do not need to pay anyone to like a post, or follow someone. They simply use bots (automated software)!

Don’t fall for such fake job scams. No matter how enticing the offer is – NEVER pay for any job.

Please SHARE this article out, and WARN your family and friends!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Hamas Keeping Jewish Children In Cages?!

Is Hamas keeping Jewish children it kidnapped from Israel in cages in Gaza?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-11 : Added details of Israeli Foreign Minister’s confirmation
Originally posted @ 2023-10-10

 

Claim : Jewish Children Held Hostage In Cages By Hamas!

Many people are sharing pictures and/or a video showing five children inside cages, claiming that they were being held hostage by Hamas after being kidnapped in its October 2023 attack on Israel.

Orthodox Canonist : Alleged footage of Hamas keeping children in cages. Why?

What purpose does this serve? Are they Israeli hostages? 🤔💭🇵🇸🇮🇱

Alon Tk : Jewish babies captive in birdcages in Gaza.
These are crimes against Humanity. The whole world needs to see this.
#Israel #Gaza

Ariel Dickmann : Jewish babies kidnapped and tortured in Gaza😡

Recommended : Can Israel Seismic Wave Card Hack Your Phone?!

 

Truth : Hamas Did Not Keep Those Children In Cages!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Video Was Recorded Many Years Ago

First, I should point out that one example of this viral video can be found on YouTube (archive link) since 27 January 2020.  It received little attention when it was released more than 3 years ago, garnering less than 60 views. Oddly enough, YouTube appears to have taken it down recently “for violating YouTube’s Community Guidelines”.

Several commentators (example) have also claimed that this video was originally recorded in 2015. What is certain is that – this video is at least several years old, and is therefore not related to the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel.

The video was then posted by @user690306825181 (account now removed) on TikTok, where it went viral and was reposted to WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.

Fact #2 : TikTok Video Was Posted Before Hamas Attack

The TikTok video itself was actually posted on 4 October 2023 – three days BEFORE the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel. Here’s the evidence that Fake Reporter on X found.

The TikTok video was not only posted three days earlier – on 4 October, it was being promoted on TikTok. The video therefore has absolutely nothing to do with the Hamas attack on Israel.

Recommended : Did Mossad Just Admit NATO Is Losing Ukraine War?!

Fact #3 : The Video Does Not Show Jewish / Israeli Children

According to the YouTube channel – Palestine News, the video was recorded by B’Tselem – an Israeli NGO that documents human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

Palestine News claimed that the video showed Palestinian children locked in cages by the Israeli army, and was filmed in Hebron. Hebron, incidentally, is located in the West Bank, and not in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Israeli Army Kidnapping Palestinian Children and throwing them in Cages , in Occupied Hebron , VIA B’TSELEM

On the other hand, other commentators (example) claimed that the video was recorded by a father who found his children playing in the chicken coop, and locked them up for a laugh. The man, who appeared to be the person recording the video, can be heard laughing heartily in the background.

The laugh seems jovial, and the children do not seem particularly upset. One boy even appears to be smiling. Another commentator said that the guy was saying, “You guys gave me a hard time“, and “Don’t bite me“. That would give some credence to the claim that this was a fun video recorded by a father.

Unfortunately, I cannot confirm (at the moment) whether this video shows Palestinian children being held captive by Israeli soldiers, or Syrian children locked in a cage by their father. The B’Tselem website, for example, has way too many references to children in cages, and I cannot locate the original video allegedly posted by the Syrian father.

However, what seems certain is that these are not Jewish or Israeli children held captive by Hamas, as a result of their 7 October 2023 raid of Israel. After all – this video was recorded and posted before the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.

Recommended : Did Brooklyn Couple Steal Palestinian Couple’s Home?!

Fact #4 : Israel Foreign Minister Appeared To Confirm This

What arguably made this video go viral is the fact that some Jewish news media published reports that Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that the video of Israeli children being held in cages in Gaza was genuine.

Cohen appeared to have made those comments during a live-streamed press conference. But it appears that it was a mistake, and some of those articles have removed references to the video, or Cohen’s claim.

For more details, you can read our separate fact check : Israel FM Eli Cohen Confirm Hamas Put Children In Cages?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Misinformation

Ultimately, this is just another example of misinformation circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), using misappropriated videos.

Here are some other examples that we fact checked recently:

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Fact Check : Singapore Advice On Omicron XBB?!

Take a look at the viral advice on the new Omicron XBB variant from Singapore, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Omicron XBB Variant Advice From Singapore!

This message, purportedly advice on the new Omicron XBB variant from Singapore, has gone viral again on WhatsApp, and on social media.

It’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Singapore news!
Everyone is advised to wear a mask because the new COVID-Omicron XBB variant coronavirus is different, deadly and not easily detected properly:-

Symptoms of the novel COVID-Omicron XBB virus are as follows:-

 

Truth : Omicron XBB Variant Advice From Singapore Is Fake News!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : XBB Is An Omicron Subvariant

First, let me just clarify a common misconception. XBB is technically not a COVID-19 variant. It is a subvariant of the Omicron variant.

As per WHO definition, XBB is a recombinant subvariant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages. In other words – XBB is a mix of the BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants.

Fact #2 : XBB Is Detected Like Any Other COVID-19 Variant

The viral message falsely claims that XBB is not easily detected.

XBB is nothing more than a subvariant of Omicron. It is just as easily detected by the same PCR or RTK tests, as the original Omicron variant.

Fact #3 : XBB Symptoms Similar To Other Omicron Variants

The viral message falsely claims that XBB infections do not present with cough or fever.

XBB is just one of the many Omicron subvariants that include BA.5, BA.2.75, BJ.1, and BA.4.6. While they have changes to their spike protein, they have similar symptoms to the Omicron variant.

They are just different versions of the Omicron variant, and present with common symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, cold, body aches.

Read more : Was New XBB Variant Just Discovered In Singapore?!

Fact #4 : XBB Is Not 5X More Toxic Than Delta Variant

The term “toxic” is nonsensical when it comes to viruses, and tells us that the writer does not understand basic science, never mind virology.

He/she probably meant “virulent” or “virulence”, which refers to the virus’ ability to cause damage to its host. In any case, that is a false claim.

On 27 October 2022, the WHO Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) reported that there is no “substantial differences in disease severity for XBB infections”.

In other words – XBB infections produce similarly mild disease to Omicron. That is not surprising, because XBB is after all an Omicron subvariant.

The Delta variant (B.1.617.2), which caused havoc in mid 2021, causes more severe disease than any other COVID-19 variants, particularly in people who were not vaccinated.

An April 2022 study published in Nature showed that Omicron variant infections had 2X to 5X fewer fatalities than Delta variant infections.

Read more : Did FDA just admit Pfizer vaccine has Graphene Oxide?!

Fact #5 : XBB Does Not Skip The Nasopharynx

This COVID-19 variant skips the nasopharynx and attacks the lungs directly is an old hoax that keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

You may recall when Delta variant was the hot topic, people claimed that this is the variant that skips the nasopharynx and infects the lungs directly.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is immobile, and travels through droplets and aerosols that we breathe in. It is not a homing missile that goes in search of a particular target.

As the air we breathe passes through the nasopharynx before it reaches the lungs, that is where most of the virus ends up, and that is why we swab the nasopharynx to detect COVID-19.

Read more : Fake COVID-19 Warning Attributed To Dr. Leong Hoe Nam

Fact #6 : Nasal / Nasopharyngeal Swab Test Will Still Pick Up XBB

The false claim that nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests will turn up negative also keeps getting rehashed for the variant of the day.

People too earlier claimed that the nasal / nasopharyngeal swab tests would turn up negative for the Delta variant. It was nonsense then, it’s nonsense today.

Nasal or better still, nasopharyngeal swab, to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus still works for the XBB subvariant.

Fact #7 : XBB Wave Is Not Deadlier Than First COVID-19 Wave

While the XBB wave is driving up cases in Singapore, the Ministry of Health there confirmed that the number of severe cases from XBB remained low:

This is very likely due to the resilience built up through vaccination and previous waves of infection. We are monitoring the trajectory closely.

More importantly, there is also no evidence of XBB causing more severe illness. So far, the large majority of patients continue to report mild symptoms such as sore throat or slight fever, especially if they have been vaccinated.

On October 11, for example, Singapore recorded over 11,000 new cases, but only 11 of them needed to be treated in the ICU, and only 50 needed oxygen supplementation.

That was much lower than the 171 ICU cases and 308 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Delta wave, and 54 ICU cases and 232 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Omicron wave.

 

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Fact Check : New WhatsApp Cyber Crime Rules?!

Did WhatsApp just implement new cyber crime rules to help the government monitor and record your calls and messages?! Find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-08 : Updated after message went viral again.
Originally posted @ 2023-07-03

 

Claim : WhatsApp Has New Cyber Crime Rules!

People are sharing this warning about WhatsApp implementing new cyber crime rules, to help the government monitor and record all calls and messages!

Tʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʀᴜʟᴇs ғᴏʀ WʜᴀᴛsAᴘᴘ ᴀɴᴅ WʜᴀᴛsAᴘᴘ Cᴀʟʟs (Vᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Vɪᴅᴇᴏ Cᴀʟʟs) ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ɪᴍᴘʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ: –

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

 

Truth : WhatsApp Does Not Have New Cyber Crime Rules!

And here is why this is nothing more than yet another Internet hoax :

Fact #1 : Only China Can Do This

The only country that has accomplished most of what was shared above is China, but it took them decades to erect the Great Firewall of China.

It’s not just the massive infrastructure that needs to be created, it also requires legislation to be enacted, and considerable manpower and resources to maintain such a system.

That’s why China is leaning heavily on AI and cloud computing capabilities to automatically and quickly censor information it deems “sensitive”.

However, no other country has come close to spending the money and resources on a similar scale, although Russia, Cuba, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Belarus have imported some surveillance technology from China.

Fact #2 : WhatsApp, Instagram + Facebook Messenger Have End-to-End Encryption

All three Facebook-owned apps now run on the same common platform, which provides end-to-end encryption.

End-to-end encryption protects messages as they travel through the Internet, and specifically prevents anyone (bad guys or your friendly government censor) from snooping into your conversations.

That is also why all three apps are banned in China…

Recommended : Can SIM swap attack empty bank account without warning?!

Fact #3 : Governments Generally Have No Control Over Those Apps

Outside of authoritarian countries like China and Russia, governments generally have little to no control over social media and instant messaging apps. Even then, their control is generally limited to banning access if they don’t get their way.

The ability to keep conversations and messages safe and private is key to the success of instant messaging apps, in particular. So WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal would never allow governments access to user messages or voice calls, never mind record and monitor them for governments!

In fact, by implementing end-to-end encryption, these companies themselves do not have access to your messages and calls.

Fact #4 : WhatsApp Does Not Have Three Check Marks!

WhatsApp messages only have two ticks / check marks to notify users about the status of their messages:

: The message was successfully sent.
: The message was successfully delivered to the recipient’s phone or any of their linked devices.
: The recipient has read your message.

There is no third check mark, as claimed by the viral message.

Fact #5 : Governments Won’t Tip You About Investigations

It is illogical for WhatsApp to inform you when the government is checking your information, or when it has started proceedings against you.

In fact, it doesn’t make sense for any government to inform you by instant messaging check marks! If the government is charging you with a crime, it will send police officers, not check marks on WhatsApp!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why Viral Video Does Not Show Bangkok Mall Shooting!

The video which appears to show a gunman shooting at people does not actually the recent Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Viral Video Shows Bangkok Mall Shooting!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claiming that it shows the recent Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok!

Recommended : Did Putin Threaten To Release 9/11 Satellite Evidence?!

 

Truth : Viral Video Does Not Show Bangkok Mall Shooting!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Posted In Douyin

I traced the video that was posted to Douyin – China’s version of TikTok. The original poster (OP) is a Douyin user called Master ho (@yzz945201314), and here is the direct link to the video.

Fact #2 : Video Was Posted In August 2023

Master ho posted the video on 9 August 2023. The Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok only occurred on 3 October 2023almost two months later.

So there is simply impossible for the viral video to be of the Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok.

Fact #3 : Video Was Recorded In Phuket In June 2023

Even though the viral video was only posted to Douyin in August, it was originally recorded more than a month earlier – on Friday, 28 June 2023.

It was also not recorded in the Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok. Rather, it was recorded in the Domestic Terminal of the Phuket International Airport.

If you look carefully at the video, you will notice the airport check-in counters, and people carrying luggages. The video was obviously recorded at an airport, and not a mall.

Recommended : US Gov Stole $50 Trillion Of Gold + Oil From Iraq?!

Fact #4 : Siam Paragon Shooter Was Only Armed With Pistol

The Siam Paragon mall shooter was an unnamed 14 year-old teenager from the nearby private secondary school – The Essence.

The boy was only armed with a modified Glock 9mm pistol, and did not have any long guns with him.

The shooter in the viral video was not only armed with a handgun, he also had what looked like an automatic rifle.

Fact #5 : It Was An Active Shooter Drill

The viral video does not show any actual crime, or gun violence taking place. It was an emergency security drill to simulate a response to an “active shooter” in the Phuket International Airport. In the photo above, you can even see a man taking photos or videos of the drill!

The drill was called “Full-scal exercise of Phuket International Airport Emergency Plan (PEMEX 2023), and conducted on the second floor of the Domestic Terminal, at around 11 PM – -after boarding for the final departing domestic flight had cleared the area.

The exercise was designed to simulate the coordinated response of security and anti-terrorism personnel to an active shooter taking hostages in the domestic terminal area. Thai agencies and personnel that took part in this PEMEX 2023 exercise included:

  • Thai Provincial Police Region 8
  • Sakhu Police
  • Phuket Airline Operations Committee (AOC)
  • Airports of Thailand ground service company (AOTGA)
  • Airports of Thailand private security company (AOT AVSEC)
  • Vachira Phuket Hospital
  • Phuket Provincial Public Health Office
  • Subdistrict Administrative Organisations (OrBorTor) for Mai Khao, Sakhu, and Thepkrasattri.

Recommended : Did US Army Lose + Recover Stolen Sarin Gas Rockets?!

Fact #6 : There Are Many Clues In The Video

The truth is – anyone who analyses the video will realise that there are many “issues” with this video:

  • the gunshots do not sound like real gunshots
  • gunshots ring out even when the gunman isn’t shooting
  • none of the victims are bleeding
  • the person recording the video is bravely standing up to record the video for almost 2.5 minutes
  • the person recording the video can be heard laughing at around 0:18 in the video
  • at around 1:30, another man can be seen recording the scene from the upper floor

Fact #7 : OP Likely Reposted From A Different Source

The Douyin poster, Master ho, does not appear to be the person recording the video. He mistakenly labelled the location as Songkhla Airport – more accurately known as the Hat Yai International Airport in the Songkhla Province.

泰国宋卡机场发生枪击事件,听说是演习农 因 因 因

A shooting incident occurred at Songkhla Airport in Thailand. It was said that it an exercise.

However, he clearly stated in the description, and his subsequent comments, that it was just a drill.

Whoever copied this video from his Douyin account is certainly aware that the video was of an airport drill, and posted almost 3 months earlier.

The only conclusion we can draw from this is that – whoever copied the video to share in October 2023, is intentionally trying to mislead people.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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