The Coronavirus Collection: Viral Videos

Online videos can be a effective medium for disseminating important information, but they can also be used to spread disinformation and conspiracy theories. This collection features the viral videos about COVID-19 our readers have asked us to fact check.

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Does Video Show Guns, Violence in Aftermath of Coronavirus Outbreak in China?

Feb. 14, 2020 Speculation does not equal evidence.

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Are People Collapsing in the Street from Coronavirus?

Jan. 30, 2020 A spokesperson for the World Health Organization said that fainting in this manner from coronavi ...

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China's Official Newspaper Mislabels Video Footage in Coronavirus Coverage

Feb. 18, 2020 A People's Daily video claiming to show "full-front disinfection work" in Wuhan included footage ...

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Did Video Show Italian Army Trucks Transporting Coffins Amid COVID-19 Pandemic?

March 23, 2020 A stark illustration of the tragic impact coronavirus had on parts of Italy in 2020.

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Does This Video Show Mass Graves in Italy?

March 27, 2020 So far as we can tell, actress Tiffani Thiessen was not working for the CDC during the COVID-19 ...

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Is Coronavirus Spreading Faster Than SARS, Ebola, and Swine Flu?

Feb. 26, 2020 A video clip supposedly showing the exponential spread of a new coronavirus misled some viewers.

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Is Teens Coughing on Produce a 'Disturbing Trend' in the US?

March 21, 2020 A reported instance of "teens doing dumb things on social media" may be something less than a na ...

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Did Dolphins and Swans 'Return' to Italian Waterways Amid COVID-19 Lockdown?

March 20, 2020 A few wildlife sightings were excitedly shared across social media as a note of sunny news amid ...

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Did an Orangutan Start Hand-Washing During COVID-19 Pandemic?

April 1, 2020 Sandra the orangutan loves to wash her hands. We should all be more like Sandra.

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Did MSNBC Reporter Say 'I Hope Coronavirus Kills People and Hurts Trump's Reelection'?

March 16, 2020 This false rumor demonstrates how one subtle video edit can achieve a huge deception.

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No, a Hair Dryer Won't Stop Coronavirus

March 17, 2020 A viral video that claims breathing hot air from a hair dryer could cure COVID-19 demonstrates a ...

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Did CBS News Use Footage from Italy for New York COVID-19 Report?

April 9, 2020 The news outlet acknowledged the error, but that wasn't the end of the story.

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Was Fox News' John Roberts Caught on Hot Mic Discussing COVID-19 as a Hoax?

April 22, 2020 A viral video captured an informal exchange between Roberts and New York Times photographer Doug ...

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Snopes Debunks 'Plandemic'

May 11, 2020 One viral video has led to a tidal wave of misinformation.

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'Plandemic': Was Judy Mikovits Arrested Without a Warrant and Jailed Without Charges?

May 8, 2020 The factually-challenged film “Plandemic” is a social media hit with groups such as anti-vaxxers ...

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Is This a PSA About Reopening the Economy?

May 12, 2020 Sometimes it is all too easy for us to consider deaths as a mere abstraction or statistic — as s ...

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