Snopes Fact-Checks Post-Election Day Misinformation
In the aftermath of the Election Day 2020 and the days of counting that followed, misinformation ran free. We were there.
The voting is done. Misinformation is flourishing.
As the internet’s premier fact-checking site, we’ve been gauging the truth behind the candidates’ claims since the beginning of the race (see a collection of fact checks involving Trump here and Biden here), as well as rumors about the voting process and what Americans can expect in this historic election. And on Election Day itself, we checked misinformation as it was happening.
Now, we’ve got new fact checks to combat misinformation about the election’s results. We introduced “rumor alerts” to warn readers where they should tread lightly. We use those posts to send up a flare about rumors/misinformation for which we may not have enough information for a complete fact check with a truth rating, but that we want to warn audiences about anyway.
Check out all our new fact checks and coverage below.
Those Trump Campaign ‘Election Defense’ Emails, Fact-Checked
After Joe Biden was announced the 46th U.S. president, the Trump campaign sent supporters dozens of emails — heavy on fundraising appeals, but short on facts.
What Happens If Donald Trump Doesn’t Concede?
No U.S. presidential candidate in modern history has refused to acknowledge defeat.
Does Loser.com Redirect to Trump’s Wikipedia Page?
This isn't the first time that Trump has been targeted by Loser.com.
Why Do the Media Call Races in US Elections?
The Associated Press explains the history of the media's involvement in calling elections — and how they make the decision.
Was the ‘Nevada Poll Worker’ Interviewed by Ingraham Actually Trump Himself?
Laura Ingraham interviewed a Nevada poll worker, face and voice masked, who claimed to have witnessed rampant voter fraud.
Did Republican Dean Browning Tweet ‘I’m a Black Gay Guy’?
Twitter users believed the tweet was meant to go out via an alternate, fake account to bolster support for Republican causes.
Did Biden Create ‘Office of the President Elect’ To Undermine Trump?
Not everything U.S. President-elect Joe Biden does is a scheme against the current president.
Are 132K Ballots in Georgia Likely Ineligible?
This appeared to be an example of what we'll call a "misinformation ouroboros" endless loop.
Did Trump Promise ‘Tremendous Stimulus Package Immediately After the Election’?
The IRS sent out the first payments in April 2020, and American families have been awaiting word on when a second stimulus check may be coming.
Did Trump Write ‘Never Admit Defeat’ in ‘Art of the Deal’?
While President Trump may never admit defeat, he did not write that in "The Art of the Deal."
Did Real Clear Politics Take Penn. ‘Away’ From Biden After Lawsuit News?
It is challenging to take something away that was never given in the first place.
Was Trump First US President To Lose Popular Vote, Get Impeached, Then Lose Reelection?
The 45th president made history, both good and bad, in the 2020 election.
Is There a ‘Hammer and Scorecard’ Operation to Manipulate Vote Counts?
The director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) called the rumors "nonsense."
Does Biden Want Fraudulent Ballots To Count in the 2020 Election?
The baseless claim suggests the president-elect has ordered elections workers nationwide to break laws governing vote counting.
Did Trump’s Legal Team Hold a News Conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping?
Questions swirled over whether the wrong Four Seasons was the site of the conference.
Was Biden’s Hat a Response to Trump’s MAGA Slogan?
Internet sleuths think the president-elect is trolling Trump with a “We Just Did” hat.
Will Biden’s Dog Major Be the First Rescue Dog in the White House?
After four years without a White House pet, many were curious about the president-elect’s canine companions.
Did Church Bells Ring in Paris to Celebrate Biden’s Election Win?
Not all seemingly celebratory gestures in November 2020 were intended to herald the results of a U.S. election.
Is Joe Biden’s Dog Unusually Big?
The U.S. president-elect's dog is definitely not small.
RUMOR ALERT: Dominion Voting Systems Fraud Claims
Isolated incidents that were quickly rectified were used to imply widespread voter fraud was occurring in 2020.
Was a ‘President Gore’ Headline Published by Washington Times in 2000?
Beware of headlines from an alternative history.
Will Kamala Harris Be the First POC as Vice President?
Kamala Harris will be the first woman and the first woman of color to serve as vice president, but not the first person of color.
Was the Ballot of Deceased Man Named William Bradley Counted in Michigan?
During the 2020 presidential contest, false information on the internet spread faster than facts.
Does Searching for ‘Loser’ on Twitter Return Trump’s Account?
Search algorithms linking controversial politicians to derogatory words is a not uncommon phenomenon.
Was Trump Golfing When the 2020 Presidential Election Was Called?
On an historic day in America, rumors held that the incumbent president spent the key moment on a golf course.
Biden Is 46th President After Pennsylvania Win
Democrat Joe Biden has won Pennsylvania, surpassing the 270 electoral vote threshold to take the White House and become the 46th president of the United States.
Did Libertarian Candidate Jo Jorgensen Lose 40K Votes in 10 Minutes in Pennsylvania?
And if so, where did they go?
Did DHS Secretly Watermark Ballots in an Election Fraud Sting Against Dems?
Discussing election mechanics is easier when you actually know how elections work.
Do Hundreds of Counties Have 1.8 Million ‘Ghost Voters’ in the US?
A study published by the activist legal group Judicial Watch used two different types of data to make a comparison.
Did Bannon Say He’d Put Fauci’s and FBI Director Wray’s ‘Heads on Pikes’?
The podcaster and Breitbart executive has been described as a "Trump loyalist."
Can State Legislatures Override the Choice of Presidential Electors?
The electoral college is a unique system for indirectly electing the president of the United States.
Is Trump Campaign Auto-Checking A “Recurring Donation” Option That Ends in December?
The campaign website, until recently, had been accepting recurring donations up until Election Day.
Was a ‘Stop The Steal’ Facebook Group Renamed ‘Gay Communists for Socialism’?
The group had gained well over 64,000 members in its brief 24 hours of existence.
Do Ballot Envelopes Reveal the Party of the Voter?
A widely seen video posted to Facebook raised fears about election tampering.
Does This Video Show a PA Elections Worker Filling Out Ballots?
A video shared on Twitter purported to catch ballot counters in Pennsylvania in the act of committing voter fraud.
This Video Does Not Show a Ballot Box Being Sneaked Into a Detroit Counting Facility
Even the most innocuous actions can be made to seem sinister when presented with a healthy heap of paranoia.
Was a Pornhub Logo Accidentally Displayed on CNN?
This video has racked up more than 7 million views.
Did Jared Kushner Delete Tweets After News Surfaced About Trump’s Taxes?
It's decidedly difficult to remove something that never existed.
Was the 2020 US Presidential Election Winner Announced Yet?
For days, the world waited to see who American voters want to serve as the 46th president of the United States — Donald Trump or Joe Biden.
Snopes Fact-Checks the 2020 US Election, Live
Lies don't wait — and neither does Snopes.
The 2020 Election Collection: Fact-Checking the Presidential Race
Claims, hoaxes, and misinformation abound. Snopes investigates the claims of the 2020 U.S. Election.
