Entertainment
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
Solar Eclipse
Editor's Picks
Fact ChecksMisattributed
Misattributed
Misattributed
This rating indicates that quoted material (speech or text) has been incorrectly attributed to a person who didn't speak or write it.

Learn more about our rating system here.
We found no evidence that Robin Williams said the words, Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.

Did Robin Williams Say, 'Everyone You Meet Is Fighting a Battle You Know Nothing About'?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
June 3, 2023 Quote memes that featured this generous thought showed a picture of Williams from the 1997 film ...
Read More
To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.

'To Learn Who Rules Over You' Quote Is Misattributed to Voltaire

Written by:
Dan Evon
Jan. 31, 2022 "To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize" is a paraphr ...
Read More
To conquer a nation first replace science with Christianity

Did Hitler Say, 'To Conquer a Nation First Replace Science with Christianity'?

Written by:
David Emery
May 21, 2023 Adolf Hitler misquotes are quite popular on social media.
Read More
Tie, Accessories, Accessory

Did Rupert Murdoch Say Fox News Only Cares About Ratings, Not Facts?

Written by:
Dan Evon
April 27, 2021 If they were real, these quotes would be front page news — not meme fodder.
Read More
Denzel Washington never said just because you don't share it on social media doesn't mean you are not up to big things and live it and stay low key as well as privacy is everything.

Did Denzel Washington Say, 'Just Because You Don't Share It on Social Media Doesn't Mean You Are Not Up to Big Things'?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
April 19, 2022 We looked for the origins of a quote about social media that's been credited to the actor in twe ...
Read More
Did Morgan Freeman say 'Don't take criticism from people you wouldn't go to for advice'?

Did Morgan Freeman Say 'Don't Take Criticism from People You'd Never Go to for Advice'?

Written by:
David Emery
Jan. 14, 2023 For some reason, people like putting pithy sayings in Morgan Freeman's mouth. Is it because of h ...
Read More
Mark Twain

Did Mark Twain Say This About Reading the Newspaper and Being Misinformed?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan. 6, 2023 The false attribution of quotes to famous people is a common internet phenomenon.
Read More

Did Fyodor Dostoevsky Say This About Tolerance?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Dec. 31, 2022 We wondered if this was a statement about our times.
Read More

Did Morgan Freeman Say, 'Your Age Doesn't Define Your Maturity'?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Jan. 2, 2023 The Academy Award-winning actor is the frequent target of spurious internet "wisdom" quotes.
Read More
Benjamin Franklin: A penny saved is a penny earned.

Did Ben Franklin Say 'A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned'?

Written by:
David Emery
Dec. 27, 2022 Versions of what is probably Benjamin Franklin's most famous saying were in print years before h ...
Read More

No, Musk Didn't Tweet That the Dems Paid Jack Dorsey to Block Anti-Biden Info

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Dec. 6, 2022 The grammar and typos alone might have given this tweet away as fake.
Read More
Former US President George Washington never said when any nation mistrusts its citizens with guns it is sending a clear message nor did he say that it no longer trusts its citizens because such a government has evil plans.

Did George Washington Say, 'It Is Better To Be Alone Than In Bad Company'?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Nov. 29, 2022 He was, at least, aware of the saying.
Read More

Did Oscar Wilde Say This About Forgiving Your Enemies?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Nov. 28, 2022 Spurious quotes are a common internet phenomenon.
Read More
Thomas Jefferson never said "a democracy is nothing more than mob rule."

Did Thomas Jefferson Say 'Democracy Is Nothing More Than Mob Rule'?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Nov. 27, 2022 A made-up quote presented in a pretty-looking meme doesn't make it real.
Read More
Mark Twain did not say, "The truth has no defense against a fool determined to believe a lie."

Mark Twain Did Not Say 'The Truth Has No Defense Against a Fool Determined to Believe a Lie'

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Nov. 2, 2022 A quote from a famous person would not magically appear for the first time on the internet long ...
Read More
Teacher, Person, Human

Did Einstein Say This About Boats Being Safer at Shore?

Written by:
Bethania Palma
Oct. 29, 2022 While the shore might be safer, the quote goes on, that's not what ships are built for.
Read More
Did Mariah Carey say she'd like to be skinny like 'starving kids'?

Did Mariah Carey Say She'd 'Love to be Skinny' Like 'Starving Kids'?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Oct. 24, 1996 This rumor originated with a satirical (and fictitious) article that published in 1996.
Read More
George Washington’s private life and writings reveal no evidence of anti-Semitism.

No, George Washington Didn't Make This Anti-Semitic Remark

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Oct. 16, 2002 Anti-Semitic screeds are nothing new; neither, unfortunately, is the practice of attempting to l ...
Read More
Although Jefferson certainly expressed disdain and mistrust of banking institutions and paper currency on many occasions, this particular quotation bears all the hallmarks of being a retroquote.

Did Thomas Jefferson Say 'Banks and Corporations Will Deprive' People of 'All Property'?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Dec. 8, 2008 Given the fear and uncertainty engendered by the economy, it was only a matter of time until som ...
Read More
Dr. Maya Angelou, who passed away in May 2014, became one of those figures (à la Mark Twain or Abraham Lincoln) who ended up with more of other people’s words attributed to her than words of her own.

Did Maya Angelou Write a Poem Titled, 'I Am a Christian'?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
July 27, 2006 The poem has been anthologized in several books, including "Chicken Soup for the Christian Famil ...
Read More