There’s an interesting discussion happening now about the spread of fake news on the Internet and what companies like Facebook, Google and Twitter, among others, should do to stop it.
That’s a healthy conversation to have, and one we hope continues in the weeks and months ahead.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t do something now. Here at PolitiFact, we’re beefing up our coverage of fake news to help our readers better sort out fact from fiction on their social media feeds.
Yesterday, we debunked a fake story peddled by a website saying they have a nude photo of Bill Clinton with someone other than his wife. (The image comes from a contemporary artist.)
Today, it’s a story shared widely across Facebook that actor Denzel Washington is supporting President-elect Donald Trump and speaking out against President Barack Obama. The claims are both Pants on Fire!
We’ll keep doing this as long as we see an interest. That means we need your help. If you see something in your social media feed that looks questionable, send it to us (truthometer@politifact.com). If you see something that has been debunked by others, share that, too, so we can help spread the word.
The claims can be about anything — politics, entertainment, a fishy-sounding medical cure.
We also have started a new subject tag, “Fake news,” where you can see our entire collection of work.
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