Latest Misinformation News
Musk helped kill a congressional spending bill. But much of what he spread was misinformation
President-elect Donald Trump's billionaire ally Elon Musk played a key role this week in killing a bipartisan funding proposal that would have prevented a government shutdown, railing against the plan in a torrent of more than 100 X posts that included multiple false claims. The X...
PEN America condemns the arrest of Iranian activist Reza Khandan
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — PEN America condemned the arrest of Reza Khandan, Iranian activist and husband of leading human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, and demanded his immediate release. Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Director of Writers at Risk at the literary and human rights...
After Trump's win, Russian disinformation aims to drive a wedge between the US and Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden uses his final days in office to boost Ukraine's defenses, Russia is playing a different game: spreading disinformation aimed at eroding U.S. support for Ukraine before Donald Trump's return to the White House next month. Since the U.S....
Iran frees jailed Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi for 21 days on medical grounds after surgery
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was released temporarily from prison Wednesday after undergoing a complex surgery in Iran that saw part of a bone in her right leg removed over cancer fears, her supporters said. Video footage from the...
How Brazilian police say Bolsonaro plotted a coup to stay in office
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's Federal Police in late November formally accused far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of planning a coup to keep him in office. The agency described a multi-step scheme, substantiated by evidence and testimony, in an 884-page report. The...
Jailed Kremlin critic convicted again and handed new prison term for opposing the war in Ukraine
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Gorinov was convicted again on Friday for opposing Russia's war in Ukraine and handed a three-year prison term. A swift, three-day trial against Gorinov, once a low-profile activist, underscored Moscow's intolerance of any...
Australia withdraws a misinformation bill after critics compare it to censorship
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia's government has withdrawn a bill that would give a media watchdog power to monitor digital platforms and require them to keep records about misinformation and disinformation on their networks. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said...
A former staffer exposes how Russia's disinformation machine worked in Central African Republic
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — When Ephrem Yalike-Ngonzo was first approached in 2019 by a Russian who suggested he help promote the activities of the Central African Republic's army and Russian forces in the country, the journalist believed that he was doing the right thing. But he soon...
Fighting conspiracy theories with comedy? That's what the Onion hopes after its purchase of Infowars
Headlines from the satirical website the Onion on Thursday: “New Dating Site Suggests People You Already Know But Thought You Were Too Good For.” “Trump Boys Have Slap Fight Over Who Gets to Run Foreign Policy Meetings.” “Here's Why I Decided to Buy Infowars.” Only one...
The US election was largely trouble-free, but a flood of misinformation raises future concerns
WASHINGTON (AP) — A relatively trouble-free presidential election was good news for those working to restore faith in the system. Less encouraging was a flood of misinformation that sought to undermine trust in voting and sow chaos, something experts say is likely to get worse in the years ahead....