Paying TV licence fee isn’t based on ‘consent’
A post claiming there is no law that requires a person to pay a TV licence has been shared more than 11,000 times. Read
Fact check
Social media
Fact checks of content undertaken as part of Full Fact’s work on the Third Party Fact Checking Programme with Facebook
Hundreds share hoax post about injured dog in Dunfermline
The picture of the dog appears to have been taken from a blog post written by a veterinary practice in the US. Read
Fact check
Video does not show police officer ‘explaining using wrong pronouns is a criminal offence’
A video in which a police officer talks about using the correct pronouns for people does not mention criminality, as some online have suggested. Read
Fact check
Appeal for missing ‘Justin Smith’ is a hoax
The child in the picture was actually reported missing in New York state last month, and has since been located. Read
Fact check
Experts advise pouring cool water on an overheating dog
Facebook posts shared by thousands of people incorrectly claim you should never throw cold water on an overheating dog. Read
Fact check
Review of Somalian refugee status did not lead to 1,600 people being deported from Norway
A Norwegian government spokesperson confirmed that of around 1,400 cases which were reviewed “very few” saw their refugee status revoked. Read
Fact check
Emissions camera in Edinburgh is not linked to fines or points
The Facebook post claims the camera can also detect speed, acceleration and number plates with mobile phone and seat belt detection “on the way”. Read
Fact check
Amazon is not clearing £3 bundles of unclaimed electronic packages
A post about bargain packages of iPhones, AirPods and Playstations is too good to be true. Read
Fact check
Average annual income of UK plumbers is not between £150,000 and £1 million
This claim appeared in a Facebook video about jobs that earn over £100,000 without a degree. Read
Fact check
Health
Drinking borax carries risk of toxicity
A video that has been widely shared on social media falsely claims that borax, a cleaning chemical, isn’t toxic when consumed, and can help with various ailments. Read
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Evidence you can rely on
Fact checking claims made by politicians, public figures and viral online content can give you the full picture backed by the evidence.
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