The world of news is complex – and false stories and images are often widely shared on social media. Blasting News’s editorial team spots the most popular hoaxes and misleading information every week to help you discern truth from falsehood. Here are some of the most shared false claims of this week, of which none are legit.

World

U.S. player did not show the message “it's called soccer” under his jersey during the World Cup in Qatar

False claim: Social media users around the world have shared a picture of U.S. national soccer team player Christian Pulisic in which he appears lifting his jersey and supposedly showing the message "It's called soccer!" According to the posts, the image was allegedly taken during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Truth:

  • A reverse image search shows that Pulisic's picture was originally posted on November 13, 2021 on the official Twitter account of the U.S. national soccer team.
  • In the original image it is possible to see that the message under Pulisic's jersey is different: “Man in the mirror”.
  • The fake image could be interpreted as a kind of provocation by the American player, since the vast majority of countries in the world call the sport football.

USA/Canada

Ontario medical regulatory group did not suggest that “‘unvaccinated’ people are mentally ill”

False claim: TikTok users in the United States and Canada have shared a video that claims the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the body that regulates the practice of medicine in the Canadian province, is “suggesting to Ontario doctors that ‘unvaccinated’ people are mentally ill and in need of psychiatric medication.” The video includes footage of Alberta doctor William Makis during an interview with the far-right Canadian activist Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson.

Truth:

  • A reverse image search shows that during the interview, published on November 18, 2022 on the video platform Rumble, Makis claims that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario sent a “letter or a memo” to its affiliates “suggesting” to them that “any of their unvaccinated patients, they should consider that they have a mental problem, and that they should be put on psychiatric medication.”
  • In a statement to Reuters, Shae Greenfield, a spokesperson for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, said Makis is not an affiliate member and misrepresented a guideline posted on the organization's FAQ page about the treatment of patients seeking medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccines.
  • The guidance includes legitimate medical situations for which doctors can indicate exemption, such as allergic reactions to vaccines or a diagnosed episode of myocarditis or pericarditis following an mRNA vaccine.
  • At no point does the text state, or imply, that all patients who do not want to get the vaccine are mentally ill. It only suggests that in cases such as trypanophobia (an intense fear of needles), doctors can help patients by prescribing medication or psychotherapy.

Europe

Russia’s former president did not tweet to offer Poland “the best air defense systems”

False claim: Social media users in Europe have shared a screenshot of a purported tweet posted by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's official account in which he states that “Russia is ready to supply Poland with the best air defence systems to prevent further agression from Ukraine."

Truth:

  • A search of Medvedev's English and Russian Twitter accounts, including deleted or archived messages, shows that there has been no posting offering defense equipment to Poland.
  • Medvedev's fake message began circulating on social media on November 17, 2022 two days after a missile hit the Polish village of Przewodów, less than 10 km from the Ukrainian border.
  • The Polish government and NATO claim that evidence indicates that the explosion was caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile. Kiev, however, denies this version and claims that the missile was fired by Russia.

Latin America

Canada has not passed a law allowing the “euthanasia of depressed children”

False claim: Social media users in Latin America have shared the claim that Canada has passed a law allowing “the euthanasia of depressed children" without parental consent.

The posts are accompanied by a screenshot of Fox News host Tucker Carlson and a collage of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau next to a child's hand and the phrase “Euthanize them!”

Truth:

  • A reverse image search shows that the screenshot was taken from October 26's edition of Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight."
  • In the clip, Tucker Carlson states that “by March, a new law will allow doctors to kill children without their parents' permission ... because they are depressed.”
  • Following a Supreme Court ruling in 2015, Canada's Criminal Code was amended in June 2016 to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults. In March 2021, a new law called C-7 expanded eligibility to diseases such as Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis.
  • Current Canadian law, however, states that to be eligible for euthanasia the patient must, among other requirements, be over 18 and have a “grievous and irremediable medical condition.”
  • In a statement to AFP, Natalie Mohamed, a media relations adviser for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, said that there is no section of the law “that allows minors to receive medical assistance to die, with or without parental consent.”

Asia

Former Ivory Coast and Chelsea player Didier Drogba did not convert to Islam

False claim: Social media users in Muslim-majority countries in South Asia, such as Bangladesh, have shared the claim that former Ivory Coast and Chelsea player Didier Drogba has converted to Islam.

The posts are accompanied by a picture of Drogba praying.

Truth:

  • In a post on his official Twitter account on November 7, 2022, Drogba stated: “This story is going viral but I haven't changed religion.”
  • Regarding the picture shared on social media, the former player, who is Catholic, explained: “This was just me paying respect to my Muslim brothers I was visiting in my village. A moment of togetherness. Much love and blessings to all.”
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