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

Record snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere in November do not disprove global warming

False claim: Social media users around the world have shared the claim that a record snow cover recorded in the Northern Hemisphere in November 2022 is an indication that global warming is a hoax.

Truth:

  • According to data published by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Global Snow Lab at Rutgers University in the state of New Jersey, the snow extent in the Northern Hemisphere reached about 41 million square kilometers in November, the highest level since 1967, when measurements began.
  • In a statement to AFP, however, climatologist David Robinson, director of the Rutgers Global Snow Lab, said: “You can't link one map or even one month to global climate change. One needs to look over years if not decades to get a sense of where and why the extent of snow cover may or may not be changing.”
  • Also to AFP, Marie Dumont, director of France's national Snow Research Centre, said that snow cover is very variable from one year to the next and that a year with a lot of snow does not mean that global warming has stopped. “On average, according to the trends observed over several decades, there is an average decrease in snow cover,” she said.

USA

USA Today did to publish that Elon Musk's Neuralink killed “nearly 3,000 monkeys” in one year

False claim: Social media users in the United States have shared a screenshot of an alleged article from USA Today reporting that Elon Musk's biotech company Neuralink tests with brain-implant technology have caused the death of “nearly 3,000 monkeys” since December 2021.

Truth:

  • In a statement to the AFP, a spokesperson for Gannett, the company that owns USA Today, said that the screenshot circulating on social media is false and that the newspaper has not published any article with that information.
  • Articles published earlier this month by media outlets such as Fortune and Mashable, however, claim that Neuralink is under federal investigation for allegedly killing more than 1,500 animals – including more than 280 pigs, monkeys, and sheep – while testing brain implants since 2018.

Spain

Morocco fans did not break shop windows in Bilbao after World Cup win over Spain

False claim: Social media users in Spain have shared the claim that Morocco fans broke store windows in Bilbao following the country's national soccer team win over Spain in the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

Truth:

  • In statements to the press, the local police and Bilbao City Hall reported that no cases of violence were recorded during the celebrations by Morocco fans on December 6.
  • Morocco's victory over Spain in the round of 16 of the World Cup led to a series of false claims about the celebrations by its fans, such as the alleged murder of a Spanish fan in Cartagena, which was also denied by the local police.

Asia

North Korea did not criticize former South Korean president for “abandoning” dogs gifted by Kim Jong-un

False claim: Social media users in South Korea have shared a screenshot of a North Korean state television news report accompanied by the claim that Pyongyang allegedly criticized former South Korean President Moon Jae-in for “abandoning” two dogs given to him in 2018 by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Truth:

  • A reverse image search shows that the screenshot shared on social media is from a March 16, 2021 broadcast by North Korea's state-run KCTV.
  • In the original clip, available in the archives of KCNA Watch, a website that monitors North Korean media, it is possible to see that the presenter reads a statement from Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and Kim Jong-un's sister, criticizing South Korea for displaying “abnormal hostility and distrust” by holding joint military drills with the United States.
  • Kim Jong-un gifted the two Pungsan breed dogs to Moon after a bilateral meeting in September 2018. Last November, the former president's office said he would return the dogs to the South Korean government after a disagreement over who should pay for the animals' care.

Africa

South Africa president Cyril Ramaphosa has not resigned

False claim: Social media users in South Africa have shared the claim that the country's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, reportedly resigned from office on December 4, 2022.

Truth:

  • The false resignation claims come amid Cyril Ramaphosa's struggle for political survival after allegedly trying to cover up the theft of at least $580,000 at his private game farm.
  • An independent parliamentary panel pointed out in a report that Ramaphosa might have violated the country's constitution and that there may be a case for impeachment.
  • Last Saturday, however, Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told the press the president “is not resigning based on a flawed report, neither is he stepping aside.”
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED