Top 10 Most Popular Fact-Checks of 2015

Strategic Insights -

The year 2015 saw a number of pressing issues come to the forefront, from the presidential election to gun violence and federal spending. In the realm of fact-checking, our top 10 most popular reports for the year reflect some of the most contentious debates and discussions of the past 12 months. From Ben Carson's claims about the Declaration of Independence to Donald Trump's assertions about 9/11 celebrations, this year's most popular fact-checks reveal a marked imbalance between the truth and falsehoods.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ben Carson's claim that no signer of the Declaration of Independence previously held office was rated Pants on Fire, with about half or more of the signers having held elective office previously.
  • Hillary Clinton's top 10 donors were mainly "banks, corporations and media," while Bernie Sanders' top 10 donors were labor unions, according to a graphic that circulated on social media, but the claim was rated Mostly True.
  • A viral post comparing Honduras and Switzerland on gun laws and homicide rates was flawed and rated Pants on Fire, as Switzerland does not have the world's lowest homicide rate and Honduras doesn't ban guns.
  • Nicholas Kristof's claim that more Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all U.S. wars combined is True, with 1,516,863 gun-related deaths since 1968 compared to 1,396,733 cumulative war deaths.
  • A conspiracy theory that CNN deleted a poll showing Bernie Sanders as the winner of the Democratic debate was rated Pants on Fire, as CNN never actually deleted the poll.
  • A pie chart that purported to show federal spending was rated False, as it cherry-picked discretionary spending and ignored mandatory spending.
  • The Kenyan word for "black power" is actually "Deenaalee," a term used by Alaska natives and not President Barack Obama.
  • President Obama's claim that the country's deficits have been cut by two-thirds since he took office was rated Mostly True, but ignores future deficits due to increased interest payments and lack of policy changes.
  • Obama's claim that mass violence doesn't happen in other advanced countries was rated Mostly False, as it clearly happens in other countries like Norway, Finland, and Switzerland.
  • Donald Trump's claim that "thousands and thousands of people" in New Jersey cheered as the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11 was rated Pants on Fire, with no video or visual evidence to support the claim.

Statistics:

  • 1,516,863 gun-related deaths in the United States since 1968, according to Nicholas Kristof's claim.
  • 1,396,733 cumulative war deaths in the United States since the American Revolution, according to Nicholas Kristof's claim.
  • 57% of federal spending going to the military in a pie chart that was rated False, but actually represents just discretionary spending, which is about one-third of federal spending.
  • 4% of federal spending going to food and agriculture, including food stamps, in the same pie chart.
  • 120,130 more gun deaths than war deaths in the United States since 1968, according to Nicholas Kristof's claim.

Sources:

  • FactCheck.org
  • Center for Responsive Politics
  • New York Times
  • CNN
  • Andrew Burton - Getty Images