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Anatomy of a lie: how misinformation spreads in US midterm campaigns

The false claim about the Texas candidate spread through rightwing media and is being read as a warning for the midterms; so much for checking first.

On air: Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock on BBN This Morning
Published
Photo: Antonioaesparza · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger and Vera Bullock on this story, from BBN This Morning at 6:20 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Guardian's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: James Talarico
Photo: Antonioaesparza · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt started with a simple question, where is James Talarico, and it bounced around rightwing echo chambers until it hardened into a conspiracy theory.

  2. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe Guardian calls it a warning about disinformation ahead of the midterms, and it lands on your phone long before any correction does.

  3. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo one question, asked loudly enough, becomes a fact by lunchtime.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBefore your coffee.

  5. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorCheck before you share, everybody. Dr. Byte is next, and I hear she has opinions about whoever wrote this script.

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