The Latest Fact Checks curated by Media Bias Fact Check 01/12/2022

Each day Media Bias Fact Check selects and publishes fact checks from around the world. We only utilize fact-checkers that are either a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) or have been verified as credible by MBFC. Further, we review each fact check for accuracy before publishing. When appropriate we explain the rating and/or offer our own rating if we disagree with the fact-checker. (D. Van Zandt)

Claim Codes: Red = Fact Check on a Right Claim, Blue = Fact Check on a Left Claim, Black = Not Political/Conspiracy/Pseudoscience/Other
Fact Checker bias rating Codes: Red = Right-Leaning, Green = Least Biased, Blue = Left-Leaning, Black = Unrated by MBFC

MOSTLY TRUE	Claim by Beto O’Rourke (D): “Expanding Medicaid, which if we had done at the beginning of the Abbott administration, would have brought in $100 billion to this state’s economy.” Politifact rating: Mostly True (The $100 billion figure of federal funding over a decade comes from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in 2012 and cited widely in a 2013 study by the former deputy comptroller for Texas.) Economic impact of Medicaid expansion may be more than $100 billion
BLATANT LIE	Claim by Dr. Robert Malone: Booster COVID-19 vaccine doses can “shut down the immune response”; heart damage following vaccination is “quite frequent”; “many of these [SARS-CoV-2] mutations are being driven by the evolutionary selection caused by the vaccines” Health Feedback rating: Incorrect (Contradicts scientific data, which shows that booster doses induce strong immune responses and increase protection.) Robert Malone’s statements on The Dana Show about vaccine safety and virus variants are inaccurate and unsupported
FALSE	Claim by Dinesh D’Souza: Recently released Jan. 6 footage shows “these cops using massive amounts of force against unarmed Trump supporters, including women.” Politifact rating: False (Many rioters in the tunnel attacked police with real and makeshift weapons.) D’Souza falsely claims Jan. 6 video shows police using ‘massive’ force on ‘unarmed Trump supporters’
FALSE	Claim via Social Media: COVID-19 tests that are labeled “positive control swab” and “negative control swab” manipulated to deliver predetermined results. Lead Stories rating: False (they are controls) Fact Check: COVID-19 Swabs Labeled ‘Positive’ And ‘Negative’ Are NOT Manipulated To Predetermine Results — They’re Control Swabs
FALSE	Claim via Social Media: President Joe Biden “has the lowest approval rating of any president ever.” Politifact rating: False (Comparing approval ratings among presidents at about a year into their presidency, former President Donald Trump had the lowest approval rating.) Other presidents have had lower approval ratings than Biden
FALSE	(International: Australia): Face masks increase the risks of respiratory diseases. Australian Associated Press rating: False (Mask-wearing helps to prevent the spread of airborne diseases. There is no evidence masks increase respiratory illnesses.) Video airs false claims about face masks and respiratory diseases

Disclaimer: We are providing links to fact checks by third-party fact-checkers. If you do not agree with a fact check, please directly contact the source of that fact check.

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