Since the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, misinformation and conspiracy theories have surged to seemingly unprecedented levels online. Now, far-right users online are attempting to claim that the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was transgender.

The claim regarding Crooks, who was shot and killed by counter snipers moments after he opened fire on Trump, looks to have first appeared on the notorious far-right imageboard 4chan.

The anonymous user who made the claim did so alongside a picture of an individual with long hair that bears some resemblance to Crooks. In response, another 4chan user asked if the photo was real. The original poster replied that it wasn’t, but added that “spreading rumors” was fun.

Millions see false photo asserting Trump shooter was transgender

Nevertheless, the photo circulated outside the walls of 4chan and onto popular social media sites. The image received over 20,000 shares and roughly 7.1 million views after being shared to X by the popular far-right user known as “Paul Hookem.”

“Anyone wondering why they aren't using this photo of the shooter?” the user asked.

Countless users in the replies argued that the picture proved that Crooks was clearly left-wing, although the shooter was a registered Republican who classmates say held conservative views. Crooks did, however, once donate $15 to a left-wing political organization.

“Interesting, It doesn’t suit the narrative of a geeky loner rather than being a Democrat Woke pusher of pronouns,” one user responded.

“This dude screams antifa soy boy,” another added.

The narrative plays into previous attempts by right-wing internet users to suggest that the nation is facing an epidemic of mass shootings carried out by transgender individuals.

Although a Community Note was eventually placed on the post, the fact-check seems to have done little to stop the spread of the claim.

At no point has Crooks’ family, friends, or law enforcement investigating the shooting said that the 20-year-old identified as transgender.

Why it matters

After major events, confusion becomes rampant on social media. And in this case, that uncertainty was seized upon by individuals looking to spread misinformation.

As always, internet users should look for confirmation from reputable sources before believing claims that have no backing.

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Most successful conspiracy theories, misinformation campaigns, and even satirical jokes contain a grain of truth to make them plausible. But I can assure you, President Joe Biden did not recently point a handgun at his wife.

Just last week, an image went viral across social media that purported to show the president aiming a pistol at his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, as the pair prepared to board Marine One in Washington, D.C.

One post featuring the image on X, which included the caption, “joe no!!!!,” has been viewed more than 4.7 million times already.

Fake viral image shows Biden pointing a gun at Jill Biden

In this case, the vast majority of those who replied appeared to be in on the joke. Because, obviously, Biden wouldn’t be walking around with a firearm, let alone aiming one at his wife.

Nevertheless, the image, which appears to have been photoshopped, caught many off guard.

“threw me for a sec ngl,” one user said, admitting that he initially believed the image to be real.

Others appeared confused and didn’t quite reveal whether they had fallen for the image.

“Wtf,” another simply replied.

Many also pointed out that the post had not been hit with a Community Note, used by X to fact-check information on the platform.

Thankfully, most had fun with the image and realized that Biden wasn’t actually carrying a pistol while strolling to his helicopter.

“why does this look so real,” one X user asked.

“It's an official act, it's his right as president,” another jokingly said while referencing the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding presidential immunity.

So where did the image come from? The original image was actually published in 2021 by a press photographer with Agence France-Presse. The image’s date is given away by the fact that both Jill and the president are wearing masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s also shown in the photo that Biden is attempting to hand his wife a dandelion, not pointing a gun. Although the claim that Biden pointed a gun at his wife in front of press cameras is clearly untrue, you never know who will end up believing what. 

Why it matters

Some jokes and conspiracies are so over the top that obviously no one would believe them. But then again, crazier conspiracies have gone viral and received widespread acceptance in recent years.

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A shocking claim is making its way through the far-right internet:

Disney and Google are rewriting the word of God after purchasing the rights to the Bible!

Will the world now be flooded with a “woke” version of the Bible? No, because the claim is utter nonsense.

The issue first arose on platforms like TikTok, where accounts claimed that the two mega-corporations were conspiring against conservative Christians. And given the left-wing culture at both of the companies, users argued, surely something sinister was afoot.

In just one example, a video on TikTok that has been seen more than 1.1 million times claims that Disney purchased the rights to multiple versions of the religious text for more than $7 billion. The video even claims that Disney has already been “deleting” verses, including one about casting out demons.

“If they take it away, you need to know what it says. If they change it, you need to know what it says,” TikTok user Claretas Voice said in the clip. “Jesus is soon to return and you need to be ready.”

Other users are begging their followers to immediately buy a physical copy of the Bible in order to keep Disney from erasing the original text. For the record, the British and Foreign Bible Society in 2021 estimated there have likely been anywhere from 5 to 7 billion copies of the Bible printed since the book was standardized.

Conspiracy theorists think Disney and Google bought the Bible

In another video on the topic posted to Instagram, two far-right podcast hosts also claimed that Google was in on the deal as well. Users in the comments expressed outrage at the apparent revelation.

“This is so effed up,” one user wrote. “Evil.”

“That’s why I’m keeping all my old VHS movies and my VHS player,” another added. “So my grandchildren can grow up seeing the truth.”

But there are just a few problems with the theory.

For starters, numerous versions of the Bible are in the public domain and cannot be purchased. While some companies do hold the rights to other versions, Disney has made no attempt whatsoever to own the rights to any Bible. Another issue is that not a single video discussing the issue has cited any proof.

A simple search does not show any recent news articles mentioning Disney and an attempted purchase of the rights to the Bible. However, The Babylon Bee, a conservative satire outlet, wrote a joke article in 2018 titled, “Disney Buys Rights To The Bible, Plans 37 Sequels.”

Ironically, conservatives have repeatedly mocked fact-checkers for debunking articles from The Babylon Bee. Conservatives appear to believe that such fact-checks are foolish, given that The Babylon Bee is clearly satirical. Yet, as we see here, conspiracy theorists continue to fall for such false claims regardless, sometimes even years after they were published.

Why it matters

The fact that right-wing conspiracy theorists are falling for The Babylon Bee, a satirical outlet whose sole purpose is to mock liberals, shows just how susceptible some people are to misinformation.

It also highlights the continued importance of fact-checking, given that even jokes can lead to false claims reaching millions of people online.

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Videos are spreading rapidly across social media that purport to show anomalies with fruits and vegetables at grocery stores in the United States. Conspiracy theorists are citing the footage as evidence that our food is no longer real and has been tampered with by billionaire Bill Gates.

In a TikTok video posted to X, which has been viewed more than 23.2 million times, users are asked whether they are eating “Bill Gates FAKE FOOD.”

The video shows a compilation of clips from consumers complaining that items such as watermelon have a rubbery texture. Other fruits including bananas, avocados, and blueberries are shown as well in the more than 4-minute-long video.

The conclusion, according to the video’s narrator, is that the food is almost certainly “fake.”

'Fake' food video goes viral, gets falsely tied to Bill Gates

Users on X immediately flooded the video with concerning comments, describing the clip as “dystopian” and evidence that our food supply has been “completely compromised.”

“I'll be returning all fake foods to the store I bought them from,” one user said. “If we all do this it will stop!”

Prominent right-wing users were quick to promote the claim as well, such as the podcasting duo known as the Hodge Twins.

“[T]his is like a horror movie y'all,” the twins wrote.

But it turns out there is an extremely simple explanation. The fruits appear rubbery because they are almost certainly unripe.

In another clip in which a watermelon is seen “bubbling,” users were quick to point out that such activity occurs when a watermelon begins to ferment.

“[W]atermelons ARE gassy and has quick fermentation process,” another X user said. “[T]hey'll release some bubbles when cut sometimes bc it has gas buildup + stored under a heat/in improper way... if its stored in a cool & dark place it wont have ‘acids’ when cut... BASIC SCIENCE?”

Others were quick to mock the hysteria over the video, suggesting that the public had become far too detached from its food.

“Did other people not learn about food production as a child or visit farms to learn about how our food is made?” one user asked.

“Americans discovering fruit can be not ripe or spoiled, amazing,” a different user said.

In other words, Bill Gates hasn’t unleashed rubber disguised as watermelon to the public. Your fruit is just fine.

Why it matters

The rubber fruit conspiracy theory highlights not only how susceptible many in the public have become to misinformation, but how such videos can go viral on platforms like TikTok and X.

And with wellness influencers spreading false information as well, it's no surprise that something as simple as unripe fruit has frightened so many online.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

Has celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay severed ties with a multinational food company in order to stop a conspiracy aimed at forcing the world to eat bugs? That’s what conspiracy theorists think.

In a post on Facebook this month, a page known as “America - Love It Or Leave It” (ALIOLI)” issued a thank you to Ramsay for allegedly resigning from his role as spokesperson for Tyson Foods. The reason? The company was supposedly planning to introduce bugs into their products.

“Thanks for that, chef,” ALIOLI wrote.

Despite the post itself not providing any source for the claim, users in the comments celebrated nonetheless.

“It’s astonishing that the food companies think we would go for such a thing in the first place!?” one user said.

“Thank you for sharing,” another Facebook user added. “I don’t eat much meat and that’s why I appreciated this greatly and for standing up and speaking out.”

The false claim is being spread to other social media platforms as well and derives from a conspiracy theory that claims the global elite plan to force the public to eat bugs.

“This is just the beginning…. They as in Bill Gates…. Are already trying to replace our meat sources to fake meat,” one garbled comment read.

While government bodies have pointed to bugs as a cheap source of protein, especially for food-stricken areas, there is no global plan to forcibly replace meat, or any other type of food for that matter, with bugs.

People are falling for a fake post about Gordon Ramsay protesting bugs in food

Yet a quick glance at the bio for ALIOLI shows that the group openly admits to posting satirical content.

“A subsidiary of the America’s Last Line of Defense network of trollery,” the bio says. “Nothing on this page is real.”

Perhaps most incredibly, ALIOI even went as far as to comment on their own post to let users know that it was fake. Nevertheless, most users don’t seem to have noticed.

“You heard it here first, patriots. And second, And third. And then fourth. Or so,” the page commented. “Chef Gordon Ramsay, who has nothing to do with an American processed chicken conglomerate, won’t stand for bugs in food.”

“God bless you, fictional chef Ramsay, for sanding up against… chickens?” ALIOI said in closing. “And God Bless America.”

Other posts on the page, although satirical, appear to touch upon topics that are most likely to rile up and fool right-wing conspiracy theorists. For example, countless posts claim that Hollywood icons such as Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, and Jon Voight have created an “anti-woke” film studio in order to take on Hollywood.

Why it matters

Even though ALIOI openly labels its content as satire, the stories continue to trick conspiracy theorists all over the internet.

The issue shows that while such labels, notifications, and fact-checks are important, teaching a significant portion of the public to be critical of the information they come across is still a struggle.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

A viral YouTube video claims to reveal secrets from inside the home of rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who had his residences in Los Angeles and Miami raided by federal law enforcement in March.

The search at Diddy’s two homes is part of an ongoing federal investigation tied to allegations that the wealthy music titan is involved in sex trafficking, among other crimes.

The YouTube video in question, titled "Undercover FBI Agent Exposes What He Saw in Diddy's House,” has managed to rack up more than 483,000 views in just 3 days. A title image for the video shows Diddy, an unnamed law enforcement officer, as well as a child-sized doll.

YouTube video claiming to be an 'undercover FBI agent' exposing Diddy's house reveals nothing

Hundreds of YouTube users responded to the video by leaving conspiratorial comments about Hollywood and Diddy that have no backing by any facts revealed from the case so far.

“Just wait for the Jennifer Lopez tapes surface,” one user wrote. “Probably why Afflec is leaving her.”

“Everyone who died around diddy was his sacrifices for him to keep his reputation in his cult,” another added.

Yet despite the more than 1,500 comments, the video at no point reveals anything from any alleged “FBI agent” about Diddy’s home.

At least a few users who appear to have watched the video to the end noted that the title was nothing more than unfounded sensationalism.

“CLICK BAIT! VID HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DESCRIPTION,” a user said. “SO SICK OF THESE YOUTUBE REPORTERS.”

Not only that, the video appears to have largely been generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The channel that uploaded the video, known as “Celeb Lounge,” has racked up tens of millions of views.

A quick glance at the channel shows other similar AI-generated videos with titles such as, “Justin Bieber SNITCHES & TELLS THE FEDS Where Diddy's Tunnels Are Located!” Celeb Lounge is among a growing number of channels that appear to be garnering ad revenue by spreading conspiracy theories.

While the case against Diddy is serious, conspiracy theorists are once again choosing to run with claims that escalate the already disturbing allegations.

Why it matters

The most popular conspiracy theories always contain an element of truth. The shocking accusation against Diddy by the federal government is the perfect issue to latch onto by those looking to spread disinformation.

And with the advent of AI, spreading such false content is now faster and easier than ever.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

An image that appears to show former President Donald Trump at a barbeque with Black supporters has gone viral on Facebook, leading to claims that the media has ignored the unifying display. But did Trump actually attend this gathering? No.

The image, shared by the account “Donald Trump for President,” shows the former commander-in-chief standing over a BBQ as a crowd of Black supporters look on approvingly.

Text above the image simply states: “CNN will never report on this.”

The photo was also amplified on X by prominent right-wing figures such as conservative commentator Benny Johnson, who likewise argued that “the corporate media” has refused to cover the “important moment.”

Fake AI image of Trump at barbeque spreads

Trump supporters were quick to lavish the image with praise while claiming that it disproved allegations that the former president held racist and bigoted views.

“It sure must have been funny! Trump is really laughing !!” one Facebook user wrote of the smiling Trump. “Great to see he is having a great time!!”

“The Greatest President ever!!!!” another added.

But not everyone was convinced. Many argued that the image had the telltale signs of being created by artificial intelligence (AI).

“CNN won’t report on this because it’s not real,” one Facebook user said in response. “The image is AI generated.”

A closer look at the photo shows numerous issues, including extra fingers on some individuals, as well as gibberish text on clothing items.

Incredibly, the image isn’t new. As noted in USA Today, the image first made the rounds in 2023. Two AI-detection tools and three computer science experts who spoke with USA Today confirmed at the time that the image was in fact AI-generated.

The image appears to have fooled many given that Trump recently held a rally in the Bronx amid his ongoing criminal hush money trial in New York City.

In other words, Trump was not invited to the cookout.

Why it matters

Despite the image being old and previously debunked, recent events, mainly Trump’s Bronx rally, allowed the image to once again fool many online.

While the image was immediately spotted by many as fake, a segment of the population continues to be tricked by AI-generated imagery. And although social media companies commonly fact-check such images, it often happens long after they’ve gone viral.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

An image making the rounds on social media purports to show Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks wearing a t-shirt praising President Joe Biden and labeling former President Donald Trump a “psycho.” But is the image real? No.

In posts to platforms such as X and Facebook, Hanks can allegedly be seen with the words “Vote For Joe, Not The Psycho” across his chest. The image has stirred a wide range of reactions from users who either celebrated the message, condemned it, or questioned its authenticity.

Many supporters of the image responded by simply typing “Yes!!!”

Others argued that Hanks should stick to acting and stop making statements related to politics.

“No. He's a good entertainer. He should stick with that,” one user said.

The primary response, however, came from enraged Trump supporters who were quick to attack Hanks for the alleged shirt.

“He does not feel the pain of a miserable economy,” another said. “I find it hard to believe that someone could vote for Biden now.”

Hanks was also targeted with QAnon-related conspiracy theories that falsely claim without evidence that the actor was associated with deceased sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

“Tom Hanks is a member of Epstein Island frequent flier club,” one user said.

Hanks has been added to numerous fake flight logs that claim he visited Epstein’s private island. Despite being repeatedly debunked, and despite the actual legitimate logs being widely available, conspiracy theorists remain convinced that Hanks is a ruthless pedophile.

“Yup. Epstein Island Tom doesn’t want Trump back... none of them do!” another said.

Yet many users noticed the poor quality of the image and noted that it appeared to be manipulated.

“Terrible graphics bro,” one user wrote. “Try harder.”

Those who questioned the image were right to be skeptical. It was quickly revealed that the t-shirt was fake. The original image of Hanks, which he shared to his X account in 2015, shows him wearing a soccer jersey instead.

Nevertheless, the altered image has been viewed more than 200,000 times in just one post on X alone. And while Hanks is a vocal Democrat, he has never been seen wearing any shirt referring to Trump as a psycho.

Why it matters

The manipulation of images, especially of t-shirts worn by prominent figures, is an increasingly common tactic for those looking to spread disinformation. While the image in question was clearly of poor quality, it still appeared to fool many online.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

Countless people across the Northern Hemisphere were in awe of Mother Nature this month after witnessing the aurora borealis for the first time. However, according to conspiracy theorists, the beloved natural phenomenon was actually caused by the government.

As has long been known to science, the magnificent lights were caused by solar flares interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. Unusually intense geometric storms from the sun allowed the display to be seen in numerous countries not normally affected by such occurrences.

Yet while much of the world was marveling at images of the light display, conspiracy theorists were claiming that the event was caused by the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, better known as HAARP.

HAARP linked to conspiracy theories

HAARP is a research program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks that uses high-frequency radio pulses to interact with electrons in the Earth’s ionosphere. Conspiracy theorists have blamed HAARP for countless natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis.

Unsurprisingly, the Northern Lights were also linked to HAARP almost as soon as they appeared. Conspiracy theorists noted across social media that HAARP was in operation around the same time that the aurora borealis was seen in the sky.

“It’s probably just a coincidence that HAARP can cause Auroras & they were also running operations when Global Auroras were spotted,” one user on X wrote. “Yep probably a coincidence…..”

Others made similar observations after reputable news sources confirmed that HAARP had indeed been operational.

“HAARP was definitely tested on May 10th,” another X user added. “Physics•org says it’s definitely possible for HAARP testing to cause ‘artificial glow.’ It definitely seems possible that the ‘aurora borealis’ we saw was artificially produced using HAARP.”

So are conspiracy theorists actually right for a change? Nope.

For starters, the recent light display was only predicted shortly in advance after scientists witnessed the eruption of solar flares. The HAARP testing had already been planned well over a month ago.

And while HAARP can produce an artificial airglow, it is not even close to being powerful enough to produce actual auras. In fact, as noted in a statement by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, it would take 10 billion years for HAARP to generate enough power to simulate the Northern Lights.

“Interestingly, coronal mass ejections, like the one associated with the recent geomagnetic storm, typically release more than 10^24 Joules of energy,” the university wrote. “By comparison, the high-frequency (HF) transmitter at HAARP is only a ~3 megawatt (MW) transmitter; it would take HAARP over 10 billion years to produce enough energy to affect this naturally occurring phenomenon.”

As is nearly always the case, simple fact-checking showed not only that HAARP’s test aligning with the actual solar storm was a coincidence, but that HAARP is not even remotely powerful enough to cause the displays that were seen.

Why it matters

While sometimes conspiracy theories can seem legitimate due to timing and other factors, it is always important to fact-check sensational claims. In this case, despite coincidental timing, basic facts about HAARP’s capabilities were able to quickly debunk claims of a man-made event.

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In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Mondays our Tech Reporter Mikael Thalen debunks the most wild conspiracy theories swirling around the web in his “One Dumb Conspiracy” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.

Hollywood actor Harrison Ford is garnering attention online after a video purporting to show him giving praise to pro-Palestine protesters began spreading across social media. But one must ask, given the constant spread of disinformation online, is it real?

In numerous posts across sites such as Facebook, TikTok, and X, Ford is seen giving a speech discussing “a new force of nature at hand, stirring all over the world.”

Captions on the video claim that Ford is referencing events on college campuses across the U.S., where protesters have been calling for a ceasefire and an end to the ongoing war in Palestine.

"They are the young people whom frankly, we have failed, who are angry, who are organized, who are capable of making a difference,” Ford continues.

The Indiana Jones star goes on to refer to a “moral army” before telling listeners that “the most important thing that we can do for them is to get the hell out of their way."

In response, praise was quickly heaped onto the A-list actor by users on social media.

“Love this speech,” one user said.

“God bless Harrison Ford,” another added. “Free Palestine.”

A handful of pro-Israel users, however, attacked Ford for appearing to take the side of the protesters.

“Stick to your day job Harrison,” they wrote. “You have know logical idea of what you are talking about.”

Viral video doesn't show Harrison Ford praising pro-Palestine protesters

Yet despite the intense bickering, both sides are missing one important piece of the puzzle: Primarily, the fact that Ford is not referring to Palestine at all. In fact, the video isn’t even from this year.

Turns out the footage was actually filmed in Sept. 2019 when Ford gave a speech at the United Nations in New York. Ford was speaking about climate change or, more specifically, efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest at the Climate Action Summit.

The full version of the video makes clear that Ford is in no way discussing current events regarding Israel and Palestine.

"We've been talking about saving the Amazon for 30 years. Almost 30 years ago, Sting held a concert to save the Amazon right here in New York,” Ford said during his opening. "And we're still talking about it. The world's largest rainforest, the Amazon, is crucial to any climate change solution."

Ford is far from the first celebrity to be incorrectly tied into the ongoing war in Gaza. Old footage of Hollywood actor Robert De Niro was also taken out of context in recent weeks.

Why it matters

While some celebrities have commented on the war in Gaza, many others haven't. As always, make sure to double-check when coming across footage that claims to show a high-profile figure making such remarks. 

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