NO: This is not a genuine photograph of Republican Pennsylvania Senate nominee Mehmet Oz kissing former President Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. YES: This is a doctored image that combines this photograph of Oz kissing his own Hollywood star in February 2022 with a separate image of Trump’s star.
NewsLit takeaway: “Be on your toes if it’s too on the nose” is a good motto to live by online.
Photographs that strongly confirm a preconceived belief are often the ones that need to be further examined. This photo of Dr. Oz — who has been accused by critics of being reliant on former President Trump’s support — seems to perfectly encapsulate that preconceived belief. People who share this political opinion may readily believe this photograph is genuine. This is an example of confirmation bias in action, or the tendency to uncritically accept new “evidence” that supports a previously held opinion.
NO: This image does not show an authentic list of books that have been banned in Florida schools. YES: This list is a fabrication. NO: The state of Florida does not have an “Anti-Woke banned book list.” YES: As Reuters Fact Check reported, some of the titles on this list — including “1984,” “Of Mice and Men” and “Lord of the Flies” — are included in Florida’s state standards for English Language Arts.
NewsLit takeaway: Misinformation often grows from a kernel of truth.
In the months leading up to this viral meme’s circulation in August 2022, several book bans were enacted at libraries and schools across the United States on titles that primarily dealt with racism and LGBTQ issues. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that revised selection requirements for school reading materials, spurring parents in the state to mount various challenges against some of the required reading. A few of the books on this list were temporarily removed by a handful of Florida school districts. Controversial and polarizing political debates often provide fertile ground for false rumors to take root, typically by eliciting strong emotions like outrage that cause people to accept things at face value that seem true to them.
This list, however, is fake.
While the state does offer some guidance on reading material, it is generally up to local school districts to enforce these recommendations.
The American Libraries Association (ALA) told Reuters that “while there have been attempts – some successful – to ban the titles listed in the viral post, it is not a list of books banned by the state of Florida or by any state agency in Florida.” One spokesperson for DeSantis told The Associated Press that the list was fake.
Remember: Be mindful of emotionally powerful content that circulates in the form of a screenshot or without links and citations. This list was not accompanied by any news stories or links to government documents about a supposed banned book list. If you’re unsure of something you see online — particularly if it fits these patterns — it’s best to pause, reflect and do a quick search for additional information.
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