Tag Archives: fake

Posts showing a screenshot of a fake Guardian article about looting during the riots in France have been shared widely on social media. 

The image shows what appears to be a Guardian opinion piece with the headline: “I fully support the looting in France by the disenfranchised black youth. Call it reparations”. 

The sub-heading goes on to say: “It’s not looting when intergenerational trauma forces thousands to seek reparations for being sold into slavery.”

It has been widely shared on Twitter and has also appeared on Facebook. 

But this is not a genuine article. A quick Google search shows that no articles with such a headline exist on the Guardian’s website.

The supposed author is lawyer, author and activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who has confirmed on…

Hoax posts appealing for information about a missing five-year-old named Sofia have been shared thousands of times on Facebook. 

Full Fact has seen examples of these alerts shared in more than a dozen community groups serving locations across the UK, with some in places such as Newport, Bexleyheath and Bristol racking up hundreds of shares each. 

The posts all use very similar text, which says: “Help!!! MISSING Child!! [location]

“My grand daughter Sofia only 5years old went out on her bike earlier today and she still hasn’t returned.She doesn’t know where she’s going, new surroundings.

“There is a silver alert activated on her. Please help bump this post so we can get her home safely!! [sic]” 

There are several indications that these appeals are not…

Amazon has announced its use of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the ongoing battle against fake reviews. The company has long been plagued by fake review “brokers,” posing a significant challenge for its online shopping platform.

To tackle this issue, Amazon has made substantial investments in machine learning models that analyse thousands of data points, aiding in the detection of fraudulent behaviour.
 

Fake Reviewers Present a Significant Challenge

 
Fake review brokers utilise third-party platforms, including social media and encrypted messaging services, to buy, sell, and host fake reviews. These misleading reviews can heavily influence consumers’ purchasing decisions, leading them to choose subpar products based on fabricated feedback.

Identifying fake…

Posts falsely claiming that Amazon are offering large sets of Tefal cookware for £3 due to the company closing three warehouses in the UK have been shared widely on social media. 

The posts, which all use identical wording, say: “There are 3 amazon warehouses closing in the UK!

“Due to this, the management has decided to sell off a set of tefal cookware for £3!”

The post then encourages social media users to follow a link in the comments in order to purchase the set of cookware. 

A spokesperson for Amazon UK told Full Fact that the offer advertised in these posts is not genuine. They added that while the retailer did announce in January that three existing UK warehouses would be closing, two new ones were also planned. 

There are other indications that this…

The debut episode of Live with Kelly and Mark was met with mixed reactions from viewers, as some criticized the couple’s dynamic and others praised their chemistry. 

 Mark Consuelos recently stepped in as co-host alongside his wife, Kelly Ripa, following Ryan Seacrest’s departure to focus on his other projects.

Some viewers took to Twitter to express their disappointment with the first episode, calling out Kelly, 52, for frequently interrupting her husband and new co-host, Mark, also 52. 

Some fans felt that the couple’s banter felt forced, while others argued that having a husband and wife duo as co-hosts wasn’t engaging.

During the show, the couple interviewed TLC singer Rozonda ‘Chilli’…