Bill McCarthy
@billmccarthy.bsky.social
Senior digital investigation journalist covering online mis- and disinformation for AFP • Formerly with PolitiFact and the Raleigh News & Observer • Duke alum • “The internet folks” - Stephen Colbert
https://factcheck.afp.com/Bill-MCCARTHY
https://factcheck.afp.com/Bill-MCCARTHY
Here is an @afp.com interview with Blair from 2020: www.france24.com/en/20200216-...
November 10, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Here is an @afp.com interview with Blair from 2020: www.france24.com/en/20200216-...
My team @factcheck.afp.com previously debunked these claims: factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 10, 2025 at 5:16 PM
My team @factcheck.afp.com previously debunked these claims: factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
A Texas Republican running for US Senate fell for a hoax about a noncitizen allegedly traveling to New York City to vote illegally for Zohran Mamdani.
The X user behind the hoax had said it was a joke based on someone else's ballot photo.
6/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
The X user behind the hoax had said it was a joke based on someone else's ballot photo.
6/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 6, 2025 at 10:15 PM
A Texas Republican running for US Senate fell for a hoax about a noncitizen allegedly traveling to New York City to vote illegally for Zohran Mamdani.
The X user behind the hoax had said it was a joke based on someone else's ballot photo.
6/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
The X user behind the hoax had said it was a joke based on someone else's ballot photo.
6/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
The same disinformation spread after Mamdani's Democratic primary victory. bsky.app/profile/bill...
Disinformation fearmongering about Zohran Mamdani and Islam has been widespread online.
CPAC suggested this video shows a Muslim tearing down American flags after NYC's Democratic mayoral primary vote.
The clip is actually from a pro-Palestinian protest in 2023.
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
CPAC suggested this video shows a Muslim tearing down American flags after NYC's Democratic mayoral primary vote.
The clip is actually from a pro-Palestinian protest in 2023.
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
The same disinformation spread after Mamdani's Democratic primary victory. bsky.app/profile/bill...
Kari Lake and other Arizona Republicans suggested this video showed fraud or ballot tampering.
Per the county, it was just a bipartisan team of badged election workers following standard protocols to retrieve, secure and transport votes for counting.
5/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
Per the county, it was just a bipartisan team of badged election workers following standard protocols to retrieve, secure and transport votes for counting.
5/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 6, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Kari Lake and other Arizona Republicans suggested this video showed fraud or ballot tampering.
Per the county, it was just a bipartisan team of badged election workers following standard protocols to retrieve, secure and transport votes for counting.
5/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
Per the county, it was just a bipartisan team of badged election workers following standard protocols to retrieve, secure and transport votes for counting.
5/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
Another viral X post -- this one shared repeatedly in Elon Musk's "Election Integrity Community" -- falsely claimed to show "suspicious" Democrats "carrying around ballots in a taxi."
The video is from Quebec during Canada's elections in April.
4/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
The video is from Quebec during Canada's elections in April.
4/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Another viral X post -- this one shared repeatedly in Elon Musk's "Election Integrity Community" -- falsely claimed to show "suspicious" Democrats "carrying around ballots in a taxi."
The video is from Quebec during Canada's elections in April.
4/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
The video is from Quebec during Canada's elections in April.
4/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
Elon Musk and Eric Trump drove a misleading narrative that New York City's "scam" ballots were formatted to boost Zohran Mamdani.
In reality, he and Curtis Sliwa were listed twice because they were endorsed by two parties, per state election law.
3/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
In reality, he and Curtis Sliwa were listed twice because they were endorsed by two parties, per state election law.
3/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Elon Musk and Eric Trump drove a misleading narrative that New York City's "scam" ballots were formatted to boost Zohran Mamdani.
In reality, he and Curtis Sliwa were listed twice because they were endorsed by two parties, per state election law.
3/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
In reality, he and Curtis Sliwa were listed twice because they were endorsed by two parties, per state election law.
3/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
In the leadup to and on Election Day, conservative accounts falsely claimed a New York City man admitted to casting six illegal votes for Zohran Mamdani.
But the video causing cries of "fraud" originated as a joke playing on the popular "6-7" meme.
2/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
But the video causing cries of "fraud" originated as a joke playing on the popular "6-7" meme.
2/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
November 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
In the leadup to and on Election Day, conservative accounts falsely claimed a New York City man admitted to casting six illegal votes for Zohran Mamdani.
But the video causing cries of "fraud" originated as a joke playing on the popular "6-7" meme.
2/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
But the video causing cries of "fraud" originated as a joke playing on the popular "6-7" meme.
2/
factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....