Michigan’s Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel said she was joking when she said in a June speech that there should be “a drag queen for every school.”

With monkeypox cases climbing, many people looking for information are turning to social media -- which has been a significant source of misinformation.

In decision 2022, for the first time, two women will be facing off in the general election for the chance to be Michigan’s next governor.

No doubt car warranties have gotten a bad reputation.

It's been three years since Michigan lawmakers passed a bipartisan auto insurance reform package that promised to save us all money. Well, did it? Here's a look at the numbers and what should be done next.

It's been three years since Michigan lawmakers passed a bipartisan auto insurance reform package that promised to save us all money. Well, did it? Here's a look at the numbers and what should be done next.

It's been three years since Michigan lawmakers passed a bipartisan auto insurance reform package that promised to save us all money. Well, did it? Here's a look at the numbers and what should be done next.

Should you be changing your tires when the seasons change? Local 4 put seasonal tires through the Local 4 Trust Index.

A scary situation is starting to brew as parents are becoming worrisome about where their next container of baby formula is coming from; that is why we at Local 4 are separating fact from fiction regarding what you’re hearing about formula shortage.

We know making ends meet with gas prices so high is far from easy. As we head into the summer months, there are a lot of questions about when we could start seeing some relief.

There are multiple claims in the the political advertisement, but the main one alleges that Biden’s plan will raid retirement funds of average American citizens.

President Joe Biden is glossing over important details and oversimplifying the facts when it comes to United Auto Workers' support for his effort to dramatically boost U.S. production of electric vehicles.

Taking a look at four viral claims buzzing around social media.

There is so much misinformation floating around the internet about COVID-19 vaccines.

Ramping up vaccine productionFirst, we’ll start with a claim Biden made about the administration’s effort to ramp up vaccine production in the U.S. Biden was referring to his commitment to have 100 million shots administered in American arms during his first 100 days in office. Biden statement: “24 million adults, 11 million children don’t have enough food to eat. It looks like President Biden is using USDA numbers taken during the pandemic, but before the full extent of the pandemic hit. Critics have previously argued that 100 million doses was an inadequate goal to begin with, and hoped that distribution pace would be increased when possible.

(AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)DETROIT – Michigan’s top Republican called the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, which resulted in five deaths including a Capitol police officer, a hoax, in a video posted to YouTube last week. Michigan GOP Senate Leader Mike Shirkey appears in a video posted on Feb. 3 by the “R.O.A.R. The video appears to show Shirkey meeting with Hillsdale County Republican Party officials, one day before the county voted to censure Shirkey. The reported video comes right after the New York Times published an article detailing Shirkey’s involvement with Michigan militias, who held armed protests at the Michigan Capitol last year over COVID-19 restrictions. For all these reasons, Mike Shirkey should be out.

DETROIT – During a call with Georgia election officials President Donald Trump made a slew of claims about the results of the 2020 White House race. Some of the claims were directly about the results in Michigan and Detroit, and others focused on the election overall. Read: Full transcript of Trump’s call with Georgia election chiefHere is one claim from the president which has been spread far and wide since the election. This claim was also made by election worker Melissa Carone during her infamous hearing in the Michigan House. There is no legal way to overturn the election results in Detroit or the State of Michigan.

A look at some important information and myths about incoming COVID-19 vaccines. The process used to approve the COVID-19 vaccines is the same proven process that was used to create safe and effective vaccines for the flu, polio, measles, whooping cough and more. Messenger RNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response, according to the CDC. ➡️ Can women who are pregnant get the COVID-19 vaccine? ➡️ Myth: COVID-19 vaccines were developed using fetal tissueThese messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccines were not created with and do not require the use of fetal cell cultures in the production process, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Daily COVID-19 deaths in December are listed on a trending social media graphic showing the 10 deadliest days in U.S. history. RELATED: The chilling story behind the ‘Deadliest Days in American history’ meme (CNET)RELATED: Did 4 of the deadliest days in U.S. history occur in December 2020? (Snopes)Recent daily COVID-19 death totals are among the worst in U.S. history, but the graphic leaves out other terrible days, including the entire Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918. 1, though we couldn’t find daily death totals. The meme shows daily COVID-19 fatalities for several days in early December rival these historic tragedies.

THE FACTS: The video doesn't show evidence of fraud, much less the “SMOKING GUN” evidence that Trump's legal team claims on social media. Confusion arose when election workers thought they were done for the night, but then were instructed to continue scanning ballots. Other election workers started to pack up, Sterling told The Associated Press in an interview. “These aren't magical ballots,” Sterling told the AP. The president’s team is “intentionally misleading the public about what happened at State Farm Arena on election night,” Sterling tweeted Friday.

Were poll watchers kicked out of counting rooms? Poll watchers being kicked out of counting rooms is not true. According to Detroit’s election commissioner, there were more than the legal limit of watchers inside the TCF Center from both Democratic and Republican parties. Claims made in a similar way were dismissed as hearsay by a state judge in a lawsuit last week. There are also claims about poll workers behaving badly like the ones made in an 11-minute video circulating online and being promoted by state Republicans.

A viral post showing what appears to be an 118-year-old man voting absentee in Michigan is not what it seems, says the Michigan Secretary of State. The post alleges voter fraud by showing a man named William Bradley, with the birth year 1902, having sent in an absentee ballot. The post also claimed the man had died in 1984. We asked the Secretary of State for an explanation:“Ballots of voters who have died are rejected in Michigan, even if the voter cast an absentee ballot and then died before Election Day. On rare occasions, a ballot received for a living voter may be recorded in a way that makes it appear as if the voter is dead.

Fake claims about the 2020 Election are flooding social media -- as expected. Polling showed a huge advantage for Biden in mail-in voting, and mail-in voting takes longer to count. According to a New York Times analysis, more than 433,000 mail-in ballots were counted for Trump in Michigan, about 30 percent of the mail-in ballot vote in the state. Social media origins : If you see something floating around social media, like a meme or a story, try to find the original source and check it yourself. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

The Michigan Secretary of State Office’s website is the last place you’ll want to check for results from the Nov. 3 General Election. We advised many journalists and the public ahead of the election that our website is always the last place for things to be updated and that they should check county websites first for more up-to-date results.”On Thursday morning, Benson’s office tweeted:“Now that all Wayne County jurisdictions have reported unofficial results to the county, those unofficial results have been added to our website. This is our standard protocol for publishing the unofficial election results of all counties." ClickOnDetroit has the most up-to-date election results from around Metro Detroit -- and beyond -- thanks to our team of journalists gathering and confirming results from the county clerks. They have been working around the clock since Tuesday night keeping the results updated.

Here are five tips for navigating what could be a deeply confusing and anxious period:Even after states declare, keep in mind that the race isn’t over. You can share any election-related posts you’re seeing with the Trust Index fact-checking team and we’ll get to work on it. Use the Trust Index form to send it to trained fact-checkers for review and possible debunking on a newscast or online. They also helped created Trust Index, our fact-checking team. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

As Election Day finally arrives it is going to be easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of information being aimed at every single voter in the country. As polls open here are five things to watch for on Election Day 2020:Many, many reports, photos, and videos of long lines. You can also share what you are seeing with the Trust Index team and we’ll get to work on it. Use the Trust Index form to send it to trained fact-checkers for review and possible debunking on a newscast or online. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

We’re fact-checking some of the recent claims made by candidates and ads. Biden’s tax plan, however, DOES call for a tax increase -- but only for Americans making $400,000 or more per year. Distorted Joe Biden video from Trump campaignA video posted by the Trump campaign claims to show Biden saying “Why am I doing this? Trump claims on mail-in votingWe’ve already fact-checked plenty of claims on mail-in voting, but there are some new ones popping up. Trump has conspiratorially inflated local incidents, contending, for example, that mail-in ballots filled out for him are being dumped in rivers or creeks.

LANSING, Mich. – President Donald Trump will be making a stop in Michigan to hold a campaign rally just one week before the presidential election. READ: Trust Index fact check: What Trump said about Michigan governor’s husband, ‘prison’ lockdownThe Trump Campaign announced last week that the president will be holding rallies in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska. Trump will be at the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Trump and other Republican candidates are expected to speak at the event. According to the campaign, doors open at 11 a.m. and all attendees will be given a temperature check, masks and access to hand sanitizer. The campaign said those who attended are instructed to wear a mask.

If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Copyright © 2020 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and pubished by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.

There was quick mention of Michigan during Thursday night’s final presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The President once again compared Michigan’s coronavirus pandemic lockdown to a “prison," just as he did in the first presidential debate. “Take a look at what’s happening with your friend in Michigan, where her husband’s the only one allowed to do anything. It’s been like a prison,” Trump said during Thursday night’s round. Read back: Fact-checking Biden-Trump debate claims about economy, MichiganMore fact checks from the final presidential debate:Presidential Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:First Presidential debate fact checks from the Trust Index:

We’ve tested claims about the pandemic in just about every Trust Index report during the late election season. We’ve reviewed information surrounding this topic and confirmed that It’s True. We’ve reviewed information surrounding this topic and confirmed that It’s True. Trump’s claims on COVID mortality rate, excess deathsNext we’re taking a pair of claims from the President at the same time. More fact checks from the final presidential debate:Presidential Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:First Presidential debate fact checks from the Trust Index:

Race and race relations remained a major point of contention during this latest and final presidential debate Thursday night. President Trump ranked 15th out of 20, sitting below President Richard Nixon. Who built cages at the borderFinally, one last one from the President on who built cages for migrant children. “And they said look at these cages, President Trump built them. More fact checks from the final presidential debate:Presidential Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:First Presidential debate fact checks from the Trust Index:

Biden’s claim on private insurance, ObamacareThe Trust Index team is starting with this claim from former Vice President Joe Biden. “Not one single person private insurance will lose their insurance under my plan, nor did they under Obamacare,” Biden said. Trump’s claim on minimum wageNext is one from the President on the effects of a $15 minimum wage. "We’re rebuilding it and we’re doing record numbers 11.4 million jobs in a short period of time. More fact checks from the final presidential debate:Presidential Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:First Presidential debate fact checks from the Trust Index:

Climate change was the focus of one of the sections during the final presidential debate Thursday night as it was the first time voters were able to hear from both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden on their records and plans to combat climate change. The Trust Index team is labeling this “be careful” because it depends on the number the President is using. Biden on climate change timelineFinally, one more from Biden on the climate change timeline. “We don’t have much time, we’re going to pass the point of no return, return the next eight to 10 years,” he said. More fact checks from the final presidential debate:Presidential Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:First Presidential debate fact checks from the Trust Index:

For more Trust Index fact checks, go here: https://www.clickondetroit.com/topic/Trust_Index/If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.

Trust Index: Fact-checking Trump-Biden final debate comments on racePublished: October 23, 2020, 7:09 amThe candidates debated one last time on Oct. 22. For more Trust Index fact checks, go here: https://www.clickondetroit.com/topic/Trust_Index/

Trust Index: Fact-checking Trump-Biden final debate comments on health care, minimum wage, jobs, aid to farmersPublished: October 23, 2020, 7:03 amFor more Trust Index fact checks from the presidential debates, go here: https://www.clickondetroit.com/topic/Trust_Index/

DETROIT – We’re separating fact from fiction in one of Michigan’s most contentious and most expensive races. “He believes in no exception,” Peters said of James. As for hiding his plan, James is likely referring to amendments Peters made to congressional financial disclosures after initially not disclosing the state plan. We’re calling this Be Careful because James isn’t exactly correct on how Peters' plan works. James is referring to a statement Peters made in 2018 at a town hall where he said Medicare-For-All is likely down the road.

In President Trump’s town hall Thursday night, the coronavirus took center stage as it has during this campaign. First we’re taking a look at a claim the President has made before that’s rating has changed since the first time he said it. Next is a claim the President has been making about the lives he’s saved during the pandemic. We were expected to lose 2,200,000 people and maybe more than that,” the President told one of women who asked a question during the town hall. More Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s town hall Thursday night was largely policy-oriented, especially on matters of jobs and the economy, which is why it’s where we’re starting Biden’s plan for economic recovery. “Wall Street said I will create 18.6 million new jobs, good paying jobs. The GDP will grow by $1 trillion more than under Trump and seven million more jobs than under Trump,” Biden said. “Electric vehicles will save billions of gallons of oil and will create 1 million, not me, Wall Street (says), automobile jobs,” Biden told one audience member. The Biden plan doesn’t offer any specifics on how that would work and skeptics have said the switch over to electric vehicles without federal help could actually cost the industry jobs.

Trust Index: Fact-checking Trump's coronavirus claimsPublished: October 16, 2020, 7:14 amIn his town hall Thursday night, the coronavirus took center stage as it has during this campaign. President Trump made several claims he’s made before. One we’re giving a new rating, the other we haven’t had the chance to test.

For this Trust Index we’re taking a look at a pair of claims about the state of the economy under the trump administration. What is the Trust Index? We were just hitting 160 million jobs,” Trump said. What is the Trust Index? More Town Hall fact checks from the Trust Index:

Trust Index: Fact-checking Trump’s town hall economic claimsPublished: October 16, 2020, 7:05 amFor this Trust Index we’re taking a look at a pair of claims about the state of the economy under the trump administration.

One of the major issues for Joe Biden during his campaign has been his support of the 1994 crime bill which has been widely criticized as racist. “The Black caucus voted for it and every Black mayor supported it across the board,” Biden said. “What happened violent actually went down precipitously, remember the rise in violent crime in the late 80s early 90s? Biden is talking about community policing here and the results of the 94 crime bill. According to a Government Accountability Office report violent crime from 1994 to 2000 only fell about 2.5 percent.

In a world filled with confusion, lies, and disinformation, it can be nearly impossible to figure out what’s real and what isn’t. Instead, it’s on each person to be vigilant in the fight against the spread of lies and deceit. Bell says the complexity of disinformation campaigns makes it hard to spot, “Disinformation is, is very subtle. And the kind of clever part is we don’t know if it’s disinformation or not. And then the second piece is when we do encounter something, that’s clearly misinformation, if it’s an important bit of misinformation, it’s probably worth correcting it.

Misinformation and disinformation are different words for false information. While misinformation may be passed along without malice, or many times by accident, disinformation is the evil cousin. “Disinformation campaigns around the world, that for a number of reasons it is cataloged that they are there to disrupt elections. Disinformation about COVID-19When it comes to disinformation, the news that’s being passed around about COVID-19 might be the largest problem we have. Hyman says there’s a biggie out there now, “There’s the current one out about only 6% of the COVID deaths are actually COVID deaths.

Misinformation: Who is spreading it - and whyPublished: October 8, 2020, 11:37 amWho is spreading misinformation on the internet, and what are their motives?

Healthcare remains a top issue beyond the pandemic in 2020, namely the future of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. "This means that there will be no more protections if they win for people with pre-existing conditions. Government estimates show roughly 25 million would lose coverage and nearly 133 million with pre-existing condition could lose some or all of their coverage. “President Trump and I have a plan to improve health care and to preserve protect pre-existing conditions for every American,” Pence said. According to the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation, the President has never released a plan to replace the ACA or protect those with pre-existing conditions.

Trust Index: Fact-checking Harris, Pence on healthcare in VP DebateIf you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.

“Donald Trump paid $750 in taxes…we now know Donald Trump owes and is in debt for $400 million,” Harris said. More from Trust Index:Next there’s this claim that sparked a back and forth between Harris and Vice President Mike Pence on several occasions. We’ll take the next two claims from Pence at the same time because he’s touting the 2017 tax cuts as a whole. “President Trump cut taxes across the board, despite what Senator Harris says, the average American family of 4 had $2000 in savings in taxes,” Pence said. According to both the Tax Policy Center and the progressive Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy the Trump Tax Plan from 2017 did cut taxes for every income bracket in 2019.

“Your party is actually openly advocating adding seats to the Supreme Court, which has had nine seats for 150 years if you don’t get your way,” Pence told Harris. So far, both Biden and Harris have refused to answer whether they support the idea. More Trust Index:Next, a history lesson from Senator Harris she used to criticize the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. “It was 27 days before the election, and a seat became open on the United States Supreme Court. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris support taxpayer funding of abortion all the way up to the moment birth,” Pence said.

Vice President Mike Pence was tapped to head the White House Coronavirus Task Force and was pressed Wednesday night over what has been widely described as a bungled response to the virus. We’re starting with this claim from the Vice President about the President’s often touted Chinese travel restrictions. Finally, this one from Harris on the White House plan for COVID. There is no unified national strategy, according to both the White House and Trump Campaign websites. However, the Trump Administration does have a series of guidelines for state and local governments to follow regarding COVID, which the White House is using to direct states.

SALT LAKE CITY – Watch the 2020 vice presidential debate livestream and see Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris face off live. The debate Wednesday night in Salt Lake City is the most highly anticipated vice presidential debate in recent memory. Watch the debate below and follow the live fact-check with Grant Hermes and the Local 4′s Trust Index team below the video player. We’ll start fact-checking when the debate starts. Watch Live Coverage below starting at 8 p.m. (debate starts at 9 p.m.)Follow live fact-checking from Local 4′s Trust Index team below (or click here):

“Is that accurate?” It’s a question we’re all asking about social media posts and online reports a lot these days. The Trust Index team is here to help.

SALT LAKE CITY – Watch the 2020 vice presidential debate livestream and see Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris face off live. The debate Wednesday night in Salt Lake City is the most highly anticipated vice presidential debate in recent memory. Watch the debate below and follow the live fact-check with Grant Hermes and the Local 4′s Trust Index team below the video player. We’ll start fact-checking when the debate starts. Watch Live Coverage below starting at 8 p.m. (debate starts at 9 p.m.)Follow live fact-checking from Local 4′s Trust Index team below (or click here):

The Michigan Secretary of State is refuting a claim by the state’s Republicans over drop box security, labeling it as “election misinformation." On Wednesday, the Michigan GOP released a video which allegedly shows a man walk up to and open an unlocked ballot drop box in Lansing two weeks ago. The video appears to show an envelope in the box, which the GOP release claims is a ballot, but ballot envelopes are much larger. Michigan Department of State spokesperson Jake Rollow released a statement on behalf of the Secretary of State following the allegations. “Ballot drop boxes have been securely locked since ballots were available.

Many call it “fake news,” others might call it something else, but misinformation is false or inaccurate information, and it’s everywhere. Bell said disinformation can be part of a campaign designed to sway opinions in one direction or another. Hyman said it all spreads so quickly because “when you encounter some misinformation or part of a disinformation campaign, you may then share that information on social media, then you become an agent spreading that misinformation further." And you then share that but now you’ve shared something that is part of a disinformation campaign. Not all badBut this isn’t all to say that social media is bad and that all information on social media is bad.

We’re fact-checking the claims, starting with one that Biden has been making since late last month on the President’s budget and local police. “The only one defending that his budget calls for a $400 million cut and look for law enforcement assistance,” Biden claimed. Crime rate under ObamaBiden also talked about the record of the Obama administration when it came to the crime rate. Violence during protests, civil unrest claimsFinally, one more from the President about violence during protests and civil unrest. “Look at Oakland, look what happened and look what happened in Baltimore, look what happened.

Health care remains a top issue for voters, particularly during the spread of the coronavirus as millions lost their jobs and health insurance over the course of pandemic. According to the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation roughly 25 million people get their health care through the federal ACA marketplace or the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. Here’s one from President Trump about Biden’s plan:“The bigger problem that you have is that you’re going to extinguish 180 million people with their private health care,” Trump said. While estimates differ, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services do estimate that roughly 180 million Americans have private health insurance. Biden’s plan creates a public option for low income Americans but does not get rid of private insurance.

The issue of absentee voting has become the hot button issue in the weeks leading up to the election. The President has been repeatedly critical of the process, despite voting absentee himself in Florida, and has worked to sew distrust with the processes of certain states, including Michigan. The President had more to test when it came to claims about absentee voting during Tuesday night’s first presidential debate, but we’ll start with this from Vice President Joe Biden. Biden does appear to confuse the director of homeland security with DHS’s cyber security director who said last month election integrity may actually improve with more absentee ballots. According to the findings of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 1 percent of the absentee votes were deemed invalid.

Most analysts did not expect climate change to be one of the subjects highlighted by moderator Chris Wallace. But Wallace dropped a bit of a surprise by bringing global warming into the debate. While the Amazon rainforest does indeed absorb a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide, its estimated annual total of two billion metric tons of absorbed annual carbon dioxide is less than half of the estimated 5.1 billion metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide produced by the U.S. every year. There is no questioning that the Amazon is very important in taking in carbon dioxide, but it does not by itself offset the total U.S. carbon dioxide emission. (RCC-ACIS)Hopefully, the upcoming vice presidential and presidential debates will provide more insight into the candidates' thoughts about Earth’s unnaturally warming climate, the ramifications, and what they propose to do (or not do) about it.

Both he and former Vice President Joe Biden made Michigan-specific claims during Tuesday night’s first presidential debate. We ran those claims through the Trust Index to see how factual the statements were. Biden and the economyWe’ll start with the first mention of Michigan from the President. Auto industry claimsHere are two claims from Biden on the state of the automakers and his role in the auto bailout. We’ve tested claims made by both Biden and Trump on the auto industry before.

The issue came up during Tuesday night’s first presidential debate between Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. “We’re weeks away from a vaccine,” said Trump. Fauci was talking about trials being done on vaccines, and said his team is “cautiously optimistic” about having a vaccine ready before the end of the year. That’s a bit longer than just “weeks” away, but Trump was not exactly specific in his statement. Trump says the vaccine development is a "political thing" and he says he disagrees with his own CDC.

The Trust Index team was busy fact-checking Tuesday night’s presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. And we continue. Let us know if there was a statement from this first Trump-Biden debate that you want fact-checked -- let us know here.

What statement(s) would you like us to fact check from the Sept. 29 presidential debate? If there is a specific statement made by one of the candidates that you want us to check out, let us know here:Related: Fact-checking 5 claims about mail-in voting

CLEVELAND – Watch the first presidential debate of the 2020 election between President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden and moderated by Chris Wallace. Watch live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Follow live fact checking from the Trust Index team below (app users click here):

CLEVELAND – Watch the first presidential debate of the 2020 election between President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden and moderated by Chris Wallace. Follow live fact checking with Local 4′s Trust Index team below the video player. Watch live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Follow live fact checking from the Trust Index team below (app users click here):

CLEVELAND – Watch the first presidential debate of the 2020 election between President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden and moderated by Chris Wallace. Follow live fact checking with Local 4′s Trust Index team below the video player. Watch live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Follow live fact checking from the Trust Index team below (app users click here):

Are you ready to cast your vote for President? Perhaps you’ve already done so now that mail-in voting is fast underway in Michigan. If you haven’t already cast your ballot, do you think the series of presidential debates has any chance of changing your mind about either former Vice President Joe Biden or President Donald Trump? Do you think the debates could change anyone’s mind? Take the quick poll, then tell us why:Trust Index: What do you want fact-checked from presidential debate?

In the Aug. 2020 primary election more than 10,000 mail-in ballots were rejected by the Michigan Secretary fo State. An absentee voter who knowingly makes a false statement on the absentee ballot return envelope is guilty of a misdemeanor. Claim: Mail-in voting is not the same as absentee voting ⛔This claim is false. Mail-in voting and absentee voting are the exact same thing. Claim: Mail-in voting benefits Democrats ⛔Even though polls show Democratic voters are more likely to support mail-in voting, there is actually no evidence that shows it benefits either political party.

With the election less than 40 days away, ClickOnDetroit and Local 4 will be factchecking the upcoming presidential and vice presidential debates -- live. Vice President Joe Biden and the conventions of both parties. The first is Sept. 29 where President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will debate in Cleveland, Ohio. What do you want fact-checked from presidential debate? During the debates Grant will factcheck the debates on Twitter which will also be live streamed on ClickOnDetroit.

Local 4 decided to run two of the most seen claims regarding healthcare through our Trust Index. “James' healthcare plan increases the cost of prescription drugs. James has said he’d advocate for a healthcare plan that’s market-based and protects those with pre-existing conditions. Gary Peters' plan for healthcareLocal 4 is looking into allegations from James on Peters' plan for healthcare. The plan James is referring to is the Michigan Legislative Retirement Plan, according to releases from the Michigan Republican Party.

The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden is set for Tuesday, Sept. 29. Tuesday’s debate will be held at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Here at ClickOnDetroit, the Trust Index team will be watching and fact checking statements made by the candidates. Reporter Grant Hermes will be your source for fact checking throughout the debate, and in the next presidential debates (Oct. 15 and Oct. 22). More: Trust Index -- fact checking and fighting misinformation

🦠 Coronavirus conspiracies 🦠We’re starting with the novel coronavirus -- or -- COVID-19. According to Scientific American, counting flu deaths the way we count COVID-19 deaths, over the last six years, flu deaths have ranged from about 3,500 to 15,000. Claim: COVID-19 is caused by 5GThis is one of the more out-there theories about COVID-19, but it’s still very popular. Social media origins : If you see something floating around social media, like a meme or a story, try to find the original source and check it yourself. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

A photo circulating social media shows claims to show Joe Biden and other local officials at an event at the Detroit Athletic Club not wearing masks. The post started circulating after Dennis Archer Jr. posted a photo following Joe Biden’s visit to Michigan last week. The posts circulating social media pointed to the fact that Biden wasn’t wearing a mask at this event. The Detroit Athletic Club also debunked the photo, releasing a statement on their Facebook page:“There is a post and photo circulating showing an event at the DAC. The claim that Joe Biden was at the Detroit Athletic Club last week at an event without masks is false.

One of the concerns that emerged early in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was whether taking Ibuprofen could increase the risk of contracting a serious case of the virus. That concern was based on a statement that apparently came from France’s health minister at the time. There wasn’t any actual research or data to suggest Ibuprofen was dangerous with COVID-19 at the time, but we have since learned more about the relationship. The question over Ibuprofen’s potential effect of COVID-19 wasn’t clear-cut. The authors concluded that there was no reason to withhold Ibuprofen solely because of a COVID-19 infection.

DETROIT – A lot of things were brought up during the last two days while President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden campaigned in Michigan. Several earned a run through ClickonDetroit’s Trust Index including comments made about the state of the pandemic, auto industry jobs, COVID-19 in the military and Biden’s son Hunter. Here’s one from former vice president Joe Biden’s visit on Thursday at a United Auto Workers lodge in Warren. “While nearly 20,000 auto manufacturing jobs have been lost in Michigan under Trump nearly 80,000 were created during the Obama administration,” Biden said. By April of this year, nearly 20,000 auto jobs had been lost.

The CDC data table is based on an analysis of death certificates that mention COVID-19 as a cause. For 6% of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned, the CDC notes. As of Aug. 26, the CDC said, there were 161,332 deaths where COVID-19 was listed on the death certificate. Experts say it’s not surprising that so few people who died from COVID-19 had no underlying conditions listed on their death certificates. “In 92% of all deaths that mention COVID-19, COVID-19 is listed as the underlying cause of death."

“Is that accurate?” It’s a question we’re all asking about social media posts and online reports a lot these days. The Trust Index team is here to help.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump claimed accomplishments he didn’t earn on the pandemic, energy and veterans at a Republican convention finale that also heard Black Lives Matter baselessly accused of coordinating violent protests across the country. His shutdown would inflict unthinkable and lasting harm on our nation’s children, families, and citizens of all backgrounds.”THE FACTS: That’s false. You haven’t seen that in a long time.”THE FACTS: Trump seems to be taking credit for lower prices that were the byproduct of a pandemic that has killed more than 180,000 Americans. There’s no evidence that Black Lives Matter or antifa, or any political group for that matter, is infiltrating racial injustice protests with violence. Cotton also played into the convention’s pattern of attributing every questionable action of President Barack Obama’s administration to Biden personally.

CHICAGO (AP) — False claims that Kamala Harris is not legally eligible to serve as U.S. vice president or president have been circulating in social media posts since 2019, when she first launched her Democratic primary campaign. ... It’s not something that we will be pursuing.” Asked point blank if Harris is eligible, Trump replied: “I just told you. I have not got into it in great detail.”A look at the claim:THE CLAIM: Harris is ineligible to serve as vice president or president because her mother is from India and her father is from Jamaica. Trump said Thursday that he “heard” the California senator doesn’t meet the requirements, adding, “I have no if idea that’s right.”THE FACTS: That’s false. Harris was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, according to a copy of her birth certificate, obtained by The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans tuned into the Democratic National Convention were told Thursday that the higher minimum wage favored by presidential candidate Joe Biden would lift all full-time workers out of poverty. SEN. CORY BOOKER: “Together, with Joe and Kamala in the White House, we’ll raise the minimum wage so no one who works a full-time job lives in poverty.”THE FACTS: That’s an improbable outcome for the $15 minimum wage supported by Biden. Moreover, the report estimated a $15 minimum wage would cost 1.3 million people their jobs because they would be priced out of the market. That finding suggests that a $15 federal minimum would not take all full-time workers out of poverty. Trust IndexThe Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is muddying the facts about mail-in voting and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Mail-in ballots are cast in the same way as absentee mail ballots, with the same level of scrutiny such as signature verification in many states. That means they can use mail-in ballots for any reason, regardless of whether a person is out of town or working. Five of those states relied on mail-in ballots even before the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about voting in person. THE FACTS: Harris, a senator from California, is without question eligible.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama assailed President Donald Trump on Monday for ripping migrant children from their parents and throwing them into cages, picking up on a frequent and distorted point made widely by Democrats. She’s right that Trump’s now-suspended policy at the U.S.-Mexico border separated thousands of children from their families in ways that had not been done before. At the height of the controversy over Trump’s zero-tolerance policy at the border, photos that circulated online of children in the enclosures generated great anger. But prominent Democrats have continued to cite cages for children as a distinctive cruelty of Trump. The Obama administration separated migrant children from families under certain limited circumstances, like when the child’s safety appeared at risk or when the parent had a serious criminal history.

Ahead of the 2020 election, outlets masquerading as credible local news websites have increased around the U.S., including in Michigan. A new report published by the Columbia Journalism Review finds an explosion of pink slime local news outlets, especially in swing states, ahead of the November election. The network of pink slime sites has increased from 450 sites in December 2019, to more than 1,200 in 2020, according to the Tow Center. The vast majority of pink slime sites are under the Metric Media umbrella, accounting for about 80 percent of all domains identified by Columbia, including the majority in Michigan. In July, Jessica Mahone and Philip Napoli mapped hundreds of these sites in a report published in Nieman Lab.

DETROIT When it comes to tracking the way a virus circulates, researchers use many traditional methods, like contact tracing. The genetic code of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is made of roughly 30,000 base pairs. Researchers have been sequencing, or reconstructing, the genetic signatures of different SARS-CoV-2 viruses around the globe. Suggesting the virus didnt come to Michigan directly from China, but rather was imported from Europe. The Michigan signatures also have a relationship to viruses found in several other states.

DETROIT Since the beginning of the outbreak, scientists have known the genetic sequence of COVID-19, but over time, researchers have seen it change, giving rise to the theory coronavirus is mutating. While the newly hijacked cell is making parts to build new viruses, its also copying the virus genetic code and thats where mutations can occur. READ: List of Michigan pandemic executive orders that are still activeThe RNA genetic code for SARS-CoV-2 is 30,000 base pairs long. Fortunately, SARS-CoV-2 appears to change very slowly and sustained mutations do not occur frequently. In fact, its estimated that notable new changes occur at a rate of about 2 per month, which is actually pretty minimal.

If Michigan has one day with 60 cases, and then another with 180, percentage-wise that’s a spike. At its peak at the beginning of April, Michigan was reporting more than 1,500 cases a day. Bottom line: By all key indications, Michigan is not seeing a spike right now. ClickOnDetroit has been tracking the daily cases growth factor in Michigan, too. The graph above (or view here) is showing the daily growth factor, which is every day’s new cases divided by new cases on the previous day.

Trust Index is Graham Media Group’s initiative to combat misinformation and provide viewers and readers fact-checked information to share with others. All sources are disclosed in a Trust Index story on our website. Each Trust Index story receives one of three labels:Trust Index badges include: "It's True," "Be Careful," and "Not True." The designated label is assigned after a claim of information is reviewed through the Trust Index process established in our newsrooms. You can email the Trust Index team at: trustindex@grahammedia.com.

Many are looking for ways to maximize their mask benefit and since the surface of copper is a known antimicrobial, can a copper-infused mask help? Thats where the idea that using copper fibers or infusing fabric with copper could improve a mask wearers protection. What about the things that get trapped in or on the mask -- could copper help there? Theres some fun science behind the idea of using a copper in a mask, but no evidence suggests it would be safer. Additionally, the primary purpose of a mask is to prevent the user from spreading their own germs, and a copper mask wont change that.

DETROIT Almost everyone in Michigan has worn a mask during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but is there any truth to recent social media posts claiming people are getting sick due to wearing masks for an extended period of time? Social media claimsBut a post making the rounds on social media is claiming its dangerous to wear a mask. Dr. McGeorge put that claim to the test with the Trust Index. Gasses such as oxygen and carbon dioxide freely pass in and out of the masks, making any significant buildup of exhaled carbon dioxide impossible, Dr. McGeorge said. It does take a little while to get used to wearing a mask, but its not harmful.

DETROIT In a tweet Wednesday, President Trump threatened to hold up funding to Michigan, claiming the Secretary of State was illegally sending absentee ballots to all voters. Michigan is not sending absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of elections this year. On Tuesday, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced the state would send applications to vote by mail to every registered voter, not a ballot. Congress included $400 million in election funding in a previous coronavirus relief bill, but estimates of the total cost to expand mail voting and make in-person voting safer have run as high as $4 billion. Related: AP Fact Check: President Trumps rhetoric on voter fraud is misleadingAfter review, we've found this claim is Not True.

Debunking 4 coronavirus claims spread on social mediaHospitals are counting all deaths as COVID-19 relatedThis is false. FactCheck.org says there’s no evidence that any state has adopted a policy to classify all deaths, regardless of the individual circumstances, as being related to COVID-19. “If COVID–19 played a role in the death, this condition should be specified on the death certificate. Share it with the Trust Index team for reviewYES: States, countries are revising death tollsSome states and countries have added deaths as COVID-19 related after deciding the victim was “suspected” of having COVID-19. We are focused on ensuring that every New Yorker who died because of COVID-19 gets counted," said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot.

Anyone else finding themselves spending more time than usual on social media, considering the coronavirus pandemic? But like most things, Facebook is whatever you want to make it. You don’t have to give up on social media in general, or even Facebook in particular. The social media giants say they’re working hard behind the scenes to remove bot accounts and build a better platform. In the meantime, here are some simple yet effective things you can do to make your own Facebook interactions less contentious and more civil.

DETROIT – In the last several weeks, many false or misleading theories have surfaced on social media about coronavirus, and the response to coronavirus. This idea is one of the biggest drivers that sparked a massive protest in Lansing on Wednesday. “If COVID–19 played a role in the death, this condition should be specified on the death certificate. It won’t be a signature, but “President Donald J. Trump” will be printed on the fronts of the checks, the Treasury official confirmed. That has since been picked up by the internet, and it’s now being reported that Ibuprofen is dangerous with a coronavirus infection.

DETROIT – There’s confusion circulating online about whether people need to pay back the federal stimulus checks being sent out. Several videos circulating on social media claim that you’ll eventually have to pay it back next year. WDIV’s Trust Index verification team reviewed the claim and determined this is not true. The Associated Press confirmed with the IRS and Department of Treasury you do not have to repay the stimulus check. Share it with our Trust Index team and we’ll review.

Local 4′s Trust Index challenges the misinformation that there’s a catch to the stimulus checks. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.

Graham Media Group has announced the launch of Trust Index, a new initiative to combat misinformation campaigns targeting local media. Trust Index (WDIV)“Nothing is more important than getting the story right,” said Emily Barr, president and CEO of GMG. “We are providing timely training and processes to our six newsrooms to help in the fight against misinformation campaigns attacking local news.”Graham Media Group is partnering with Fathm, a global leader in the fight against misinformation, in the effort. “It is fantastic to be working with an organization like Graham Media Group, which is putting a high-priority focus on such an important initiative,” Bell said. Later this year, Bell will complete newsroom training sessions for all Graham Media Group stations.