Alex Mahadevan
Poynter
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Past articles by Alex:
5 media literacy tips to avoid election misinformation, from Carl Azuz and Hasley Pitman
From person-to-person coaching and intensive hands-on seminars to interactive online courses and media reporting, Poynter helps journalists sharpen skills and elevate storytelling throughout their careers. → Read More
This college ‘nerd’ investigates the Ukraine war from the digital front lines
Justin Peden, a 20-year-old Alabama college student, runs one of the most-followed Twitter accounts documenting the war in Ukraine. → Read More
Here are Twitter’s most prolific citizen fact-checkers
Twitter’s crowdsourced fact-checking platform Birdwatch is improving. Meet the non-journalists fighting misinformation on it. → Read More
Factually: Twitter, your Birdwatch has problems
This is the Feb. 18, 2021 edition of Factually: More than half of the content in Birdwatch does not include a single source. → Read More
After contracting COVID-19, Trump was dinged by platforms for spreading coronavirus misinformation
Facebook and Twitter have both acted on a post comparing coronavirus and the flu from President Donald Trump — who has tested positive for COVID-19. → Read More
Trump’s COVID-19 executive order-palooza explained –
President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders and memos in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We checked them out. → Read More
How much did protests contribute to Los Angeles’ COVID-19 surge? –
Some claims on social media blame the protests for LA’s surge in COVID-19 infections. But data is sparse. → Read More
In Context: As Trump criticizes, a look back at Fauci’s early coronavirus statements –
President Donald Trump claims Dr. Anthony Fauci has "made a lot of mistakes." PolitiFact looks back on Fauci's comments. → Read More
No, the Americans with Disabilities Act does not exempt you from mask mandates –
An Instagram post showing a card claiming to exempt the holder from mask requirements has the Department of Justice’s seal — but it’s Not Legit. → Read More
No, AOC didn’t tweet this about closing businesses until after the election –
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not tweet about keeping businesses closed to disrupt President Donald trump’s reelection. → Read More
Trump falsely claims that if ‘we stopped testing right now,’ we’d have very few COVID-19 cases –
Halting testing wouldn’t eliminate COVID-19 cases. It would conceal them and could fuel an even greater crisis. → Read More
Widely shared Facebook posts mislead on COVID-19 mortality rate –
Contrary to popular Facebook posts, The CDC has not “confirmed” any mortality rate for COVID-19. And the 0.2% figure is the low end of a May estimate. → Read More
Chuck Norris felled by a tiny virus? Don’t believe it –
Actor Chuck Norris is alive and well despite a hoax circulating on Facebook about his death. → Read More
Facebook post falsely claims wearing masks for coronavirus shuts down the immune system –
A Facebook post makes six claims about wearing masks for the coronavirus, such as they “decrease oxygen intake.” Every point is false. → Read More
COVID-19 scams and the ‘unprecedented struggle to contain them –
Bogus coronavirus treatment products include copper “hand sanitizer” and IV machines. → Read More
Mountains of vital stories about the coronavirus are hidden in public records. Here’s how to FOIA for them.
Set up a pipeline of coronavirus story ideas with the help of BuzzFeed investigative reporter Jason Leopold and MuckRock founder Michael Morisy. → Read More
Can states file for bankruptcy? Should they? What you need to know
State bankruptcies aren’t allowed today, so for that to happen, Congress would have to pass a law allowing it. → Read More
Hydroxychloroquine and coronavirus: what you need to know
We wish we had more certain news about hydroxychloroquine, but limited studies so far show conflicting results. → Read More
Got COVID-19 vaccine questions? We have answers
Experts think it’s plausible that at least one effective and safe vaccine should be available within 12 to 18 months, or even sooner. → Read More
A super PAC is running a $6.6 million anti-Trump TV ad. Here’s the context
The quotes from President Trump are real. But the ad splices one comment about a “hoax” to create an impression the Trump campaign disputes. → Read More