In today’s media landscape, hoaxes spread faster than ever, often weaponized to distort truth and push false narratives. But this isn’t just an attack on Trump or his team—it’s an attack on you, the American people.
By understanding the tactics used to manipulate the public, you’ll be able to recognize when you’re being misled, see through the propaganda, and help others do the same.
Our mission is to debunk the hoaxes and expose the deceptive methods behind them, from selective editing to credibility laundering.
Below, you’ll find the most common hoax techniques and the examples that use them—so you can spot them in the wild.
Hoaxology
Selective Video Editing
Manipulates perception by removing key context from video, distorting the original meaning through trimming, reordering, or omitting portions.
Watch Video ↗Selective Photo Framing
Cropping or editing photos to misrepresent an event or individual. A carefully chosen frame excludes important context.
Watch Video ↗Strategic Ambiguity
Using vague or unclear language so a statement can be interpreted in multiple ways, encouraging the audience to fill in gaps with their biases.
Watch Video ↗Selective Reporting
Reporting only certain facts of a story, omitting important counterpoints or context that would challenge the narrative.
Watch Video ↗Anonymous Sources
Relying on unnamed sources to present allegations without verifiable evidence, shielding the source from scrutiny.
Watch Video ↗Inconsistent Witness Testimony
Building a story on unreliable or contradictory witness accounts, framing them as compelling despite lacking credibility.
Watch Video ↗Out-of-Context Quote
Isolating certain words or phrases to change the meaning entirely, making it seem the speaker said something very different.
Watch Video ↗Pretending Hyperbole is Real
Distorting exaggerated or humorous statements by presenting them as genuine beliefs or intentions.
Watch Video ↗Appeal to Fear
Presenting exaggerated threats or worst-case scenarios to incite fear, pushing the audience toward a specific viewpoint.
Watch Video ↗Emotional Reaction & Sensationalism
Emphasizing emotional responses over facts to shift attention away from substantive issues.
Branding
Repeatedly associating a person or idea with a specific label carrying strong connotations, overshadowing complex realities.
Watch Video ↗Guilty By Association
Linking a target to a controversial individual or ideology to damage their reputation through mere association.
Priming
Preconditioning audiences with emotionally charged narratives so new claims seem believable through confirmation bias.
Hoax Amplification Methods
Instead of originating hoaxes, these methods amplify them—adding credibility or expanding their reach.
Appeal to Authority
Citing an expert or influential figure to support a claim, regardless of whether they have relevant expertise.
Credibility Laundering & Echo Chamber
Feeding false stories to less reputable outlets, which are then picked up by mainstream sources, creating an illusion of legitimacy.
Circular Reporting
An unverified story is published, then cited by other outlets as fact, creating an appearance of credibility through repetition.