8 Social Media Rumors That Surfaced After Roe v. Wade Overturned
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Creators of online misinformation or disinformation (yes, there’s a difference) thrive during big breaking news events because people are oftentimes emotional and seeking resources that
justify those strong feelings.
When you combine that very human reaction with the psychological pattern of people seeking information that justifies their existing beliefs (creating what’s called an “echo chamber”),
volatile or sensational posts often fill many online spaces during major events. And, importantly, those posts have varying degrees of truth and credibility.
We saw that pattern repeat itself after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in summer 2022. Armed with an archive of numerous fact checks about abortion and Roe from
over the years, the Snopes’ newsroom started tracking potentially harmful and widely shared rumors related to the ruling — all within minutes of the court publishing the decision on its
website the morning of June 24.
For days, that fact-checking effort continued. Below is a sampling of such rumors in the form of TikTok videos, alleged text messages, tweets, Reddit posts, and quote images, as well as what
we know about them:
— Reporters across the Snopes newsroom contributed to this report.
Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement.