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Viral image
Viral image
stated on November 12, 2017 a Facebook post:

Says a photo shows Joe Biden groping a woman.

False
By Ciara O'Rourke
February 14, 2020

An image that appears to show Joe Biden groping a woman is altered

If your time is short

  • A photo that appears to show Joe Biden groping a woman was doctored so that his hands are higher onher body than they were. 
  • Biden drew criticism at the time for holding his hands too high on the woman’s waist.
 
See the sources for this fact-check

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign has been dogged by allegations that he inappropriately touches women, perhaps explaining why an old, altered photo is now appearing in some social media feeds. 

“Gropin’ Joe Biden with a woman not his wife,” reads the text of a 2017 Facebook post sharing an image that appears to show Biden grabbing a woman’s chest as they pose for a photo. 

This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) 

The real photo from a 2013 holiday party when Biden was vice president shows him with his hands on the waist of Hill reporter Amie Parnes. The image went viral then as Biden drew criticism for how high his hands were — the Daily Caller headline said: “Vice President Joe Biden gropes White House reporter.” 

The World News Bureau, which posts fake news stories, published an article with the doctored photo that appears in the Facebook post. A bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon was also edited into the image so that it appears to be sticking out of his pocket. 

We rate this Facebook post False.

 
Our Sources

Facebook post, Nov. 12, 2017

Politico, Second woman accuses Biden of inappropriate touching, April 1, 2019

The Cut, All the women who have spoken out against Joe Biden, April 5, 2019

Today, Photo of famously friendly Biden goes viral, Dec. 17, 2013

Daily Caller, Vice President Joe Biden gropes White House reporter, Dec. 16, 2013

World News Bureau, Biden sexually molests reporter, Dec. 16, 2013

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

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