PolitiFact has selected lies about the coronavirus as our Lie of the Year — the most significant falsehood of 2020, as chosen by our editors and reporters. We made our case in a special report, and now we’re asking readers to weigh in.
Question: What do you think should be the Lie of the Year for 2020? (Vote in the form below)
- Coronavirus downplay and denial (PolitiFact’s choice). All year long, we were bombarded with conspiracy theories and fake science intended to minimize the real threat of COVID-19. They came on late night shows and YouTube channels, in Facebook posts and tweets, and President Trump’s press briefings and campaign rallies.
- False claims that the 2020 election was rigged and that Trump won re-election. President Donald Trump made repeated claims that the U.S. election system is rigged or that the only way he could lose would be through a rigged election. In the early morning hours after Election Day, President Trump appeared before TV cameras to claim he won the election, even though votes were still being counted. He also made false claims that his leads in specific states had evaporated.
- False claims that celebrities and politicians are child molesters (QAnon). PolitiFact has debunked many frankly bizarre online claims that mainstream politicians and Hollywood celebrities are child molesters, even though the claims have no basis in fact. The hoax took off thanks to followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory.
- Write in your own nominee for Lie of the Year.
