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Ilma Hasan

Senior Editor, India

Ilma is a senior editor based in New Delhi. Before pursuing a master's degree from Columbia Journalism School in New York City, she was a television correspondent and producer covering politics, policy, and crime. Following her degree, Ilma completed a series of fellowships in New York and Washington D.C., including CNN Tonight with Don Lemon and the Center for Responsive Politics. Ilma's interests range from India's political economy to bad reality television.

Latest Fact Checks by Ilma Hasan

False: COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene oxide, U.K. lab report reveals.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

False: COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene oxide, U.K. lab report reveals.
False: 45,000 people died due to the COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. within three days.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

False: 45,000 people died due to the COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. within three days.
Misleading: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Whoopi Goldberg's suspension over Holocaust remark was unnecessary.
Politics-People Tech-Social-Media

Misleading: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Whoopi Goldberg's suspension over Holocaust remark was unnecessary.
Misleading: A Forbes article claims COVID-19 vaccine alters human DNA.
Health-Covid Media-General

Misleading: A Forbes article claims COVID-19 vaccine alters human DNA.
Misleading: Not 150,000, but 6,000 people died of COVID-19 in England and Wales between February 2020 and December 2021.
Health-Covid

Misleading: Not 150,000, but 6,000 people died of COVID-19 in England and Wales between February 2020 and December 2021.
Misleading: Mass formation psychosis caused people to follow pandemic protocol.
Health-Covid

Misleading: Mass formation psychosis caused people to follow pandemic protocol.
False: A ball girl collapsed at the Australian Open due to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

False: A ball girl collapsed at the Australian Open due to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Misleading: Antarctica recording the coldest six months is an indication of exaggerated global warming claims.
Climate-General

Misleading: Antarctica recording the coldest six months is an indication of exaggerated global warming claims.
Misleading: Climate change played no role in the worsening health conditions of an elderly Canadian woman
Climate-General Health-General

Misleading: Climate change played no role in the worsening health conditions of an elderly Canadian woman
Misleading: British state pension is £7,488, significantly lower than Germany and France.
Geopolitical-General Politics-General

Misleading: British state pension is £7,488, significantly lower than Germany and France.
False: WHO director-general said countries are giving COVID-19 booster shots to kill children.
Conspiracies-World Economic Forum Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

False: WHO director-general said countries are giving COVID-19 booster shots to kill children.
Misleading: Studies from the CDC, U.K. government, and Oxford University have deemed COVID-19 vaccines ineffective.
Conspiracies-General Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

Misleading: Studies from the CDC, U.K. government, and Oxford University have deemed COVID-19 vaccines ineffective.
False: Heat and humidity build up in masks increases risk of illness.
Health-Covid

False: Heat and humidity build up in masks increases risk of illness.
False: The myocarditis warnings on COVID-19 vaccines in Japan mean that the vaccines are lethal.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

False: The myocarditis warnings on COVID-19 vaccines in Japan mean that the vaccines are lethal.
Partly_True: Trump: We’ve spent $8 trillion and we’ve lost thousands of lives in the Middle East.
Geopolitical-Conflict Politics-General

Partly_True: Trump: We’ve spent $8 trillion and we’ve lost thousands of lives in the Middle East.
False: Brexit has led to supply shortages in a Brussels supermarket.
Economics-Business Politics-General

False: Brexit has led to supply shortages in a Brussels supermarket.
False: Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has a mortality rate of nearly 6 percent.
Health-Covid Health-Pharma Health-Vaccines

False: Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has a mortality rate of nearly 6 percent.
False: Most adults and children are immune from COVID-19 since it is similar to other viruses.
Conspiracies-General Health-Covid

False: Most adults and children are immune from COVID-19 since it is similar to other viruses.
Misleading: Public Health England: Vaccinated people in their forties are reporting double the infection rate compared to those unvaccinated.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

Misleading: Public Health England: Vaccinated people in their forties are reporting double the infection rate compared to those unvaccinated.
True: Pfizer has voluntarily recalled all lots of its anti-smoking drug over carcinogen presence.
Health-Pharma

True: Pfizer has voluntarily recalled all lots of its anti-smoking drug over carcinogen presence.
Misleading: COVID-19 vaccines can trigger severe reactions in those with thrombocytopenia, a rare blood disorder.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines

Misleading: COVID-19 vaccines can trigger severe reactions in those with thrombocytopenia, a rare blood disorder.
False: America is responsible for the destruction of buildings in Homs, Syria.
Geopolitical-General Tech-Social-Media

False: America is responsible for the destruction of buildings in Homs, Syria.
True: Lebanon is witnessing fuel shortage and massive power cuts amid the financial meltdown.
Economics-General Politics-General

True: Lebanon is witnessing fuel shortage and massive power cuts amid the financial meltdown.
Misleading: Nancy Pelosi made millions in insider trading.
Economics-General Politics-People

Misleading: Nancy Pelosi made millions in insider trading.
True: Trump's budget calls for a $400 million cut in local law enforcement assistance.
Politics-People Politics-Policy

True: Trump's budget calls for a $400 million cut in local law enforcement assistance.
False: The Chinese Communist Party planned on using U.S. Rep. Eric Smalwell (D-Calif.) as a vector to spread COVID-19 by sending a spy to get close to him.
Geopolitical-General Health-Covid

False: The Chinese Communist Party planned on using U.S. Rep. Eric Smalwell (D-Calif.) as a vector to spread COVID-19 by sending a spy to get close to him.
Misleading: Protesting farmers insulted the national flag during several agitations.
Events-Activism Politics-General

Misleading: Protesting farmers insulted the national flag during several agitations.
False: There’s no requirement to verify signatures, identities or even determine whether a person is eligible or ineligible to vote.
Politics-Elections Politics-Policy

False: There’s no requirement to verify signatures, identities or even determine whether a person is eligible or ineligible to vote.
Partly_True: Under the TMC, over 150 BJP workers have been murdered, and 11 innocent Gorkhas were shot dead by the TMC police.
Events-General Politics-General

Partly_True: Under the TMC, over 150 BJP workers have been murdered, and 11 innocent Gorkhas were shot dead by the TMC police.
Misleading: Mamata Banerjee has barred the implementation of PM-Kisan scheme for farmers.
Politics-General Politics-Policy

Misleading: Mamata Banerjee has barred the implementation of PM-Kisan scheme for farmers.
True: Biden-Harris administration won't increase taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year.
Economics-General Politics-General Politics-Policy

True: Biden-Harris administration won't increase taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year.
False: Trump: Mail-in ballots are one-sided and an advantage to Democrats.
Politics-Elections Politics-Policy

False: Trump: Mail-in ballots are one-sided and an advantage to Democrats.
False: The ballot dumps in MI and WI were entirely fraudulently favoring Biden.
Politics-Elections Politics-People

False: The ballot dumps in MI and WI were entirely fraudulently favoring Biden.
False: Republicans were prevented from observing vote counting.

False: Republicans were prevented from observing vote counting.
False: Trump said, that the deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics.
Health-Covid Health-Vaccines Politics-People

False: Trump said, that the deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics.
Misleading: Anti-Trump group plans to cause 'serious disruption' if Trump wins election.
Events-Activism Politics-Elections Politics-People

Misleading: Anti-Trump group plans to cause 'serious disruption' if Trump wins election.
Partly_True: Bills Joe Biden supported in the eighties and nineties led to mass incarceration of tens of thousands of young black men who had small amounts of drugs in their possession.
Politics-General

Partly_True: Bills Joe Biden supported in the eighties and nineties led to mass incarceration of tens of thousands of young black men who had small amounts of drugs in their possession.
Misleading: Our NATO partners were far behind in their defense payments. But at my strong urging, they agreed to pay $130 billion more a year.
Geopolitical-General Politics-General Politics-Elections

Misleading: Our NATO partners were far behind in their defense payments. But at my strong urging, they agreed to pay $130 billion more a year.
True: The expectation is we will have another 200,000 Americans dead between now and the end of the year.
Conspiracies-General Health-Covid

True: The expectation is we will have another 200,000 Americans dead between now and the end of the year.
Misleading: We now have the strongest borders we've ever had, with over 400 miles of a brand new wall.
Politics-General

Misleading: We now have the strongest borders we've ever had, with over 400 miles of a brand new wall.
Partly_True: Biden: By investing billions to bring down cost per BTU of wind and solar through the Recovery Act, it became cheaper than coal and oil.
Economics-General Politics-Policy

Partly_True: Biden: By investing billions to bring down cost per BTU of wind and solar through the Recovery Act, it became cheaper than coal and oil.
True: U.S. allies respect Xi Jinping over Donald Trump, according to Pew Research Center.
Geopolitical-General Politics-General

True: U.S. allies respect Xi Jinping over Donald Trump, according to Pew Research Center.
Partly_True: Biden: One in five minority businesses closed due to COVID-19
Economics-General Health-Covid

Partly_True: Biden: One in five minority businesses closed due to COVID-19
True: Biden: 91 out of the Fortune 500 companies are not paying a single penny in corporate taxes.
Economics-Business Politics-General

True: Biden: 91 out of the Fortune 500 companies are not paying a single penny in corporate taxes.
Misleading: The US was
Health-Covid Politics-General

Misleading: The US was "expected to lose 2,200,000 people and maybe more than that" from the coronavirus.
False: Trump: Unsolicited ballots are being given out by the millions, and thousands of them are dumped in dumpsters.
Politics-Elections

False: Trump: Unsolicited ballots are being given out by the millions, and thousands of them are dumped in dumpsters.
Partly_True: The president signed the Outdoors Act, the largest investment in our public lands, public parks in a hundred years.
Economics-General Politics-General

Partly_True: The president signed the Outdoors Act, the largest investment in our public lands, public parks in a hundred years.
True: Joe Biden used a tax loophole that the Obama administration tried and failed to close, substantially lowering his tax bill.
Economics-General Politics-General

True: Joe Biden used a tax loophole that the Obama administration tried and failed to close, substantially lowering his tax bill.
Misleading: Trump: Biden backed the horrendous South Korea trade deal, which took many jobs from our country.
Economics-General Geopolitical-Policy Politics-Elections

Misleading: Trump: Biden backed the horrendous South Korea trade deal, which took many jobs from our country.
Partly_True: My economic plan will create 7 million more jobs than his in four years.
Economics-General Politics-General

Partly_True: My economic plan will create 7 million more jobs than his in four years.
Partly_True: Biden: In our administration, there were 38,000 fewer federal prisoners than there were when we started.
Politics-General

Partly_True: Biden: In our administration, there were 38,000 fewer federal prisoners than there were when we started.
False: Biden: After Trump removed BLM protestors to walk across to a church, he held a Bible upside down, and then went back to a bunker in the White House.
Politics-Elections Politics-People

False: Biden: After Trump removed BLM protestors to walk across to a church, he held a Bible upside down, and then went back to a bunker in the White House.
Partly_True: Biden: Trump’s tax cuts were a $1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent and the biggest, most profitable corporations, some of which pay no tax at all.
Politics-General Politics-Elections Politics-People

Partly_True: Biden: Trump’s tax cuts were a $1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent and the biggest, most profitable corporations, some of which pay no tax at all.
True: Biden: Assault on Affordable Care Act will continue until its destroyed, taking insurance away from more than 20 million people.
Politics-General Politics-Elections Politics-Policy

True: Biden: Assault on Affordable Care Act will continue until its destroyed, taking insurance away from more than 20 million people.
False: Trump: Prior to COVID-19, there was probably the highest point for the black community in terms of home ownership
Human Rights-Race Politics-General Politics-People

False: Trump: Prior to COVID-19, there was probably the highest point for the black community in terms of home ownership
Partly_True: Trump: African Americans in this country, black communities, are 81 percent in favor of having more police
Human Rights-Race Politics-General

Partly_True: Trump: African Americans in this country, black communities, are 81 percent in favor of having more police
False: Trump: We have spent nearly $2.5 trillion on completely rebuilding our military, this includes three separate pay raises for our great warriors.
Politics-Policy

False: Trump: We have spent nearly $2.5 trillion on completely rebuilding our military, this includes three separate pay raises for our great warriors.
False: Trump: Passed Veterans Affairs Accountability Act and VA Choice Program, we got 91 percent approval by our veterans.
Health-General Politics-General

False: Trump: Passed Veterans Affairs Accountability Act and VA Choice Program, we got 91 percent approval by our veterans.
Misleading: Trump has built 300 miles of border wall, and is adding 10 new miles every single week.

Misleading: Trump has built 300 miles of border wall, and is adding 10 new miles every single week.
Partly_True: Trans-Pacific Partnerships killed jobs
Economics-General Politics-Policy

Partly_True: Trans-Pacific Partnerships killed jobs
Misleading: Auto companies are building their plants in America, not firing employees or deserting the U. S. for other countries.
Economics-General Politics-General

Misleading: Auto companies are building their plants in America, not firing employees or deserting the U. S. for other countries.
False: Trump signed the largest increase in national defense since the days of Ronald Reagan.
Geopolitical-Conflict Politics-General

False: Trump signed the largest increase in national defense since the days of Ronald Reagan.
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Latest Articles by Ilma Hasan

Falsehoods and anti-Muslim rhetoric gain credence in BJP leaders’ poll speeches
Politics-Elections

Falsehoods and anti-Muslim rhetoric gain credence in BJP leaders’ poll speeches

How the disclosure of political funding via electoral bonds aided misinformation
Politics-Elections

How the disclosure of political funding via electoral bonds aided misinformation
Oversight Board member calls for Meta to tackle coordinated campaigns, strengthen election policies: Report
Tech-Social-Media

Oversight Board member calls for Meta to tackle coordinated campaigns, strengthen election policies: Report
Maldives' ruling coalition spread anti-India sentiments during 2023 polls: EU report

Maldives’ ruling coalition spread anti-India sentiments during 2023 polls: EU report
Hawaii fire: X becomes a breeding ground for conspiracy theories
Conspiracies-General

Hawaii fire: X becomes a breeding ground for conspiracy theories

Latest Analysis by Ilma Hasan

Weight loss the ‘herbal way’: How harmful supplements flood online marketplaces
Health-General Health-Pharma

Weight loss the ‘herbal way’: How harmful supplements flood online marketplaces
Deepfake menace: Emerging threat and the existing Indian legislation

Deepfake menace: Emerging threat and the existing Indian legislation
Israel-Gaza conflict: How airing unverified ‘news’ is aiding disinformation
Geopolitical-Conflict

Israel-Gaza conflict: How airing unverified ‘news’ is aiding disinformation
Hamas-Israel war: Unverified claims and Islamophobia breed on X in India
Geopolitical-Conflict

Hamas-Israel war: Unverified claims and Islamophobia breed on X in India
Haryana violence: Online provocation hinted at potential communal clashes
Events-General

Haryana violence: Online provocation hinted at potential communal clashes
‘Train jihad’: Another jihad narrative co-opted after the Odisha train tragedy
Conspiracies-General

‘Train jihad’: Another jihad narrative co-opted after the Odisha train tragedy
How misleading narratives stoked Ram Navami violence & created communal chaos in India
Events-General Politics-General

How misleading narratives stoked Ram Navami violence & created communal chaos in India
How Ukrainian Fact-Checkers Have Dealt With Russian Disinformation
Geopolitical-Conflict

‘We couldn’t stop’: Fighting Russian disinformation from a war zone
Double Check: Are India's Election Commissioners Being Appointed Unconstitutionally?
Politics-Elections

Are India's election commissioners being appointed unconstitutionally?
Double Check: Is it Illegal to Perform Namaz in Public Places in India?
Human Rights-Religion Politics-General

Double Check: Is it illegal to offer namaz in public in India?
Double Check: Did Fake News Cause Protests At Chandigarh University?
Conspiracies-General Human Rights-Gender

Double Check: Did 'fake news' cause protests at Chandigarh University?
Russian Invasion of Ukraine Fuels Influence Ops on Indian Social Media
Geopolitical-Conflict Media-General

Russian invasion of Ukraine fuels influence operations on Indian social media
Voter Fraud to Burqa Jihad: Hijab Row Becomes U.P. Election Propaganda
Human Rights-General Politics-Elections

Voter fraud to burqa jihad: Hijab row becomes Uttar Pradesh election propaganda
Are Mass Christian Conversions in India's Punjab Fact or Fiction?
Human Rights-General Politics-Elections

Are the mass Christian conversions in Punjab fact or fiction?
Double Check: Is Pakistan Responsible for Pollution in Uttar Pradesh?
Climate-General Politics-General

Double Check: Is Pakistan responsible for pollution in Uttar Pradesh?
Astroturfed Campaigns in the U.S. and India Are Rewriting History
Human Rights-General Politics-General

Astroturfed campaigns in the U.S. and India are rewriting history
Double Check: Is Betting Legal in India
Politics-Policy

Double Check: Is betting legal in India?
Gems of Bollywood: The Crown Jewel of Bollywood Disinformation
Media-Entertainment Politics-General

Gems of Bollywood: The crown jewel of Bollywood disinformation
Stop the Steal, West Bengal Style
Conspiracies-General Politics-Elections

Stop the steal, West Bengal style: Disinfo narratives around political violence
Double Check: Why are Marginalized Users Most Affected by
Human Rights-General Tech-Social-Media

Double Check: Why are marginalized users most affected by 'technical glitches'?
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Global Fact-Checks Completed

We rely on information to make meaningful decisions that affect our lives, but the nature of the internet means that misinformation reaches more people faster than ever before