Claims: screenshot showing An article published by The Guardian on May 11, in which columnist George Monbiot said he Infected with COVID-19 23 times despite “dozens of boosters”.
Associated Press assessment: Changing the image. Edited screenshot of real column to add fake title. The headline did not appear on the Guardian’s website, and the British outlet confirmed to The Associated Press that it never published the article.
Fact: Social media users are sharing the alleged screenshot, suggesting it shows the real column.“I have been infected with the new crown virus for the 23rd time, although I have had dozens of boosters (I have lost count). Thank God for the vaccine,” read the caption on the image, which is displayed as the Guardian website Screenshot from the May 11 column. The supposed column is attributed to Monbiot.
A Thursday tweet sharing the image, complete with a clown emoji, garnered more than 3,700 likes.
But there is no record of the headline on the Guardian website Monbiot’s author page. As of Thursday, his most recent column was published On May 3, focus on water pollution.
The Guardian further confirmed that the screenshots circulating online are nonsense.“We can confirm that the link shared was never a Guardian headline or story,” the publication’s press office told The Associated Press in an emailed statement.
Monbiot also pointed out the lies on Twitter.
“Another person who fell in love with this fake title,” he wrote, showing an example of someone sharing a fake image. “Is there anything such a person can’t believe?”
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