Original photo by Firn/ iStock
April Fools’ Day is a time when dubious pranksters run rampant, so it’s wise to be a little more skeptical of everything you see and hear on April 1. But when the clock strikes midnight and the calendar flips over to April 2, we celebrate the polar opposite of trickery and deception: International Fact-Checking Day. This global initiative is spearheaded by the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) — a community established in 2015 to fight misinformation and promote factual integrity. IFCN works with more than 170 fact-checking organizations to encourage truth-based public discourse, debunk myths, and ensure journalistic accountability.
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It's a factOn April 1, 1996, Taco Bell pulled off a legendary April Fools’ prank, claiming it had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” Full-page ads ran in seven major newspapers, leading to hundreds of Americans calling the National Park Service to express outrage.
The organization held the first official International Fact-Checking Day in 2016 as part of an effort to highlight the importance of fact-checkers’ role in a well-informed society. The occasion has been celebrated on April 2 every year since, standing in stark contrast to the prior day’s foolishness. Celebrants may choose to honor the holiday however they please, be it by promoting trusted sources on social media or by taking advantage of the events and information produced by IFCN. In past years, the organization has held a public webinar to discuss the “State of the Fact-Checkers” report, and published lists of relevant essays written by fact-checkers around the world. Be sure to capitalize on this opportunity to get your facts straight, as April 4 ushers in yet another day of duplicity: National Tell a Lie Day.
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A 1957 BBC April Fools’ broadcast pranked viewers into thinking ______ grows on trees.
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A 1957 BBC April Fools’ broadcast pranked viewers into thinking spaghetti grows on trees.
The Spanish-American War was fueled by “yellow journalism.”
In the late 19th century, the American press found itself in the grip of a phenomenon known as “yellow journalism” — a sensationalized form of reporting that prioritized eye-catching headlines ahead of the cold, hard facts. These unverified claims sometimes had serious consequences, most notably in the case of the Spanish-American War.
On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine battleship exploded and sank in Havana Harbor in Cuba (a country controlled by Spain at the time). Within days, major newspapers including William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World published accusations that Spain was responsible for the sinking, despite a lack of evidence. But the exaggerated headlines still swayed public opinion, fueling a desire to go to war.
Tensions escalated to the point that on April 20, the U.S. Congress issued an ultimatum for Spain to withdraw from Cuba, which Spain declined to do, opting to sever diplomatic ties with the U.S. instead. Spain declared war on the U.S. on April 23, with Congress following suit two days later.
Bennett Kleinman is a New York City-based staff writer for Optimism Media, and previously contributed to television programs such as "Late Show With David Letterman" and "Impractical Jokers." Bennett is also a devoted New York Yankees and New Jersey Devils fan, and thinks plain seltzer is the best drink ever invented.
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