03.15.2023

#JimJordan
#RayEpps
#Jan6
#ConspiratorialThinking
#SheerAssertion

#JimJordan
#RayEpps
#Jan6
#ConspiratorialThinking
#SheerAssertion
03.15.2023
Baseless claim that Jan. 6 rioter ‘flipped’ against the FBI circulates on Twitter
A misspelled name, a purchased Twitter check mark, and a lack of supporting evidence are just a few of the red flags indicating that this claim about Ray Epps, an Arizona man who took part in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and who has been the target of conspiracy theories, is false. Let’s look at the facts.
Quick Look
- No
As of March 15, Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, who has claimed that whistleblowers contacted him about politicization within the Department of Justice, has not made any announcements that Epps is “flipping” and will testify against the FBI.
- Yes
Epps, a Trump supporter, has been the subject of a wide range of conspiratorial claims based on his role in the violence, including that he was a federal informant who helped start the riot.
The Takeaway
A social media post that strongly aligns with one’s political beliefs or desires — in this case, a message perpetuating the conspiratorial and untrue claim that the attack on the Capitol was organized by the government — can easily gain traction online as confirmation bias leads people to like and share the post. But a quick evaluation of these tweets often reveals red flags indicating these messages may not be worth engaging with.
For example:
- “BREAKING NEWS”: This term is often abused by purveyors of misinformation to give their claims an unearned air of importance.
- “JIM JORDON”: While typos happen, poor grammar and misspelled names may indicate a source is unreliable.
- NO SOURCE: This tweet does not contain any links or evidence to support its claim, an example of a sheer assertion.
- PURCHASED VERIFICATION: Clicking on this person’s profile revealed that their check mark was purchased through Twitter Blue, the platform’s subscription service. While this blue check mark once verified that a news organization or poster was credible, it’s now possible for bad actors to misuse it to make content feel verified. Approach accounts displaying the symbol with caution.
Also, even a brief search for “Ray Epps” and “Jim Jordan” would quickly debunk this claim and explain the history of conspiratorial theories surrounding Epps.
The 5 Factors
We’ve determined that this viral rumor is misleading or false based on its failure to pass the following credibility factors. Please note that these factors do not represent degrees of falsehood. A post that fails a single factor is generally just as false as a post that fails all five.
Snapshot
Source
Evidence
Reasoning
- Authenticity
- Context
Is it authentic?
N/A
Is the context accurate?
N/A
The Techniques
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News Lit Quiz: Should you share it?
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News Lit Quiz: Is it legit? Vetting news sources for credibility
The standards of quality journalism
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Tutorial: Lateral reading
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