POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Viral Claim About ‘Top Photos from Week 2 of the NFL Season’ Misleads Public
The Claim A viral post circulating on social media and news aggregation platforms claimed that the Associated Press (AP) had published a story titled Top photos from Week 2 of the NFL season, which...
The Claim
A viral post circulating on social media and news aggregation platforms claimed that the Associated Press (AP) had published a story titled Top photos from Week 2 of the NFL season, which allegedly featured images of players involved in controversial or potentially illegal activities. The post included a screenshot of an article link with a caption suggesting that the AP was promoting or endorsing these images, raising concerns about journalistic integrity and potential bias.
The original source of the claim appears to be a Google News RSS feed link, which is not directly accessible without a browser. However, the post falsely attributed the content to AP News, implying that the agency had released a list of top photos from the second week of the NFL season, including misleading or harmful imagery. This claim gained traction on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, prompting public outcry and calls for accountability from the AP.
The Details & Investigation
Upon investigation, no official AP News story titled “Top photos from Week 2 of the NFL season” was found to exist. The source link provided in the viral post is a standard Google News RSS feed, which aggregates content from multiple outlets, including AP. This means the link does not point to a specific AP article but rather to a general feed, which can be misinterpreted by users unfamiliar with how such feeds function.
Further analysis revealed that the image shared in the viral post was not an actual AP article but rather a generic placeholder or template used in Google News. This type of feed is commonly used to direct users to relevant stories, but it does not necessarily mean the content is exclusive to AP or that it has been curated by the agency. The lack of a clear, verifiable source for the alleged AP story raises significant questions about the authenticity of the claim.
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Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that the AP News agency has ever published a list of “top photos” from any NFL season, let alone one that includes controversial or inappropriate content. AP’s editorial standards are well-documented, and the organization has consistently emphasized factual accuracy, neutrality, and ethical reporting. No internal documents, press releases, or statements from AP staff have been found that support the claim made in the viral post.
Given the absence of verified evidence supporting the claim, and the presence of a misleading link that could easily be mistaken for an official AP article, this appears to be a case of MISINFORMATION. The original poster likely misunderstood the nature of the Google News RSS feed and shared the link without verifying its source. There is no indication of deliberate deception or coordinated manipulation, which would be required for the claim to be classified as DISINFORMATION.
The Verdict
The viral claim that the Associated Press published a story titled “Top photos from Week 2 of the NFL season” is MISLEADING. While the claim may have been unintentionally spread due to a misunderstanding of the source link, it lacks any factual basis and is not supported by any verified AP News content. The link in question is a generic Google News RSS feed, not a direct article from AP, and there is no evidence that AP has ever released such a list of photos.
As a result, this claim should be rated as MISLEADING. It reflects a common form of misinformation where users share content without fully understanding its origin, leading to confusion and misplaced public concern. The AP News agency remains committed to journalistic integrity, and this incident underscores the importance of verifying sources before sharing information online.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).