May 24, 2026・Issue #123
Let’s talk about what’s going on with Snopes: the newsroom, the products, the people and everything and anything that makes Snopes, Snopes. Here‘s your exclusive behind-the-scenes look into what we do, available only for paying members of our fact-finding community:
1. Fact-checking highlight: hantavirus
Our fact checkers come to work ready to investigate whatever is on readers‘ minds, with a hint of skepticism and the highest degree of journalism ethics. From dangerous scientific falsehoods to celebrity conspiracy theories, the team scours niche corners of social media, conducts interviews, requests public records and more to set the record straight.
This month, reporter Rae Deng rounded up claims we’ve investigated about hantavirus since news broke of an outbreak on a cruise ship earlier this spring.
Almost immediately after the public learned of a hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship, rumors emerged about the family of viruses and the serious illnesses it can cause.
For example, we debunked a claim that hantavirus is a side effect of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and investigated whether 323 vials of pathogens, including hantavirus, went missing from an Australian lab in 2024.
Here are seven rumors we’ve examined related to hantavirus:
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2. Snopes-ing 101: Google Chrome AI model
We know our readers are interested in how the team goes about investigating claims and rumors spreading online. This month, reporter Jack Izzo gave a peek behind the curtain about how we fact-checked a claim Google Chrome silently installed a 4GB AI model on users’ devices — and how you can check for yourself.
Earlier this month, a computer scientist posted an article claiming Google Chrome was silently installing a 4-gigabyte artificial intelligence model on people's devices without their consent, and that the model would re-download if a user deleted its files.
To investigate the claim, we asked some of our staffers to dig through their computer’s files for the model stored in a file called “weights.bin,” which was inside a folder called “OptGuideOnDeviceModel” located in Google Chrome’s user data folder. Half of the employees who looked had the model installed on their system. (The model is never installed on mobile devices).
To check whether the file is present, go to chrome://on-device-internals within Chrome, enable the debugging tools to allow access the page, then click on the “Model Status” tab. If the “Foundational Model State” reads “No On-Device Feature Used,” the model is not on your computer:
We also figured out how to remove the model. Go to Chrome’s settings page, and switch off the “On-System AI” option, located within the “System” tab. According to Google, they added the toggle in February, though it may not be available for all users.
3. Overheard at Snopes
We look into a lot of weird stuff at Snopes. We imagine it's very interesting to be a fly on the wall, so we wanted to give you a look at some of the things we have to say when fact-checking.
Overheard: My dad the blanket eater
— Web Producer/Editor Megan Loe
We want to keep you in the loop on Snopes‘ growth, from hiring new employees to launching new tech features to partnering with other publishers to expand our fact-checking footprint. Here, Executive Editor Jessica Lee highlights a new strategy by Snopes' business department to generate revenue for the company: sponsored newsletters.
To ensure the independence and quality of our fact-checking, Snopes' leadership team is always on the lookout for new revenue streams that aren't linked to Google or social media sites. Recently, we're trying something new to help us stay financially afloat: newsletter sponsorship deals.
The promotions appear in our Debunker newsletter and give readers like you the chance to visit our site with fewer ads. We've done two so far, both of which promoted the 1440 newsletter, a daily email that aims to provide unbiased, factual summaries of the news.
Considering the success of our sponsored newsletters so far, we plan to do more. This strategy — in combination with the generous support of our members — will help Snopes grow its digital footprint and fight today's plethora of AI fakes, lies by politicians and other misinformation with the facts.
Mental health break
Snopes investigates some grim and depressing claims, so we know how important it is to your mental health to see something silly, funny, or just plain heartwarming. Here are some links that made us smile.
Sled dog cam - Denali National Park (National Park Service)
Kangaroo boxing flagpole - X account @ABC
Horse needs help passing gas - Reddit user u/NeuroticLensman
5. Snopes-worthy media
What Snopes is reading across the web.
Sports Illustrated Just Deleted Every Article by One of Its Writers After Accusation of AI Plagiarism
— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism
The Gaza journalist killed on the day his daughter was born
— Maram Humaid, Al Jazeera
Broadcasters must react to threat from ‘creator journalism’, says ex-head of BBC News
— Michael Savage, The Guardian
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