Snopes is at it again: Publishes a false "fact" check about the Titanic submersible to dunk on Musk

Snopes decided to use the missing dead occupants of the Titan submersible to totally not (wink-wink) blame the Elongated Muskrat for the tragedy.

On 20 June, they published an article asking "Was the Missing Titanic Submersible Using Satellites from Elon Musk’s Company?" and rating it "True". Wayback Machine has the record.

There's only one problem - Starlink satellite internet can't penetrate water.

They posted the article on twitter, and the Twittards let them have it, with tons of replies and then community notes.

https://twitter.com/_Faraz/status/1671527385479430144

We knew that years ago, matey.

https://twitter.com/FroTrades/status/1671528111089885185

The richest African-American himself soon piled on.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1671525792000425985

Snopes, had no choice to update the article to "False", with a misleading editor's note to obfuscate their frick-up.

Editor's Note: Since the original publication of this fact check on June 20, 2023, Snopes clarified its rating and text to make clear that — while OceanGate, the company overseeing the submersible's expedition, said it was using Starlink satellites for the trip — the submersible itself was not using the technology to communicate. How, or to what extent, the vessel's mothership was using Starlink to communicate remained unknown.

In a final addendum, The Daily Beast, proving yet again why jourmalists deserve everything they get in third-world countries, published an article to spread that misinformation and cover for Snopes.

Elon Musk used his favorite insult again on Wednesday, accusing the fact-checking site Snopes.com of running a “psy op” after it fact-checked links between the missing Titanic submersible and Musk’s Starlink satellite service.

The article from Snopes merely confirmed that OceanGate, the company behind the missing sub, relies on Starlink for communications on the vessel.