5 bizarre fake news stories that helped spread Islamophobia

Everyone online is talking about fake news these days. And Facebook and other social media platforms are >taking the heat for not taking stronger steps to combat the plethora of misinformation.

Many are pointing to the need for improved media literacy, so people won't click that tempting "share" button without a healthy dose of skepticism.

Whatever the solution, fake news is probably here to stay and so is the gullibility that allows it to persist. Unfortunately, this misinformation can be quite damaging and even fuel prejudice and hatred. And Muslims have definitely been caught in the cross hairs of fake news stories.

Here are 5 fake news stories debunked by Snopes that fueled Islamophobia. 

Recently, social media was abuzz with claims that Sweden had banned christmas lights on street poles to avoid angering Muslim refugees. 

Although the Swedish Transport Authority did ban municipalities from hanging christmas lights on street poles, it had nothing to do with Muslims or refugees. The reasoning? Simply, the law doesn't allow the Transport authority to use its electricity on Christmas lights with. The poles are also said to be unableto hold the extra weight.

But, right wing conspiracy theorists clearly saw this rather dull and uninteresting news item as the perfect opportunity to demonize Muslims. Some sites began to call it "A war on Christmas" and accused Muslims of leading the charge. 

Seriously, why?

Last summer, reports circulated saying that a group of Muslim young women had beaten up another young woman for wearing a bikini in a public park. 

This sparked a social media campaign, with young women posting photos of themselves sunbathing in bikinis with the slogan "I wear my bikini in the park" as a show of solidarity with the "victim." 

But, the story wasn't true and the social media campaign was for a non-existent cause. 

While some of the women in the incident did come from a Muslim background, the "attack" was actually a regular fight that led to the arrest of all parties involved. According to police, the fight "had nothing to do with Islam." 

It was a fight between "two rival girl gangs." 

So, did you hear how Barack Obama is a closet Muslim and redecorated the White House in conventional Islamic style? He even made sure to install a "Muslim prayer curtain" covered with "Arabic symbols."

What is a Muslim prayer curtain you ask? 

Well, that's a good question because nobody knows! 

No such thing exists and by the way, and for what it's worth, Barack Obama is actually a Christian. And sorry, but he didn't redecorate the White House in an Islamic style either. Maybe he should have? You know, just to mix things up.

A video claiming to show Muslim men auctioning off women in the streets of London started making the social media rounds in 2015. 

The video identified the event in question as "an Islamic auction in London." It's true: the footage was shot in London and did feature men that appeared to be auctioning off chained women in niqab. But it's not at all what it looks like. This was an anti-ISIS protest. 

The entirely staged auction was intended to raise awareness about the brutality of the extremist group and the human rights abuses it has perpetuated in Iraq and Syria. 

It was organized by Ari Murad, a Kurdish activist and journalist. Unfortunately, Murad's commendable effort got unwanted and inaccurate publicity. 

Perhaps people should have thought twice before sharing a video about an sex slavery market happening in plain view in the world's busiest city. 

Prior to the United States presidential election, news broke on social media that presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's top aide, Huma Abedin, is actually a "radical Muslim plant waiting to take over the country after Clinton is elected." 

As these things go, it was entirely untrue. Sorry again, conspiracy theorists! 

The fake story comes from an image doctored and shared on social media purporting to be text from a leaked email from Abedin to her brother. The fake email says: "You asked me once how I did it. How did I take the castle? Hassan, I didn't take it, they gave it to me."

Honestly, did people seriously need this one debunked before they knew it was false?