Did Taylor Swift’s Sister Really Get $63K in Student Loan Forgiveness?

Claim:

Taylor Swift’s younger sister has received $63K in student loan forgiveness.

Rating:

Labeled Satire

On July 14, 2024, the Facebook page America’s Last Line of Defense claimed in a meme that pop star Taylor Swift’s younger sister received $63K in student loan forgiveness.

According to the post:

“They said it would only go to the needy. Could she not spare some pocket change? The system is rigged.”

Facebook users replied to the post, seemingly believing the claim was true. One commenter wrote, “I’m still waiting on my thank you notes from all these people that I paid their loans out of my social security check,” and another responded, “If she has dignity and pride she shouldn’t take the money.”

In the comments section of the Facebook post, the author linked to a story on the website Dunning Kruger Times titled “Student Loan Forgiveness is Bad for America.” However, that story did not mention Swift or report on her younger sister who allegedly received the student loan forgiveness.

This item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The Facebook account that posted the claim described its page as “Satire/Parody,” adding the following description:

“The flagship of the ALLOD network of trollery. Nothing on this page is real.”

Additionally, the Dunning Kruger Times website linked by the Facebook account described its output as humorous and satirical in nature. Its “About Us” section states:

“Dunning-Kruger-Times.com is a subsidiary of the ‘America’s Last Line of Defense’ network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery, or as Snopes called it before they lost the war on satire: Junk News.”

Furthermore, it’s important to note that while Swift has a younger brother named Austin, he is her only sibling — Swift does not have a sister. The photo accompanying the ALLOD Facebook post actually features Swift alongside Brittany Mahomes, wife of NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who plays for the Kansas City Chiefs with Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce.

Snopes addressed another satirical post by ALLOD on June 24, 2024. The page jokingly claimed Gary Sinise is working with fellow actor Chuck Norris to build an all-veteran, “non-woke” film crew.

Satirical posts like these from America’s Last Line of Defense are intended for humor but can easily be mistaken for real news. It serves as a reminder to critically evaluate the sources of our information and to check for disclaimers that may indicate satire or parody.

Satire and parody can play a role in social commentary, but it’s essential for readers to recognize these elements to avoid spreading misinformation.

Source: America’s Last Line of Defense, Dunning Kruger Times