Fact Check

Did Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Appear as Coronavirus 'Expert' on CNN Panel?

The Swedish teenager and climate activist joined a guest line-up that included Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.

by Bethania Palma, Published May 19, 2020


Image courtesy of Getty Images


Claim:
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared on a CNN "expert panel" in a program about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Rating:
Mixture

About this rating

What's True

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was interviewed on a CNN town hall program about the coronavirus pandemic.

What's False

She did not appear on the show to offer expertise on the virus. Rather, she discussed her work as an activist on such issues as children's welfare and climate change during a pandemic.


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Internet outrage ensued over a CNN advertisement for a town hall program about the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic, which aired on May 14, 2020. The outrage was focused on CNN's booking of 17-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, with criticism falsely characterizing her appearance as being that of an "expert panelist."

Adding to the confusion, a number of news publications ran with the same false narrative. "Greta Thunberg added to CNN’s expert coronavirus panel, Twitter erupts," read a New York Post headline. "Greta Thunberg Isn't a Coronavirus Expert," Reason.com reasoned.


By Bethania Palma

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who started her career as a daily newspaper reporter and has covered everything from crime to government to national politics. She has written for ... read more


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