Fact check: Is AOC’s family collecting social security for a dead relative

1. Summary of the results

The claim about AOC's family collecting social security for a dead relative is definitively false. The story originated from a satirical website called "The Dunning-Kruger Times," which is part of a network of parody sites known as "America's Last Line of Defense" ^[1]. AOC's press secretary, Karla Santillan, has explicitly denied these allegations ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements were missing from the original query:

• The original article was clearly labeled as satire, with explicit disclaimers stating "Nothing on this page is real" ^[2]
• The story was published on the "Reagan Was Right" Facebook page, which includes an "S" for satire label ^[2]
• The article contained deliberately humorous and exaggerated elements that were not meant to be taken seriously ^[3]
• No credible news sources or the Social Security Administration have substantiated these claims ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

This case demonstrates several concerning aspects of modern misinformation:

• The story spread across multiple social media platforms despite being clearly labeled as satire ^[2]
• The source website is part of a network called "America's Last Line of Defense" that creates fake news clickbait ^[4]
• If such serious allegations were true, they would have been reported by multiple mainstream media outlets ^[1]

This type of misinformation typically benefits:

• Click-bait websites that generate revenue from engagement with controversial political content
• Political opponents who benefit from negative associations with AOC, even if proven false
• Social media platforms that benefit from increased engagement through controversial content sharing