Skip to main content
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Jeanine Pirro
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate

Media Matters for America

  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives

Media Matters for America

  • Nav
  • Search
  • News & Analysis
  • Research & Studies
  • Audio & Video
  • Archives
  • Online media
  • Tariffs
  • Jeanine Pirro
  • Take Action
  • Search
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Biden TikTok

Molly Butler / Media Matters

Conspiracy theory claiming Biden wore a wire during the first debate is going viral on TikTok

Despite the platform's rules about misinformation, the content is gaining traction with over half a million views

Written by Olivia Little

Published 09/30/20 2:37 PM EDT

Updated 10/01/20 10:19 AM EDT

Update (10/1/20): TikTok removed the videos following Media Matters' reporting, but the relevant hashtags remain active.

A viral conspiracy theory claiming Democratic nominee Joe Biden wore a wire during the first presidential debate is spreading on TikTok despite the company’s policy that explicitly prohibits the spread of election misinformation. 

According to TikTok’s community guidelines, “content that misleads community members about elections or other civic processes” is explicitly prohibited on the app. But a demonstrably false conspiracy theory that accuses Biden of cheating during the debate by wearing a wire continues to proliferate on the platform. 

The two things conspiracy theorists are pointing to as evidence of a “wire” were actually a crease in Biden’s shirt and a rosary Biden wears around his wrist to honor his late son Beau Biden.

Videos promoting this viral conspiracy theory are rapidly spreading on TikTok -- four of the examples identified by Media Matters have a combined 557,600 views and counting.

biden wire

From a September 30, 2020, video from TikTok with the caption “Was Joe Biden wearing a wire during tonight’s #Debate ?”

biden wire

From a September 30, 2020, video from TikTok with the caption “Look closely. What is that?”

joe biden

From a September 30, 2020, video from TikTok

Joe Biden

From a September 30, 2020, video from TikTok 

The Latest

  1. Laura Ingraham says “the melting pot in America that was what legal immigration was all about, that is long gone”

    Video & Audio 06/20/25 7:58 PM EDT

  2. TV news barely covered Trump's Big Oil “quid pro quo” last year. Now that it's come to fruition, networks should give the scandal the attention it deserves.

    Article 06/20/25 4:52 PM EDT

  3. Laura Loomer on HHS Secretary RFK Jr.: “The only reason why Kennedy left the Democrat Party, as he said, and joined the Republican Party is because he extorted Donald Trump”

    Video & Audio 06/20/25 3:20 PM EDT

  4. Broadcast nightly news ignores Senate's proposed cuts to Medicaid

    Research/Study 06/20/25 3:16 PM EDT

  5. Trump ally Laura Loomer on Theo Von: “I don't know how you go from snorting coke to waking up one day and then being an expert” on the Middle East

    Video & Audio 06/20/25 2:58 PM EDT

Pagination

  • Current page 1
  • …
  • Next page ››

In This Article

  • TikTok

    TikTok
  • Joe Biden

    Joe Biden

Related

  1. Media Matters weekly newsletter, June 20

    Narrative/Timeline 06/20/25 10:47 AM EDT

  2. TikTok’s search engine algorithm promotes anti-abortion propaganda

    Article 06/17/25 10:47 AM EDT

  3. Media Matters weekly newsletter, May 23

    Narrative/Timeline 05/23/25 11:04 AM EDT

Media Matters for America

Sign up for email updates
  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Submissions
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS

© 2025 Media Matters for America

RSS