FACT CHECK: Did CNN Interview ‘Experts’ Who Are Against Sex Offender Registries?

Anna Mock | Fact Check Reporter

A photo shared on Facebook allegedly shows a post from CNN host Jake Tapper promoting a CNN interview with “experts” who believe sex offender registries should come to an end. 

Verdict: False

The image stems from a parody account impersonating Tapper and does not represent CNN.

Fact Check: 

A 50-year-old ex-therapist arrested in Arizona has been accused of faking his own death to avoid registering as a sex offender, according to HuffPost. The man was convicted, but failed to register as a sex offender after moving to Arizona City in 2018.

The Facebook image purportedly shows a post from Tapper that reads

“Sex Offender Registries are causing those placed on them to develop anxiety,” the alleged post reads. “Tonight we talk with experts who say registering sex offenders is causing harm by shaming them, and believe the practice must end.”

It also shows an alleged CNN screenshot with the words “SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY” and a chyron that reads “SEX OFFENDER REGISTRIES CAUSE HARM.”

“All you need to know about CNN,” the caption reads. (RELATED: Did CNN Show This Chyron During Press Conference With Ilhan Omar?)

This is not a genuine post from Tapper, however. His genuine X account is named @jaketapper and has a blue checkmark. Conversely, the one seen in the screenshot is @JakeTappersCNN and has no blue checkmark. The account’s title, which was cut off in the screenshot, reads “Jake Tapper – CNN News and Politics Parody.” The Facebook post cut off the “parody” part of the title.

There are no matching search results for the segment on CNN’s website. No results for the report could be found through a Google search either. Reuters debunked this claim as well.

Check Your Fact reached out to a CNN spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Anna Mock

Fact Check Reporter

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