Is a video real that shows a woman violently falling down stairs, seemingly pushed by something supernatural, after a cat passes by? No, that's not true: The video is clearly marked "made with AI." An online detection tool rated the video as 76% likely to be AI-generated. The claim appeared in an Aug. 17, 2026, video posted on X account…
Did the U.S. Census Bureau find that more than 24,000 noncitizens voted illegally in the 2020 election? No, that's not true: While President Donald Trump claimed that a Census Bureau analysis "proves" more than 24,000 noncitizens voted illegally, the report does not say that. It says that more than 24,000 of the voters the Census Bureau could analyze were matched…
Does a viral video show people trying to enter the Spanish city of Ceuta from Morocco in August 2026? No, that's not true: The video is older than that, showing an event that began in late July. It has been online since at least July 31, 2026. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) on X published…
Does a Ring video show Rep. Randy Fine, Florida's Sixth District congressman, looking through a mailbox while delivering a campaign flyer? Here's what we know so far: A Ring video dated Aug. 16, 2026, shows a bearded man wearing sunglasses and Randy Fine campaign garb, including a "Defend the Border" cap, standing on the porch of a home and holding…
Did Nick Shirley tell Joe Rogan he was going to investigate the "Clinton body bags" list? No, that's not true: The story originated from a network of Facebook pages with satire labels. Shirley, a conservative influencer, has never been a guest on "The Joe Rogan Experience." The claim appeared in an Aug. 16, 2026, post on X account @PetsRescues (archived…
Was a video showing a terrified woman pleading for help as she is tortured in a tank filling with water from the Epstein files or from the movie "The Cell"? No, that's not true: The video was a scene from a 2016 Egyptian TV show called "The Exit Series." The video clip went viral on social media in February 2026,…
Does a real story report that actor George Clooney expects to be exempt from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's "wealth tax"? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a Facebook page known for posting satirical content. The page carries the disclaimer, "We post only SATIRE stories. Nothing on this page is Real," and describes itself as a source…
Did the official White House X account post a map with the Strait of Hormuz circled, calling it a new U.S. territory? Yes, that's true: The White House did post a screenshot of a message posted by President Donald Trump of a map of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump originally posted the graphic, with a banner that read "NEW…
Recognizing false claims and fake videos shared on social media is a challenge for U.S. voters as the 2026 midterm elections approach. That is why Lead Stories and several other fact-checking organizations active in North America are joining forces in a first-of-its-kind collaboration: a joint newsletter sharing their best election-related work. It features an overview of fact check articles that…
Did Donald Trump refer to the servicemembers deployed at USS Lincoln as "suckers and losers"? No, that's not true: His account on Truth Social didn't show the purported post. Neither an archive of his posts nor credible media reports mentioned the entry in question. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on Facebook by a user named "Sharon…
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