Is it public knowledge that author J.K. Rowling has cancer? No, that's not true: There have been no official announcements or evidence-based reporting that Rowling has cancer. The viral rumor on social media appears to have started with a sarcastic joke made at the author's expense. An example of the baseless claim about Rowling's health can be seen in a…
Is this a real video of Presiden Trump saying the far right doesn't exist and that "the left" is "poking a sleeping bear with sticks" in remarks on Charlie Kirk's death? No, that's not true: The viral clip contained AI generated sound that doesn't match the original footage published by the White House and was published by an account the…
Did Chris Hayes publicly announce he is stepping down or pausing hosting his show "All In" due to his wife's health? No, that's not true: No credible news organizations reported that. Viral posts on social media tied the purported decision to the supposed cancer diagnosis of the TV host's spouse, allegedly also publicly discussed by the couple, but Lead Stories…
Did a "first population-wide peer-reviewed study" confirm that COVID-19 vaccines cause "turbo cancers"? No, that's not true: The study referred to its results as preliminary. The corresponding author told Lead Stories that more research is needed to confirm the findings about cancer among those vaccinated against COVID-19. The claim appeared in an article (archived here) published on The Gateway Pundit…
Is a video of cartoon character Cartman standing next to President Trump while criticizing him for things like stealing from a cancer charity and bankrupting casinos and wondering why someone would vote for "this bag of shit" real? No, that's not true: The video showing Cartman saying he doesn't "give a flying fuck" about Trump not taking a paycheck or…
Does a viral video really document Donald Trump pointing at minor girls as they walk by him and Ghislaine Maxwell? No, that's not true: A leading deepfake expert says the video used "motionizing" software, which is widely available, to turn authentic photos into video of something that did not happen. The original version of the cropped photo used to create…
Does a composite image shared on social media authentically show two elderly brothers in 2025, holding a single surviving photo of them and their mom, Gracie, taken in 1952? No, that's not true: The composite image contained multiple inconsistencies that are characteristic of AI generated content. Two online AI detectors confirmed that. The claim appeared in a post (archived here)…
On June 3, 2025 I was invited to make a statement during a public hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium organized by the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield. The hearing was titled "Enforcement of the EU Digital Rulebook and political advertising in the context of foreign interference: understanding Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and disinformation…
Did a viral video really show Pope Leo XIV publicly criticizing JD Vance for his reaction to former President Joe Biden's cancer announcement? No, that's not true: The clip used AI-generated sound to make it appear the Pope scolded Vance for attacking Biden with "cold, calculated words" and lacking "human compassion". No actual news websites reported that the Pope publicly…
Did Barron Trump post a tweet on X about DOGE auditing the National Cancer Institute because they hadn't found a cure yet after 88+ years of research? No, that's not true: A viral screenshot of such a post appears to have originated on a now deleted X account that did not belong to Barron Trump. According to media reports, Barron…
Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet.
Spotted something? Let us know!.
