Drone

Did a widely-shared image provide an authentic record of Niagara Falls turning "blood red" in June 2025? No, that's not true: The image was first posted by a Facebook page that regularly posts fictional content and AI-generated images. A spokesperson for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation confirmed that the story and image were "not…

Does a viral image of a town's nighttime skyline under air attack show Iran's attacks on Tel Aviv during hostilities between the two countries? No, that's not true: Authentic coverage of the battle showed defensive weapons streaking upward and far fewer falling projectiles. Also, Tel Aviv's skyline is defined by more than 50 tall towers, while the image shows a…

Does a viral video show the "first Iranian drone" shot down in Israel in mid-June 2025? No, that's not true: The footage was recorded in Ukraine. It's impossible for it to have documented the Iran-Israel conflict, as it was first posted to the web three years earlier. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on June…

Does a viral image show three actual Russian TU-95 bombers and an unknown fourth plane damaged in a Ukrainian drone strike? No, that's not true: Some detection tools say the image shows strong evidence of being forged or synthesized using artificial intelligence. The image also contains tell-tale details that do not match with other photographs of such planes, including elements…

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 President Trump say that Ukraine must compensate Russia for the aircraft it destroyed in a June 1, 2025, drone attack on Russian air bases? No, that's not true: There is no record of President Trump posting these words on his social media accounts or saying them publicly. A Google search for the quote finds it only on social media…

Did a widely-shared clip show Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian airbases, in retaliation against a series of drone attacks on Russian warplanes in June 2025? No, that's not true: The footage was old, and dated to July 2024 at the latest. It appeared to show Russian missiles striking a children's hospital in Kyiv, not airbases. The claim appeared in a…

Does a viral video really show the destruction of "40 Russian strategic bombers" of type TU-95 destroyed by a "daring Ukrainian FPV-drone swarm raid"? No, that's not true: This particular viral social media footage originates from the video game ARMA3. It does not depict the actual drone strikes reported on by worldwide media on June 1, 2025. The video (archived…

Did CNN air a graphic of statistics from the India-Pakistan conflict that showed India suffered far larger losses than Pakistan and that U.S. President Trump helped "curb India's losses?" No, that's not true: A CNN spokesperson told Lead Stories the global news network did not air the graphic and that it was "fabricated." There are no official numbers of jets,…

Does a video of a circular object with sparks and smoke swirling under it as it falls to the ground show an Israeli drone sent by India being destroyed over Pakistan? No, that's not true: The video shows a firework known as a "Thai Girandola" misfiring during a launch in Thailand. The video is an edited version of the original…