False Promotion

Does a real video show a fight between a moose and a polar bear in Alaska? No, that's not true: This video is AI-generated and shows several glitches and inconsistencies typical in AI-generated content. It originated from a YouTube channel specializing in AI-generated tutorials and content, and was labeled with the disclaimer, "Sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally…

Does a real photo show a puffer parka filled with beer that can be sipped via a straw in the Tsingtao-labelled jacket's collar? No, that's not true: A major U.S. distributor of the popular Chinese beer brand told Lead Stories they have seen no such promotional product. Reverse image search shows no other photos in the wild of such a…

Did a viral TikTok video show the actor Sydney Sweeney responding to backlash over her role in a controversial American Eagle ad campaign? No, that's not true: Sweeney posted the video in question more than four years earlier. At the time, she was responding to trending Twitter posts critical of her appearance. The American Eagle campaign was not launched until…

Do homeowners have "only six days left" to claim $52,000 in homeowner relief from a program President-elect Donald Trump initiated in January 2025? No, that's not true: A misleading video touts a nonexistent program to entice people to enter their personal information on a website. There is no record of a program as described, or of Trump saying, "Give our…

Does a video montage show how factories in India make artificial rice out of recycled plastic? No, that's not true: These videos are real, but what the factories are making has been misrepresented. Some video clips show plastic being recycled to make plastic pellets for use in other plastic products -- but not in food. Other video clips show the…

Will Facebook users be able to answer a survey and receive a pair of UGG boots for $10? No, that's not true: The senior PR manager for UGG told Lead Stories this was not true. The survey takes users to two websites, neither of whose URLs are affiliated with UGG or their parent company Deckers. On the first website, there…

Have Visa, Etsy, Adobe, Android, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Mastercard, McDonald's, CVS Pharmacy, Home Depot and Walmart all stopped posting on Twitter, now called X? No, that's not true: There is no indication that the accounts named in this list have, in a coordinated fashion, stopped posting on the social media platform. Some of the accounts have not been very…

Is the offer of a $750 Kroger gift card for answering a few questions after following a link on Facebook legitimate? No, that's not true: The link for the supposed offer does not go to the Kroger website. The terms and conditions for this supposed "gift card" require users to complete a certain number of so-called "deals," which usually require…

Did Elon Musk post a promo code to his crypto project on X, and was that post then used to make a Times Square billboard promotion in New York City? No, that's not true: This is a fabricated image promoting a crypto currency scam. There is no evidence that Musk made this post or that the crypto promotion ever appeared…

Is the offer of a $750 Shein gift card for answering a few questions after following a link on Facebook legitimate? No, that's not true: The fast-fashion retailer told Lead Stories that "this is not a legitimate offer." The terms and conditions for a gift card require more than just a questionnaire. Users must finish a certain number of "deals,…