Did activist and former swimmer Riley Gaines "make it to the Olympics"? No, that's not true: Her name was not on the 2024 U.S. national team roster. It doesn't appear on the official website of the Olympic Games, either. The claim appeared in an interview aired on Fox News and uploaded to YouTube on April 16, 2025. At the 1:25…
Did conservative TV personality Candace Owens turn down an offer to be a host on "The View" television show while being quoted saying, "I'm not saving their dying show"? No, that's not true: This claim originated from an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. The website has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is…
Is the NCAA transferring swimmer Lia Thomas' medals to Riley Gaines? No, that's not true: An NCAA spokesperson told Lead Stories that this claim is false. A site that originated the claim says its satirical articles are "not meant to be taken seriously." The claim appeared in a post on Facebook on December 3, 2023 (archived here). Above a side-by-side…
Did the Walt Disney Company lose 23 million subscribers after "trying to cancel Elon Musk"? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. The website has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim appeared in an article published by The Dunning-Kruger Times on November…
Did music artist Carrie Underwood cancel all remaining shows with music artist Garth Brooks, saying she "didn't enjoy the booing"? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. That website has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim appeared in an article published by…
Were swimmer Lia Thomas and the NCAA forced to pay swimmer Riley Gaines millions of dollars in a lawsuit? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. That website has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim appeared in an article published by conservativetears.com…
Did American swimmer Lia Thomas quit competitive swimming? No, that's not true: This claim is from a satirical website and has not been reported by legitimate news outlets. The website where this claim originated has a disclaimer that reads, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim appeared in an article published by conservativetears.com on September 27, 2023, titled "Lia…
Did former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines "beat" competitive swimmer Lia Thomas for the "last spot on the pro tour"? No, that's not true: This claim appeared in an article on a satirical website known for publishing fabricated content. The claim appeared in an article published by The Dunning-Kruger Times on August 29, 2023, titled "Riley Gaines Beats Lia Thomas For…
Did Riley Gaines settle a civil suit against Lia Thomas for $1.2 million? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. That website, The Dunning-Kruger Times, has a disclaimer that describes itself as part of a network of "parody, satire, and tomfoolery" and says, "Everything on this website is fiction." The claim…
Did the NCAA settle with American collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines for $1.2 million and guarantee her a spot for next year? No, that's not true: This story originated from a self-described satirical website aimed at trolling conservatives. No corporate statement or credible independent reporting supports the claim. The claim appeared in an article published by The Dunning-Kruger Times on May…
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!.
