Does an abstract digital image from 2021 contain a hidden image showing the famous raised fist photo from the 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa.? No, that's not true: The digital image was presented in 2026 with a transparent overlay so that both images were intermingled. It does not contain a hidden image of the 2024…
Does a viral video show high-resolution "unedited raw security footage" of the suspected shooter running through a checkpoint at the 2026 White House Correspondents' dinner? No, that's not true: The video was enhanced with AI, and, in the process, the technology altered the details. The clip showed glitches typical of AI-generated content, and the account that first published it confirmed…
Does a viral social media post show a real passport for someone from India named "Priyanka Rao" who is supposedly the wife of Cole Tomas Allen? No, that's not true: There have been no news reports mentioning that name in connection with the man who was accused of being the shooter at the 2026 White House Correspondents Dinner. The passport…
Does a real video show how a blue whale calf can catch its mother's milk as it flows freely in a stream through the ocean water? No, that's not true: This video is fake. The Hive Moderation tool determined with 99.9% confidence that the video was AI-generated. Real footage of whales nursing does not show a high-velocity stream of milk…
Did Al Jazeera broadcast a report stating that NATO countries shared intel with Iran on U.S. military movements? No, that's not true: Lead Stories did not find evidence of such a report. The video claiming to be the Al Jazeera report contained an AI-generated voice-over. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on X on April 22, 2026.…
Is a video real that shows a squirrel spinning on top of a Waymo car? No, that's not true: The clip is a digital creation, not authentic footage. It includes a faint AI watermark in the upper-left corner and visual glitches in the background, both of which are common indicators of synthetic media. Also, an AI detection tool stated that…
Is a viral video showing President Donald Trump falling asleep during a press event at the White House real and did he actually hit his head on his desk? No, that's not true: The video and screenshots of it shared by social media users originated from a self-described meme account. The clip was digitally altered, likely using AI. The claim…
Does a viral video show real footage of a bear fighting a tiger over a moose carcass? No, that's not true: The video contained multiple signs strongly pointing to AI. Three online detectors placed the probability of the clip being a product of generative AI between 97% and 99.9%. The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) published…
Does a video show real footage of a horse protecting its owner from a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Japan? No, that's not true: The video shows signs of being AI-generated. Additionally, Lead Stories could not find any reports related to such an event outside of social media posts. The claim appeared in a post made on Bluesky by the account…
Do real photos show an Israel Defense Forces soldier repairing and revering the same crucifixion statue he vandalized? No, that's not true: Two images -- one showing a soldier washing the statue and another showing a soldier kneeling at the base of the cross -- are AI-generated. The photos were identified by Google Gemini as having a SynthID watermark. The…
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.
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