United Kingdom

Did UK police attempt to seize a child's phone for viewing a social media post? No, that's not true: In the recording shared as "proof" of the claim, police were heard saying the reason for their visit was different. In a statement released in response to social media posts, police said that their visit to the home of a suspect,…

Did Metallica vocalist James Hetfield commit to pay for the education of Kirk's children, as multiple social media posts said? No, that's not true: There were no news reports or public statements backing up any of that. Hetfield has made no such announcement, nor have other celebrities whom social media engagement campaigns falsely claim are making the same "commitment." The…

Did a real photo show Donald Trump slurping up a plate of spaghetti while King Charles III made a speech at a state banquet? No, that's not true: The picture of Trump with a mouthful of spaghetti has been digitally edited. At no time during the King's speech was Trump eating, and videos of the table show that there was…

Did a graphic including a short-haired person, labeled "Your body during pregnancy" appear in an official King's College Hospital NHS poster in the UK, as social media posts claim? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust told Lead Stories the poster was not produced by the trust nor displayed at its hospitals. The…

Is there an authentic photo showing the White House lawn partially covered by a large banner that features the images of President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein? No, that's not true: The banner is real and was displayed on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle on September 15, 2025, but not on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C. A…

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…

Do images described as tree stumps provide proof that there were once giant ancient trees which were felled by angels? No, that's not true: The photos show natural geological features around the world which came to be through several geological processes over millions of years. Volcanoes erupting, erosion of different materials at different speeds, and the lifting and folding of…

Did the UK government begin enforcing a daily bank withdrawal limit of £3,000 on individual accounts on September 1, 2025? No, that's not true: No such policy has been announced by either of the UK's banking and banker regulatory authorities. No such law, let alone regulation, has been adopted by Parliament and no credible news organization has reported such a…

Did a mural painted by Banksy on a wall at London's Royal Courts of Justice depict a judge striking a protester lying on the ground and holding an English flag? No, that's not true: The original Banksy wall art featured a protester holding a white placard that appeared to be splashed with blood. The version spreading on social media showing…

Did one of the King's Guard in Whitehall, London lash out and punch a disrespectful tourist who was pestering him? No, that's not true: This video is not real. The original video posted on TikTok has a disclaimer included in the caption which identifies this as an "AI edit". A duplicate copy of the video (archived here) was published on…

Is an image of British Union Jack flags crowding the Mall in London during a popular uprising of patriots in late August, 2025, authentic? No, that's not true: The image shared widely across social platforms is an odd digital representation of the Mall, which runs a half mile from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square. This image shows the Arc de…

Did the UK enact mandatory ID checks at supermarket entrances before people can shop for "basic essentials like bread or milk", starting September 12, 2025? No, that's not true: A UK government spokesperson told Lead Stories that the rumor is "completely false". No credible media organizations reported what social media posts labeled "breaking news". The claim appeared in a video…

Does a viral image authentically show several European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen sitting on chairs in a White House corridor? No, that's not true: The image did not appear on any news sites. It contained glitches and discrepancies typical of AI generated images and at least one detection tool found signs of deepfake content. One…

Will the earth experience "colder weather than ever before" during the "aphelion phenomenon" in August, 2025, as its elliptical orbit takes it to its most distant-from-the-Sun position of the year, as multiple social media posts claim? No, that's not true: Earth's distance from the Sun changes daily and at aphelion, the Earth's distance from the Sun is only about 3%…

Has the Home Office, the Prime Minister or Parliament announced that starting September 1, 2025, UK banks will automatically flag to 'The Anti-Fraud Unit" any cash withdrawals in excess of 420 pounds, as social media posts claim? No, that's not true: No such program is part of the record of official proceedings. Neither have UK government leaders announced such a…

Essex police have rebutted an X post that claims they called migrant protesters fascists. The video making the rounds on X shows a protest crowd walking with police in Epping, Essex, UK. The man filming says he heard the officer telling police to look out for "fascists", and shared his video on X. Later that day, Essex Police disputed his…

Did the most recent, July 2025 version of the 2023 U.K. Online Safety Act prohibit "all criticism" of unauthorized immigration on social media? No, that's not true: According to the full text of the law, what is considered an offense is assisting illegal immigration and human trafficking. Social media posts offering people smuggling services would be against the law, not…

Did a widely-shared video show people cheering for U.S. President Donald Trump in Scotland in July 2025? No, that's not true: The clip predated the visit by nine years. In reality, the footage showed concert goers. The claim appeared in a video (archived here and here) published on TikTok on July 26, 2025, under the caption: Scottish crowds give Trump…

Is the viral video of Ozzy Osbourne saying "This was my final performance" an authentic recording of the late rocker? No, that's not true: It's an AI concoction. AI detection software found evidence that faces were manufactured for the video. The voice-over does not match statements issued by Osbourne, nor any fact-based reporting of his comments about his final concert…

Was a viral video clip a real prediction from a 1998 episode of The Simpsons that predicted Ozzy Osbourne's death? No, that's not true: The video only appeared online after Osbourne passed away and appears to be AI generated. Osbourne did make a cameo on the show in 2020. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) uploaded to TikTok…