Fact Check

Is owning a child sex slave legal in California, as a social media influencer wrote? No, that's not true: It is at least a misdemeanor in California to solicit prostitution from teens. In April of 2025, Democratic lawmakers blocked passage of a proposed amendment that would have made soliciting prostitution with trafficked minors a felony, but that did not remove…

Did U.S. President Donald Trump officially warn former President Barack Obama that he would face Hatch Act charges if he went to El Salvador? No, that's not true: The rumor originated from an online network with a satire label, known for publishing made-up stories. Potential violations of the Hatch Act are not criminally punishable. The claim appeared in a video…

Does a video depict a real-life scene showing a woman screaming at a man dressed in military fatigues and wearing a MAGA hat on a bus? No, that's not true: The video is part of a series of scripted skits, that follow the same scenario where a woman becomes visibly upset and starts loudly protesting when seeing a young man…

Did Chinese officials say that President Donald Trump had been calling them regularly in order to "beg for a trade deal", but they had been putting him on hold and playing speeches by former President Barack Obama? No, that's not true: That rumor originated with an account that posts "comedy and satire." The Halfway Post regularly publishes content that others…

Did a real TIME magazine cover depict Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney giving the finger, alongside the words "Hey, Donald"? No, that's not true: That design did not appear on a list of magazine covers from 2025. A Canadian-flag ring could be seen on Carney's raised middle finger in the fake artwork. The magazine cover was presented as real in…

Does a viral video on social media authentically document a passenger who threw a tantrum over not getting a seat in first class, wouldn't get off and had to be dragged from the plane? No, that's not true: The "passenger" is an actor who has appeared in multiple social media videos, playing a flight attendant, a passenger, a store clerk…

Do viral videos prove the existence of a creature named "Sleeping Rose Mantis" that transforms itself into a flower? No, that's not true: No databases of scientific literature reviewed by Lead Stories showed any mentions of such an insect. The videos were initially published by an account that mentioned generative AI tools in their descriptions. The claim appeared in a…

Does a viral video show "Pakistan F-16 jets" shot down by India in April 2025? No, that's not true: Social media posts recycled old footage from 2024. When it was initially uploaded online, the captions discussed a Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jet crash, not a military operation using American made F-16 jets. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on…

Does video labelled on social media as "...footage of the Indian Army's attack on Sialkot, Pakistan" authentically show a 2025 Indian Army assault on its neighbor? No, that's not true: It is misleadingly re-labelled Al Jazeera footage lifted from 2023 coverage of the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas. At the time of writing this, there had been no credible…

Did an April 2025 video show former First Lady Michelle Obama referring to herself "as a Black man"? No, that's not true: Obama was addressing Marlon Wayans, a Black man, and introduced her question to him with that preface. Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, interviewed Damon and Marlon Wayans on their podcast "IMO." The claim appeared in an April…

Did a man get decapitated on Space Mountain at Walt Disney World in April 2025? No, that's not true: A widely-shared video which recounted the story came from an account that describes itself as "the world's best satire and parody site." Mouse Trap News is a frequent source of fake, Disney-themed content. The story appeared in an April 28, 2025,…

Was a video of Superbowl MVP Jalen Hurts enjoying a concert with his wife Bry Burrows recorded while his Philadelphia Eagles teammates visited President Donald Trump at the White House in April 2025? No, that's not true: The clip was recorded in July 2024. Hurts was one of several players who did not attend the traditional White House visit. The…

Did Senator Lindey Graham post on X about President Trump being open to the possibility of becoming Pope? Yes, that's true: Even though there was doubt screenshots showing such a post were real, Graham did post it. The message included the slogan "Trump MMXXVIII" which stands for "Trump 2028" in Roman numerals. Graham's post on X (archived here, here and…

Did "The Simpsons" predict that April 29, 2025 will become "the day everything stops"? No, that's not true: The internet rumor originated from an account that posts "fictional stories". The video never used a direct video citation from the series. Lead Stories analysis of the visual sequence suggested it was created with generative AI. The claim appeared in a post…

Did a drilling operation in Yellowstone National Park unleash a 150-foot lava geyser in April of 2025, as a social media post claimed? No, that's not true: The "Casper Planet" page on which the story originated lists "Satire Street" as the Planet's address. The site prominently displays a disclaimer that includes this phrase: "Did we say this is satire? Well…

Did Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney write "Western society is morally rotten ... corrupted by capitalism" in "Values", his 2021 book? No, that's not true: a book reviewer characterized Carney's views that way in an opinion article published by The National Post. Then, a social media post incorrectly attributed to Carney phrases that were actually the reviewer's. The quotes have…

Did a video shared in April 2025 show a real argument in a restaurant, where a woman tried to take a MAGA hat off a man, and expressed her opposition to President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: The video was a sketch, and did not depict a real event. On TikTok, the original creators described themselves as "actors and…

Does a viral video depict a real-life scene showing a woman protesting against being seated next to a man in a MAGA hat on a plane? No, that's not true: The footage was initially uploaded on the internet by an account that publishes sketches. Those clips show the same actors in various roles. The claim appeared in a post (archived…

Did a widely-viewed video authentically show Pope Francis in a wheelchair with three hands? No, that's not true: that clip was fake and a digital fabrication. It recreated a real moment, shown in authentic video, in which Francis emerged on to the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica to give the Easter Sunday "urbi et orbi" blessing, one day before his…

Does a viral video authentically show a French teacher reacting to students bullying each other by kicking and punching them using Chinese martial arts? No, that's not true: The video was originally put out by Campus Univers Cascades, a French training center for stunt techniques. The video features trained professionals and was recorded and originally shared on social media for…