Did a Facebook user prove that diesel-powered generators for electric vehicles are wildly inefficient? No, that's not true: An expert engineer said their math is wrong, plus, because generators run at a constant speed, and car engines do not, the generator is always going to be more energy efficient. The claim originated in a Facebook post (archived here) published on…

Is "Safe Place," a safety outreach for youth in crisis, provided by QuikTrip, a chain of convenience stores and gas stations that can be found in 12 states? Yes, QuikTrip is a national partner in the National Safe Place Network (NSPN), but QuikTrip locations are not the only places where youth in crisis can seek help. Thousands of well-intentioned people…

Is the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine composed of 99.99% graphene oxide, does it have the effect of making vaccinated people magnetic and was this ingredient added to the vaccine to murder people? No, none of these claims are true: Host Stew Peters and Jane Ruby, frequent guest to his online show, have extrapolated from their distortion of a report by a…

Was the initial collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021, triggered by explosives that were planted to take the building down? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that a portion of the building initially collapsed due to explosives that were meant to destroy data collected by John McAfee, the founder of the security…

Does a "research letter" published by JAMA Pediatrics prove that face masks are dangerous for children? No, that's not true: The medical journal that published the lab report on July 16, 2021 announced editors have retracted it, after peer scientists pointed out the measuring device was unsuitable, the data dubious and therefore the conclusions unwarranted. Despite being published in a…

Will a Mormon athlete named Rebecca Washington replace U.S. runner Sha'Carri Richardson on the U.S. Olympic team? No, that's not true: This claim comes from a post made by a parody Twitter account; the runner replacing Richardson is not named Rebecca Washington. The claim appeared in the screenshot of a tweet on an Instagram post (archived here) on July 5,…

Did Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida suggest that people associated with the January 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol should be pardoned? No, that's not true: The tweet saying this did not come from his actual Twitter account, and the fake account has since been suspended. The claim appeared in an Instagram post (archived here) published on July 6,…

Was a massive root system discovered under Devils Tower, a geological formation designated as a national monument in Wyoming? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for Wyoming State Parks confirmed that the claim originated from a satirical social media post. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published on July 6, 2021. The post featured a picture of…

Have scientists confirmed that most of those vaccinated against COVID-19 will die soon? No, that's not true: There's no evidence the vaccines will cause widespread deaths. In fact, scientists almost universally agree that the shots will do the opposite -- that they will help prevent deaths that otherwise would have been caused by the virus. The claim appeared in a…

Did this "Median U.S. Household Income" chart for 2019 show the estimated amounts earned by race and ethnic group, and was the data in this chart recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau? Yes, but it's lacking context. The chart is from the government, which separately tracks individual ethnic groups by household income, but the numbers are based on unofficial estimates…

Did George W. Bush admit that explosives were used in 9/11? No, that's not true: The claim relies on footage from a 2006 press conference. The video was edited and his comments were misconstrued. Bush was talking about explosives in the context of other plots and planned attacks, not the 9/11 attacks. The claim appeared in an article (archived here)…

Did Shelby Houlihan, an American runner poised to run in the Tokyo Olympics, receive a less harsh punishment than Sha'Carri Richardson, another potential American Olympic runner, when Olympic officials found out they both had banned substances in their bodies? No, that's not true: Houlihan got suspended for four years, while Richardson's suspension is for a month. The claim appeared in…

Did the U.S. Women's National Soccer team turn their back on a WWII vet playing the national anthem on his harmonica? No, that's not true: Most of the players on the team had turned to face the American flag, a tradition during the national anthem, while a few faced forward as the song was played. None of them turned their…

Does the U.S. Constitution only grant men and women the right to vote? No, that's not true: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution says, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." That protects the voting rights of citizens of…

Was rapper Lil Baby found dead in a parked car outside his home? No, that's not true: The website that published the claim says it is a "Prank website that is intended for Fun" at the bottom of every page. Users can use the site, and others like it, to prank their friends and family with realistic-looking online news stories.…

Are the claims made in smartDOT advertising all verifiable? No, that's not true: Claims in smartDOT advertising have not been proven by scientific studies, and promotional references citing features in well-known publications appear to be fabricated. The claims are twofold: the assertion that electric and magnetic fields (EMF) radiation from electronic devices can cause physical symptoms like headaches and anxiety,…

Was Adam Schiff convicted of treason? No, that's not true: There's no evidence the Democratic congressman from California was convicted. The claim was published by a website known for publishing false allegations and that previously reported that Schiff had been arrested. A spokesperson for the congressman told Lead Stories the claim wasn't true, and Schiff has done interviews and been…

Did U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps get a lighter penalty than U.S. runner Sha'Carri Richardson for smoking marijuana? No, that's not true: Phelps was suspended from competition for three months, while Richardson was suspended for one month. The timing of the suspensions, however, made the impact of the suspensions seem harsher for Richardson. Phelps' suspension came six months after he…

Does a video show a "Karen"-like woman stealing mail? No, that's not true: The video is a skit made by the person behind a well-known TikTok account. The claim appeared as an Instagram video (archived here) on July 1, 2021. It opened: this lady keeps stealing my mail Social media users saw this: (Source: Instagram screenshot taken on Fri Jul…

Are COVID-19 deaths a major cause of staff shortages in the United States? No, that's not true: Although economists can debate the relative importance of different factors contributing to the staff shortage -- and even whether there is a widespread shortage -- it's generally agreed that the deaths caused by COVID-19 are not playing a major role. Nearly 80% of…