Fact Check

Did Disney decide to remove Mickey Mouse as the official mascot in 2024 because the famous mouse's copyright is going to expire -- and will the purple dragon Figment take Mickey's place? No, that's not true: The claim, along with a digitally edited photo, originated on a satire website called mousetrapnews.com that specializes in fake stories about Disney parks. Clear…

Did the United States, Germany and other Western countries pull their ambassadors out of Turkey 24 hours before the February 6, 2023, earthquake that killed tens of thousands there? No, that's not true: Diplomatic representatives from the United States, Germany, Canada and the Netherlands confirmed to Lead Stories that their ambassadors were in Turkey at the time of the quake.…

Is flesh-eating rain coming down in Nebraska as a result of the toxic chemical spill from the February 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio? No, that's not true: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Lead Stories they have received no reports about flesh-eating rain in connection with the spill. A Nebraska climatologist told Lead Stories that, given…

During his February 20, 2023, trip to Ukraine, did President Joe Biden promise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "stake in the United States" as a reward for "staying the course"? No, that's not true: This claim was published by a site known for printing fake news stories. The claim was part of an article with other debunked claims, including one…

Does oil pulling -- gargling with oil -- serve as a remedy for root canal infections and cavities? No, that's not true: Numerous credible oral health organizations and medical professionals have stated that while there may be benefits to the ancient technique, the science behind what this method offers to remedy oral health issues has yet to be explored in…

Was the "REAL" Epstein list leaked on the dark web? No, that's not true: The article that made the claim in the headline offered no evidence and zero proof in the body of the story that a list belonging to convicted pedophile Jeffery Epstein was found on the dark web. A list on the dark web was not mentioned once…

Did members of the U.S. Marine Corps kill FBI agents at an electrical substation in Meridian, Idaho, on February 12, 2023, Super Bowl Sunday? No, that's not true: The claim was made by Real Raw News, an online publication that repeatedly publishes fake news stories. The claim originated in an article (archived here) published by Real Raw News on February…

Did the U.S. military arrest vaccine scientist Richard Tillyer for "accessory to mass murder and negligent homicide" in regards to the COVID-19 vaccine? No, that's not true: The U.S. military does not have the authority to arrest civilians outside of certain circumstances authorized by an act of Congress. The claim was made on Real Raw News, a website that publishes…

Does a collection of photos shared on social media show "another world" and remnants of a lost civilization or buried spacecraft under the ice of Antarctica? No, that's not true: These photos come from several sources. Some are presented with no context, while others are mislabeled or have been digitally edited to create science-fiction fantasy scenes. The collection of 11…

Did a research paper adequately demonstrate that vaccinated COVID-19 patients die at a higher rate than their unvaccinated counterparts? No, that's not true: The study in question has limitations that affect the quality of its conclusions. Furthermore, the study is published in a preprint journal and as of this writing has not been critiqued by scientific experts familiar with the…

Did the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shut down access to a website that showed a real map of "how far the deadly plume from East Palestine, OH had traveled by Feb. 8," as podcast host Stew Peters claimed? No, that's not true: As of February 17, 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hysplit Model website, which displays…

Did Walmart sell eggs for "illegal prices" and are $500 store credits being given to customers to "make it up"? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Walmart sold eggs at illegally high prices nor is there any evidence of consumers being able to get $500 in store credit from the world's largest retailer as compensation. The claim…

Did liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race? No, that's not true: In remarks to the Munich Security Conference in February 2023, Soros said DeSantis is "likely to be a Republican candidate," but he didn't say he was endorsing the Sunshine State's governor or wanted him to run.…

Did KFC tweet for Black History Month a photo of a chicken drumstick in front of a drumstick shadow that looks like a raised fist? No, that's not true: KFC's U.S. corporate account never posted this image, which has been altered. The Instagram account for KFC Trinidad and Tobago, part of the restaurant's international franchise network, tweeted the image in…

Does a photograph show a dozen birds that died in Kentucky from complications attributable to the February 2023 derailment of a train transporting toxic chemicals through neighboring Ohio? No, that's not true: While the photo is authentic, it was taken in April 2018 in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed to Lead Stories. The birds appeared…

Was the backflip banned after it was performed by the prominent Black figure skater Surya Bonaly in 1998? No, that's not true: Decades ago, the International Skating Union banned somersault jumps, which includes backflips with a one-foot landing, in figure-skating competitions. The video in the post that claims Bonaly's backflip caused the ban is actually from 1994, not 1998. Bonaly,…

Is "Little Red Riding Hood" banned in America? No, that's not true: And neither are assault weapons. Only nine of the 50 states have banned assault weapons. Two school districts did ban a specific version of the book in 1990 because the protagonist was shown carrying a wine bottle, but one of them is claiming in 2023 to have never…

Was Dr. Sebi's book banned in multiple countries? No, that's not true: There are no credible reports that a book about Dr. Sebi's controversial diet has been banned in any country. The book listed in the claim is available on a website that claims it "ships worldwide" and does not mention a ban. The claim appeared in a post on…

Did Mother Teresa sell children from her shelters in India? No, that's not true: There's no evidence to support that claim, but a nun and another worker at a shelter for unwed mothers run by Mother Teresa's charity were arrested in 2018 and accused of selling babies, The Associated Press and other news organizations reported. The claim appeared in a…

Does a time-lapse video of the midnight sun in Alaska show that the sun appears to get smaller as it approaches the horizon -- thus proving that this is a "local sun" that is very close to Earth in a closed environment, part of the firmament? No, that's not true: The footage of slightly more than one full day has…