Society

Is a "deadly Eastern diamond rattlesnake" actually being found in several locations across the United States that are not known as native habitats for these snakes? No, that's not true: Social media posts that make the claim are repurposing similarly worded posts to carry out a "bait and switch" scam. Social media accounts will make alarming, sensational posts that draw…

Did members of the Queen's Guard in the United Kingdom retaliate against tourists who taunted and harassed them until they finally lashed out? No, that's not true: The video compilation was put together for social media channels by actors who stage public pranks and social experiments. The claim appears in a post and video on Facebook (archived here) published by…

Did Anheuser-Busch close half of its U.S. breweries after "the worst goof in marketing history"? No, that's not true: Lead Stories could not find any news reports of Anheuser-Busch closing half of its U.S. breweries. Anheuser-Busch's web page of news releases includes no such announcement. This claim is from a satirical website. The site has a disclaimer that describes the…

Under the RESTRICT Act, would a person be fined up to $1 million and imprisoned for a minimum of 20 years for accessing content on TikTok if it's banned in the United States in the future? Yes, that's partially true: However, none of the legal experts contacted by Lead Stories believe prosecutors would pursue such charges against someone using a…

Was former President Donald Trump photographed wearing a helicopter helmet and a military-style vest? No, that's not true: The image from social media is most likely AI-generated. The claim originated from a tweet (archived here) published on May 1, 2023. It contained what looked like a picture of Trump posted under the caption: This is what a President looks like.…

Does an image showing President Joe Biden using two different hands to sign documents prove that a "body double" is being used for him? No, that's not true: The picture showing him signing with his left hand -- Biden is right-handed and signs documents with his right hand -- is an Associated Press image that has been flipped to make…

Did the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that 9- to 12-year-olds have their first "sexual intercourse experience" at that age? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence of this recommendation in the document referenced in this claim. Instead, the WHO document gives authority figures (teachers, policymakers, etc.) information to help children in this preteen age range learn about…

Is country singer Trisha Yearwood endorsing or selling weight-loss gummies? No, that's not true: Yearwood has denied that she made any such endorsement and Lead Stories did not find publicly available evidence that she has previously endorsed weight-loss gummies. The claim appeared in a post on Facebook published on April 28, 2023. The video included in the post is titled…

Did CNN produce or air a documentary popularizing a baseless conspiracy theory about three cities controlling the world? No, that's not true: A video clip on social media recycled a fragment from a film that, in turn, reused 1997 footage from CNN that included the network's logo. The claim appeared in a clip published on TikTok on April 28, 2023.…

Did the chief executive officer (CEO) of Spotify offer Tucker Carlson $129 million to host a podcast? No, that's not true: This story originated from a website that clearly labels itself fiction/satire aimed at trolling conservatives. No corporate statement or credible independent reporting supports the claim. The claim appeared in an article published by the Patriot Party Press on April…

Is there a "button for the heart" above your wrist and does it help alleviate conditions such as heart pain and epilepsy? No, that's not true: While stimulation of Pericardium 6 -- an acupuncture and acupressure point located on the wrist -- may be useful for helping patients deal with postoperative nausea and vomiting, there is no scientific evidence at…

Does a photo that has been circulating online since November 2022 show British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak flashing his bare chest and wearing nothing but a white lab coat and a jockstrap? No, that's not true: This photo cannot be traced back to Sunak and its origin is unknown. It could be a digitally edited or an AI-generated image. The…

Did a public high school in Georgia implement a "business model" assignment in which students had to devise ways of "raising and eating human babies to solve the world hunger problem?" No, that's not true: At two points in a video interview shared to social media, it was stated that the supposed business model was meant as a high school…

Does a clip shared on social media show Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell of California breaking into tears as a result of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments? No, that's not true: The video's title is misleading, and the recording does not contain such an episode. The claim appeared in a post on Facebook on April 21, 2023. It said: Watch…

Did former Fox News host Tucker Carlson file suit against Whoopi Goldberg and "The View," the TV talk show she moderates, for dehumanizing remarks? No, that's not true: This article was published by the Dunning-Kruger Times, one of several satire sites run by Christopher Blair, who describes himself as a "liberal troll." These websites have disclaimers explaining that "Everything on…

If a bank "switches currency," will that void a mortgage contract? No, that's not true: A mortgage document is a legally binding contract and within it there is a promissory note that requires the borrowed amount be paid and the loan agency to accept that amount, a mortgage expert told Lead Stories. The claim appeared in a video published on…

Are the Pentagon and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) planning for a zombie apocalypse? No, that's not true: The Department of Defense created a fictitious scenario for a training program for the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Additionally, the CDC launched a campaign to raise awareness of emergency preparedness in an attention-grabbing manner, using the pop-fiction idea…

Does this photo show the aftermath of a bio lab intentionally attacked in Sudan? No, that's not true: The photograph is a screengrab from a video taken by a global news agency on April 20, 2023 days after internal conflict in Sudan's capital began. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed to Lead Stories that the National Public Health Laboratory in…

Does a video show a compaction roller demolishing cases of Bud Light beer cans in response to a marketing campaign for the brand featuring transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney? No, that's not true: The video shows thousands of beer cans being destroyed in February 2023 -- weeks before the Mulvaney-Bud Light campaign was introduced. The implied claim is that…

Does fasting cure AIDS? No, that's not true: Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.N.'s UNAIDS organization told Lead Stories there is no cure to HIV/AIDS. However, with proper medical care, the virus can be controlled and people living with the virus can live long and healthy lives. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here)…