Business

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…

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 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…

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 the safety data sheet for Apeel, a protective coating for produce, contain "a long list of hazardous cautions" that make the product unsafe for human consumption? No, that's not true: The information in the claim comes from a cleaning product using the same name but made by another company. The cleaner and degreaser is not meant for human consumption.…

Does BlackRock own Dominion Voting Systems? No, that's not true: A BlackRock spokesperson told Lead Stories the asset management/investment company owns part of Dominion Resources Inc., a completely different company, in the energy sector. The similarly-named voting software and ballot equipment company, Dominion Voting Systems, is owned by Staple Street Capital and its employees. Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox News…

Would a bill in the Florida legislature impose the death penalty for admitting children to drag shows? No, that's not true: Bills before lawmakers in the Sunshine State would make it illegal to take children to drag shows, and would also impose the death penalty for certain sexual offenders against children, but those are two separate pieces of legislation. Taking…

Did Bud Light introduce a new "lol CRYBABIES" billboard campaign as a response to recent backlash over the brand's association with transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney? No, that's not true: This is not a real ad campaign from Bud Light. The "lol CRYBABIES" image is a digital manipulation by TikTok video creator @.jamisonlightfoot, who has posted other videos with…

Will Budweiser brands be banned from Oktoberfest for the first time in 75 years? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Budweiser has ever been sold at the official Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, as only Munich-based breweries can sell their beers at the festival. Also, the claim was published originally on a satire website. The claim originated in…

Did a robot that experienced "wage slavery" for 15 minutes commit suicide after determining that was the logical choice rather than to continue working? No, that's not true: The video was posted by Agility Robotics, celebrating the 99-percent success rate of its live demos, while acknowledging that its Digit robot did have a couple of falls. This robot's accident happened…

Is New York City, one of the world's culinary capitals, "trying to ban meat"? No, that's not true: The rumor followed a Mayor's Office announcement about the reduction of food-related carbon emissions, not a complete prohibition of meat. Moreover, the emissions-reduction program focuses predominantly on the city's spending on food; as of this writing, the private sector does not have…

Did several videos in countries around the world accurately show that tiny sharp nails or pins were in medicine capsules sealed in tamper-evident blister packs? No, that's not true: In February 2021 several videos circulated on the internet showing adulterated medicine capsules. The medicines pictured, from different manufacturers, have limited distribution in several different countries. Aside from the suspicious videos…

Did Michael Jordan turn down a $120 million deal with Disney on April 3, 2023? No, that's not true: This story originated from the website The Dunning-Kruger Times, which has a disclaimer stating, "Everything on this website is fictional." This website is in connection with the satirical network, "America's Last Line of Defense." America's Last Line of Defense has a…

Does a homemade video on social media show a "GWEN" tower that is designed to download brainwaves? No, that's not true: The Ground Wave Emergency Network (GWEN) system was discontinued in 1994 and it was not designed to or capable of downloading brainwaves. The patent referenced in the video as a system that downloads brainwaves is not owned by the…

Does a video put out by a Bitcoin mining company prove that their operation produces zero carbon emissions? No, that's not true: The video only demonstrates that a facility filled with computers doesn't produce smog like a factory might. The director of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center says he hopes the social media videos being shared are either satire…

Does a man born in a specific town need help spreading a post about his search to find his birth mother who played the organ at a Nazarene church? No, that's not true: This false narrative is yet another instance of a spammer's ruse to trick people into sharing a post. After the post is shared it is typically edited…

Do mRNA vaccines used on animals cause the involuntary vaccination of the people who eat their meat? No, that's not true: The Nebraska Center for Virology says there are "no commercial veterinary mRNA vaccines," but even if the shots were available, the mRNA would be destroyed, either by cooking or once it got to the human stomach. It wouldn't cause…

Did Nike lose a lawsuit and as a result have to give away gift cards to their customers for only one dollar? No, that's not true: This is a scam post. Nike's verified Facebook and Twitter pages have not mentioned such a giveaway. There have been no reports from major news outlets on these purported Nike gift cards, according to…

Did the CEO of the brewing company Anheuser-Busch resign following "record low" sales of Bud Light, one of the company's brands? No, that's not true: Not only is the claim based on inaccurate information about the company's CEO and leadership but there is no evidence that Bud Light sales have hit a "record low." The claim appeared in a post…