Canada

Does a video authentically show Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland swaying oddly on a podium? No, that's not true: A video splices together parts of a press conference video where Freeland pauses to allow journalists to ask questions. A "warp effect" has been added to exaggerate Freeland's facial expressions and body movements as she reacts to reporters. The claim…

Are social media posts asking for help identifying a disoriented, lost "old lady" who may have dementia real? No, that's not true: This post is part of an online bait-and-switch scam that deceives social media users into viewing posts that are later edited to show fake advertisements. Lead Stories previously debunked similar scam posts about a lost "old lady" with…

Did Joe Rogan say "he will not be voting for Trump after having him on the podcast"? No, that's not true: Lead Stories reviewed Rogan's podcasts and public statements in the days after Donald Trump's appearance. Neither subsequent episodes of Rogan's podcast, his social media accounts nor credible news reports included any statements by Rogan that he had decided not…

Do photos showing luxurious mansions depict the real Quebec childhood home of Vice President Kamala Harris and prove she was not raised in a middle-class family? No, that's not true: The images in this post display houses not found on the street where she lived in Montreal, the main city in Canada's Quebec province. At least one of the photos…

Was Amos Miller's farm in Pennsylvania's Amish country raided by federal authorities during the years of Kamala Harris's vice presidency? No, that's not true: The well-publicized "raid" within that time frame took place on January 4, 2024, and was conducted by state authorities. Lead Stories found no evidence that any federal agencies were at the scene when the Pennsylvania Department…

Did Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lie about being at the Capitol on January 6, 2021? No, that's not true: Ocasio-Cortez never said she was at the U.S. Capitol building when it was stormed by protesters on that date. Instead, she stated on Instagram Live that she was in her office at the nearby Cannon House Office Building at the time. The…

Was a "ritual" tape showing actor Will Smith and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs having sex leaked in September 2024? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that a sex tape of Smith and Diddy exists. The post that made this claim offered no proof that it does. No actual news websites have published anything about a leaked tape showing…

Does an audio recording of a call to authorities in Springfield, Ohio, confirm that Haitians were hunting geese in Ohio illegally? No, that's not true: An investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources didn't find any evidence of wildlife illegally removed from a park. "No supporting evidence to verify the claim was found," the Ohio Department said in a…

Did social-media posts share the true story of a 32-year-old man named Kyle Thomas, for whom "a silver alert" was issued after he reportedly "went missing" in Omaha, Nebraska? No, that's not true: As of this writing, Nebraska had not issued a missing-persons alert for a person named Kyle Thomas. The posts about "Kyle Thomas" are part of a scam…

Did Whoopi Goldberg vow to go with basketball star Brittney Griner if she leaves the United States? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence that Goldberg or Griner ever publicly said in 2024 that they would leave the country. The website that published this says in its disclaimer it takes no responsibility for any errors. The claim appeared…