New Jersey

Was a website that posted photos from Hunter Biden's laptop shut down for distributing child porn? No, that's not true: The social media account that originated the claim routinely posts satire. The tweet that began the claim was deleted from the account and a reply to the tweet read, "Folks, this is satire." The claim appeared as a post (archived…

Is Child Protective Services a "for-profit corporation" that has no legal power to make demands or exercise authority "over you and your children"? No, that's not true: No public Child Protective Services (CPS) agency is registered in the U.S. as a for-profit corporation. Federal law gives states the authority to investigate reports about child abuse and neglect and they do…

Does eating only the meat of female animals alter the hormones of human males, purportedly increasing their estrogen and making them take on more traits associated with femininity? No, that's not true: Multiple medical and meat experts verified for Lead Stories that this claim is false. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), for instance, shows that more…

Was "vitamin" B17 prohibited for its "cancer-killing properties"? No, that's not true: The only thing it is known for is its ability to cause cyanide poisoning, not to treat cancer. Also, what social media refers to as a "vitamin" is not a vitamin. The claim appeared in a video published on Facebook on March 1, 2023. A male narrator began:…

Did Grammy award-winning singer Rihanna wear a pentagram-shaped symbol on her belt during the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show? No, that's not true: The shape seen in the post, on her aerial safety belt, is hexagonal, but in clearer photos is neither a hexagon nor a pentagon . A pentagram, associated with satanism, has five points. The claim appeared as…

Did Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates or any of the business entities affiliated with him cause an egg shortage in the U.S.? No, that's not true: There is no evidence to support this theory. The claim appeared in a video on Instagram on January 31, 2023, under the title: BILL GATES SYNTHETIC EGG PLAN COMING ALONG NICELY! EGG SHORTAGE...NOW THIS? The…

Did a Norwegian group of trans activists request that Aretha Franklin's song "Natural Woman" be removed from audio streaming services Spotify and Apple Music on January 20, 2023? No, that's not true: The account that started the thread on Twitter later added a disclaimer explaining that it does not represent any real-life trans rights advocacy group and only posts parody…

Was America named after Morocco? No, that's not true: Neither the governments of Morocco nor of the United States of America recognize this North African country as America's namesake. There is no evidence from an authoritative source to support this claim, which derives from a larger theory previously debunked by Lead Stories. "There is no basis in fact whatsoever in…

Did garbage collectors "from L.A. County California, to Chavez County New Mexico," find "thousands of midterm ballots" in the trash before the 2022 midterm elections? No, that's not true: The photos used in this claim are from news articles from 2020. Both photos indicated that U.S. postal mail had been diverted from its standard route, but neither photo was from…

Does former President Donald Trump get a tax break for his golf course where his ex-wife, Ivana Trump, is buried? No, that's not true: The small portion of the property at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster where Ivana Trump is buried was previously farmland and exempt from taxes. However, now that it began use as a cemetery taxes will…