Parody

Does a video really show footage of the U.S. striking an Iranian fighter jet in "combat action" over the Strait of Hormuz? No, that's not true: The video was posted by a self-described parody account on social media. It also appears the footage shows Russian aircraft and was clipped from a video game. The claim was made in a post…

Does a video featuring a burning fuel tank rolling away after an explosion show an event in Iran in June 2026? No, that's not true: The footage shows an explosion at a gas station in Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation, in October 2024, not Iran. The clip also appeared on a social media account labeled as a parody.…

Did meal delivery company HelloFresh write on social media during Pride Month that it offers high-fiber recipes for those "who are... prepping"? Yes, that's true: Such a post indeed appeared on one of its social media accounts. The post said that it was an "official statement." The story appeared in a post (archived here) published on X by @hazelappleyard on…

Did the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) confirm that Erika Kirk would host the White House fight night on June 14, 2026? No, that's not true: The claim originated from a self-described satire account. President Donald Trump announced he would host the fight at the White House on his 80th birthday. No credible media reporting confirmed the rumor that conservative activist…

Did OpenAI announce plans to let users "securely connect" ChatGPT to their DNA to modify specific parts of their body? No, that's not true: This fake announcement came from a parody account. A disclaimer in its bio states: "These are fake stories." There is no announcement from OpenAI about technology such as this. The false announcement appeared in a post…

Does a real video show Trump touching and kissing the belly of a man in the middle of an announcement in the Oval Office? No, that's not true: This video has been digitally altered using AI. The video shows the grouping of people who were actually present in the Oval Office, but the scene with the man's belly is fake.…

Is a post by Rep. Jack Kimble warning that members of Congress don't even make "$200k per year in Congress despite working nearly 140 days" from a real member of Congress? No, that's not true: The Rep. Jack Kimble account on X.com is a parody account. However, the replies to these posts indicate people are often tricked by the messages…

Did Mariah Carey make a rude comment aimed at Justin Bieber, saying, "At least I never attended any Diddy parties"? No, that's not true: The account that posted the quote is a parody account. There are no news reports of Carey making the comment about Bieber attending parties hosted by Sean "Diddy" Combs, the music mogul convicted of prostitution-related felonies.…

Did California Governor Gavin Newsom really criticize a real Truth Social post that depicts Donald Trump touting a crypto-only casino with the same name as Trump's closed Atlantic City casino, Trump Castle? No, that's not true: There are two distinct fakes. First, Trump had never, as of May 6, 2026, posted on Truth Social about "trumpcastle.net". The screenshot of that…

Did Canadian-American actor Seth Rogen die in April 2026? No, that's not true: There were no actual news reports about Rogen being dead. The rumor first appeared on Reddit after the actor's fictional on-screen death in an episode of "The Boys" and was then taken up by social media accounts and obscure websites. The claim appeared in a post (archived…