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…
Did NASA announce the discovery of a massive unidentified flying object (UFO) spotted between the Earth and the sun and did this result in the closure of six solar observatories to hide something from the public? No, that's not true: This UFO clickbait narrative has been circulating online since at least September 13, 2018, and has continued to evolve with…
Did a military tribunal sentence Liz Cheney, a former U.S. representative, to hang? No, that's not true: A Pentagon duty officer told Lead Stories this claim "is false." Also, it was made on a self-described satirical website whose disclaimer says it publishes articles for "entertainment purposes." The claim appeared in an article published by Real Raw News on April 23,…
Did a photo recently surface that shows Jeffrey Epstein posing with four children on a tropical beach? No, that's not true: This is not a real photo but an image created with the AI program Midjourney. This image, and another in the same vein showing a likeness of Epstein posing with five children, were posted on Instagram by an account…
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 video shared to social media in April 2023 authentically show a "cloud factory" in Chicago that makes rain to "control the climate"? No, that's not true: The video was posted to TikTok on April 1, 2023 -- April Fools' Day -- and features a man wearing a helmet with the logo of a Chicago-based sweetener manufacturing company. The…
Does a video circulating on social media show crowds protesting the increasing cost of living in London on April 1, 2023? No, that's not true: The footage is from a 2018 anti-Brexit rally. The claim appeared in a video posted on Facebook on April 3, 2023. Its in-built caption said: London 01/04/2023 Cost of living March. This is what it…
Do viral images of Russian President Vladimir Putin actually show him being arrested? No, that's not true: The "photos" were created by AI-based software, and, as of this writing, Putin is not under arrest, despite a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The claim appeared in a post published on Facebook on March 26, 2023. It contained a video…
Did British publisher Robert Maxwell, who owned Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Co. in a joint venture from 1989 until his death in 1991, put false information in American textbooks? No, that's not true: McGraw Hill told Lead Stories that Maxwell exerted no editorial control over the learning materials produced by the company. The claim appeared in a post and video on…
Did the U.S. military arrest Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as of March 17, 2023? No, that's not true: It is not the U.S. military's jurisdiction to arrest civilians. This claim comes from a website that regularly publishes fabricated content. The claim appeared in an article published by Real Raw News on March 16, 2023, titled "Military Arrests Lori Lightfoot |…
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