Was a massive "sandy UFO" caught on camera? No, that's not true: This footage is not real; it's special effects graphics in the 2022 sci-fi horror movie "Nope," directed by Jordan Peele. A short video clip was published on Instagram by @y
Publication: Entertainment
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Stray Dog Was NOT Found By Police And Up For Adoption — Post Is A Real Estate Scam
Did police in Charlottesville, Virginia pick up a homeless dogcalled Chloe and offer her for adoption when the owner refused to take her back? No, that's not true: The post that makes this claim is deceptively using a picture of a Texas a
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Is NOT Buying Facebook
Is Elon Musk buying Facebook? No, that's not true: The article saying so has a clear disclaimer at the end that reads, "Recall that this is satire and not actual news." The claim originated in an article (archived here) published by Topad
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Man Pictured With Stethoscope Is NOT Sen. John Fetterman’s Doctor — He’s Porn Actor Johnny Sins
Is the man presented as "John Fetterman's doctor" in a post about the U.S. senator's condition a doctor? No, that's not true: He is porn actor Jonny Sins and the post is the latest version of spoofs in which Sins, who plays a doctor in fi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Andrew Tate Has NOT Been Released From Custody As Of February 22, 2023
Was Andrew Tate, who was arrested in late 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and participating in organized crime, released as of February 22, 2023? No, that's not true: The former kickboxing champion and internet influencer rem
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Figment The Dragon Is NOT Slated To Replace Mickey Mouse As Disney Mascot In 2024
Did Disney decide to remove Mickey Mouse as the official mascot in 2024 because the famous mouse's copyright is going to expire -- and will the purple dragon Figment take Mickey's place? No, that's not true: The claim, along with a digita
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Soros Did NOT Endorse Florida Gov. DeSantis For GOP Nomination For President — Soros Predicted He’ll Run
Did liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race? No, that's not true: In remarks to the Munich Security Conference in February 2023, Soros s
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Backflip Was NOT Prohibited In Figure Skating Because Of Surya Bonaly
Was the backflip banned after it was performed by the prominent Black figure skater Surya Bonaly in 1998? No, that's not true: Decades ago, the International Skating Union banned somersault jumps, which includes backflips with a one-foot
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Rihanna Did NOT Wear A Pentagram Symbol On Her Belt At The Superbowl
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 i
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Elon Musk Talking About Andrew Tate — It’s A Deepfake
Does a social media video show entrepreneur Elon Musk discussing imprisoned internet influencer Andrew Tate? No, that's not true: This appears to be a "deepfake" video of Musk, now the CEO of Twitter. The video uses publicly available foo
Truth or Fiction?→ Ursula Le Guin on J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter
As social media controversies over the expressed views of fantasy writer J.K. Rowling and a game based on her Harry Potter series continued into February 2023, a quote resurfaced attributed to famed author Ursula Le Guin on the subject of Rowling’
Truth or Fiction?→ Netflix Canada ‘Password Sharing’ Screen
On February 9 2023, the top post on Reddit’s r/all (originally on r/mildlyinfuriating) included a photograph of a Netflix password sharing warning purportedly observed in Canada: Netflix rolled out their Bullshit in Canada. from m
Truth or Fiction?→ Did CBS Say Bad Bunny Was ‘Singing in Non-English’?
The CBS television network and the Grammy Awards both came under criticism on February 6 2023 for refusing to provide Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny with suitable closed-captioning. Viewers posted screenshots from the broadcast showing captions reading
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Robin Roberts Of ‘Good Morning America’ Did NOT Die As Of February 1, 2023 — Post Is A Bait And Switch
Did Robin Roberts, the longtime co-host of ABC Television's "Good Morning America" (GMA) die on January 30, 2023? No, that's not true: As of February 1, 2023, Roberts remained alive and well, and actively posting on Instagram from New Zea
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Damar Hamlin Did NOT Die On Field, NFL NOT Covering It Up
Did football player Damar Hamlin die on the field in early January 2023 and is the NFL covering it up? No, that's not true: Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, did collapse in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals but was revived by m
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Celebrities Did NOT Call For ‘Total Hollywood Strike’ Until Everyone Is Vaccinated
Did celebrities call for a "total Hollywood strike" until everyone is vaccinated against COVID-19? No, that's not true: The claim, posted by a prolific publisher of fake news, is based on a fake tweet purportedly from the Academy of Motio
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Disney Does NOT Give Away $1 Tickets For ‘Women Born Before 1980’
Is Disney giving away $1 tickets for "women born before 1980"? No, that's not true: The company's website contains no mentions of this alleged promo campaign. The claim appears to be a bait likely aimed at making users share their persona
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Giant Snake Wrapped Around Iveco Van Is NOT Real — Prop Python Is Chinese Installation
Is a video showing two people trying to help a man break free from the grasp of a giant python that has swallowed his entire head real? No, that's not true: This giant snake wrapped around a white Iveco van is not real, but a novelty prop
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Human-Elephant Hybrid Is NOT Real, Did Not Attract Hindu Pilgrims To Norway
Was a baby with elephant-like facial features born in Norway, and have thousands of Hindu people flocked to Norway to see the child since media in India reported the birth? No, that's not true: The photo posted with this claim does not sh
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Beyoncé Is In Critical Condition After Dubai Performance
Was American singer-songwriter Beyoncé hospitalized in critical condition after her January 21, 2023, performance in Dubai? No, that's not true: There is no evidence she was admitted to a hospital after her Dubai concert. Although the ti
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Green Mile’ Actor Michael Clarke Duncan Did Die … In 2012
Did actor Michael Clarke Duncan, famous for his role in the 1999 movie "The Green Mile," die? Yes, that's true... but it happened in 2012. News of his death went viral again in 2023 after a clickbait website (likely from Pakistan) reposte
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Toby Keith Is ‘Fighting For His Life’ As Of January 25, 2023
Was country music star Toby Keith "fighting for his life" and hospitalized as of January 25, 2023? No, that's not true: While Keith has been diagnosed with cancer, the image attached to this post does not show him hospitalized. He has als
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: A&W Did NOT Put Pants On Company’s Mascot Bear ‘Rooty’ In Response To Complaints
Did the A&W chain selling American food and root beer admit that its mascot, Rooty the Great Root Beer Bear, was "polarizing" for his pantlessness? Did the company decide to portray him wearing jeans from now on? No, that's not true:
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Satirical TMCA Tweet TCMA Demanding Aretha Franklin’s ‘Natural Woman’ Spotify Removal Is NOT Real — ‘Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance’ Is a Spoof
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
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Andrew Tate Has NOT Been Found Guilty And Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison As Of January 24, 2023
Was Andrew Tate found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in prison as of January 24, 2023? No, that's not true: The former kickboxing champion and internet influencer remained in detention as of January 24, 2023, but had not been tried, con
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Walt Disney Will NOT Replace Benjamin Franklin On $100 Bills In 2023
Will the face of Walt Disney replace Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill in 2023? No, that's not true: Neither the Walt Disney Company nor the U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced such a change as of January 23, 2023. The article
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video On Facebook Does NOT Show ‘Big Loss’ From Real 2023 Plane Crash — It’s From Movie
Does a recent Facebook Reel accurately depict devastating damage from a 2023 plane crash? No, that's not true: This footage is from the set of director Steven Spielberg's 2005 movie "War of the Worlds." A twin-engine ATR 72 airplane crash
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: CNN Did NOT Publish A Story Linking Hamlin’s Collapse To COVID-19 Vaccine
Did CNN publish a news article that linked Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin's on-field collapse to the COVID-19 vaccine? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the news network confirmed to Lead Stories by email that the media outlet ne
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Real Plane Crash or Emergency — It’s Video Game Footage
Does this video accurately show a plane crash or emergency? And might it even be live ? No, that's not true: This footage is not real. It is a computer-generated video from a popular video game named Grand Theft Auto V that is often used
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: US Military Did NOT Extract ‘Giant Mummies’ From Caverns In Grand Canyon
Has the U.S. military "extracted giant mummies" from caverns in the Grand Canyon? No, that's not true: The story about Egyptian artifacts allegedly found in North America goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, it has
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Actor Michael B. Jordan Did NOT Die Suddenly At Hospital As Of January 16, 2023
Did the actor Michael B. Jordan die suddenly in Chicago on January 13, 2023? No, that's not true: This is a baseless claim by a clickbait website that routinely publishes death hoaxes. There is no evidence that Jordan has died although hi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Judge Has NOT Sentenced Young Thug To 25 Years In Prison, As Of January 12, 2023
Did the judge in the trial of Young Thug sentence the Atlanta rapper to 25 years in maximum-security prison, as of January 12, 2023? No, that's not true: Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, was not convicted -- much less sen
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Country Singer George Strait Did NOT Have ‘Tragic End’ On December 31, 2022
Did country singer-songwriter George Strait have a "tragic end" on December 31, 2022? No, that's not true: Strait's verified Instagram account posted content as recently as January 10, 2023. There have been no news articles or statements
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Did NOT Buy Google
Did a YouTube video reveal that Elon Musk bought the search engine giant Google? No, that's not true: The video has a clickbait title, offers no details of a sale and appeared on a YouTube channel that admits its videos are fictional and
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Prove Tom Hanks Is Linked To Hollywood Child Trafficking Conspiracy — Clip Is From 2011 Skit
Does a video featuring actor Tom Hanks prove he is linked to a Hollywood child trafficking conspiracy? No, that's not true: The video is a clip of Hanks acting in a skit that aired on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in 2011. The social media account
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence COVID Vaccine Caused Canadian Reporter To Stumble On Air
Did the COVID-19 vaccine cause Canadian reporter Jessica Robb to stumble on air? No, there's no evidence that's true: Robb, a CTV News journalist who appeared to suffer a medical emergency while reporting live on air, has said that what h
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Nielsen Ratings Is NOT Offering $2,000 In Financial Assistance To New Households; It’s Not Nielsen, There’s No Cash
Is the television ratings and marketing company Nielsen offering $2,000 in financial assistance to consumers who sign up for downloads and survey participation? No, that's not true: The claim uses a domain address different from Nielsen's
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Alyssa Milano’s ‘Temper Tantrum’ Over Elon Musk Has NOT Cost Her $13 Million — Story From Satire Website
Did Alyssa Milano's "temper tantrum" over Elon Musk cost her $13 million? No, that's not true: This satirical article was published by a website connected to the satire network, America's Last Line of Defense, which clearly identifies its
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Did NOT Buy ABC And Cancel ‘The View’ — Story Originated On A Satire Website
Did Elon Musk buy the ABC Network and cancel its daytime talk show "The View"? No, that's not true: This is a fabricated story that originated on a satire website run by Christopher Blair, who plainly discloses that "everything on this we
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: CDC Did NOT Launch ‘It’s Gay To Smoke’ Ad Campaign — It’s A Decade-Old Fake Ad From A Satire News Site
Did the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launch an anti-smoking effort with a video ad that uses the tagline "It's Gay to Smoke"? No, that's not true: The video is from a fake story created more than a decade ago by the sa