REVIEW A Facebook post from December 2024 presented a list of herbs and natural products touted as cures for herpes and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The post’s author indicated that the list was taken from the book The Lost Book of Herbal Reme
The Dispatch→ A Selection of Our Best Stuff From 2024
In-depth reporting and analysis on the stories that shaped this crazy year.
The Dispatch→ The Dulcet Tones of Infighting
Don’t worry, guys. Elon’s got this.
The Dispatch→ Opus Dei’s One Big Conspiracy That Wasn’t
Gareth Gore’s book about the international Catholic group is more interested in domestic political in-fighting.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Photo Shows Israeli Soldiers In Front Of Gaza Ruins Forming A Hanukkah Menorah
Is a photo that shows Israeli soldiers in front of ruins in Gaza forming a Hanukkah menorah authentic? No, that's not true: This image is fake. The image creator told Lead Stories that he made it "using AI and some Photoshop edits afterwa
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show ‘Turkish Commandos’ Swearing To Hunt Down ‘USA/Israel’s Terrorists’ In December 2024
Does a video show "Turkish commandos" swearing to hunt down "USA/Israel's terrorists" in December 2024? No, that's not true: Lead Stories Turkish-speaking staff confirmed that the uniformed people shown in the footage did not mention the
The Dispatch→ A MAGA Schism
In Round 1, it’s immigration hawks versus tech bros.
The Dispatch→ Not Those Immigrants
MAGA discovers the limits of tech-bro populism.
The Dispatch→ Viral Quote About Autism Attributed to Trump Is Fabricated
Trump did discuss autism diagnoses in a recent speech, but a quote circulating on social media is made up.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Document Drone Crash In New York City On Christmas Eve 2024 — Video Is An AI Fake
Did a large drone crash in New York City on Christmas Eve 2024 as claimed by a video posted on X? No, that's not true: There are several clues in the video that point to it being AI-generated and the account that posted it published sever
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Israeli Air Strike On Houthi Positions In Yemen During Hannukah 2024 — It Was July 2024
Does a video show Israeli air strikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in Yemen during Hanukkah 2024? No, that's not true: An Israeli journalist, Hananya Naftali, published this video on July 20, 2024, which predated Hanukkah by more than
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Silicon Valley Administration
How tech moguls and venture capitalists might influence the next Trump term.
The Dispatch→ All the Best People
On Donald Trump’s ambassador picks.
The Dispatch→ Trump’s Threat of a Republican Primary
Will the president-elect be successful in keeping GOP lawmakers in line?
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Police Did NOT Discover Tunnels Under UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Home
Was a hidden tunnel with cryptic codes on its walls found in the basement of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's home after his death? No, that's not true: This is a conspiracy theory with no factual basis -- the images used to illustra
The Dispatch→ Social Media Users Wrongly Identify Victim in Fatal Subway Arson Attack
The deceased victim’s identity has not been made public yet.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Did NOT Discuss ‘Blue Roof Theory’ Conspiracy In 2020 Joe Rogan Podcast
Did Elon Musk discuss communities "putting up blue tarps all over the roofs" in an effort to defend against lasers setting fires in a podcast interview with Joe Rogan, as suggested by a video on Instagram? No, that's not true: The clip ad
Health Feedback→ Facebook meme correctly states that vaccines led to eradication of polio and smallpox, not “natural herd immunity”
REVIEW In early December 2024, social media posts sharing a meme claiming that “Polio and smallpox never reached natural herd immunity” and that these diseases were “eradicated by vaccines” went viral on Facebook. Among posts which recei
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘No Incels’ Poster In New York City Bus Shelter Was NOT A Bluesky Ad
Was a "No Incels" poster that appeared at a bus shelter in New York City an official ad for the social network Bluesky? No, that's not true: The poster was not a paid ad, the contractor that manages city bus shelter advertising told Lead
PolitiFact→ Kathy Hochul – Job growth on Hochul’s watch helped by pandemic recovery
We've created 732,000 jobs since I've been governor.
PolitiFact→ A month-by-month look at the misinformation that caught our attention in a busy news year
A contentious presidential election, two devastating hurricanes, the Baltimore bridge collapse: It was a busy news year, and where news goes, misinformation follows. Here’s a look at claims that caught our attention each month in 2024.
The Dispatch→ An Even Longer March Through the Institutions
On institutional reform and W**drow W**son dolls.
The Dispatch→ Elon Musk’s God Complex
His favorite motto, ‘vox populi, vox dei’ is theological nonsense and a dangerous lie.
The Dispatch→ If TikTok Is Banned, What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the constitutionality of a law to ban the app or force its sale.
The Dispatch→ Thanks, Obama
Supermensch.
The Dispatch→ They Left for Their Own Country by Another Path
On the Magi—and us—this Christmas.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NYPD Has NOT Released ID Of Woman Set On Fire On Subway Car As Of December 24, 2024
Has the New York Police Department released the identity of a woman set on fire on a New York subway car as "Amelia Carter" as of December 24, 2024? No, that's not true: An agency spokesperson told Lead Stories that as of this writing, th
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Did NOT Purchase Boeing As Of December 24, 2024
Did Elon Musk say that he bought Boeing? No, that's not true: Musk did not announce the purchase on X, and Boeing published no such information as of this writing. No information about this supposed post has been reported on the website o
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Toronto Menorah Did NOT Get Deliberately Knocked Down On December 19, 2024
Did a menorah get deliberately knocked down on December 19, 2024, in Toronto, as a social media post implied? No, that's not true: Toronto police confirmed to Lead Stories that a car accident resulted in the menorah being knocked down tha
FactCheck.org→ ‘The Truth Matters’
During my time at FactCheck.org, I’ve saved a lot of emails and more than a few handwritten notes from grateful readers. I’ve taped some of those notes to the bookcase above my desk. “Thank you for researching facts,” one says. “The truth
The Dispatch→ Happy Holidays from The Dispatch!
What we’re reading this Christmas.
The Dispatch→ Origins of the Federal Constitution
An Advisory Opinions Christmas Special.
The Dispatch→ Trump Sows Disorder as Only He Can
The drama over the passage of a spending bill followed a familiar Trump playbook.
The Dispatch→ A Fulsome End
The American people do not have a good sense of ‘enough.’
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Elon Musk Promoting Barbara O’Neill Remedy For Erectile Dysfunction, Prostatitis
Does an authentic video show Elon Musk promoting a Barbara O'Neill remedy for erectile dysfunction and prostatitis? No, that's not true: Two AI detection tools found that the video was likely manipulated using AI technology. Lead Stories
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Spain Did NOT Experience US-Style Shutdown For 10 Months In 2016
Was the 2016 months-long Spanish political crisis the same as a government shutdown in the U.S.? No, that's not true: Spain, unable to form a new government at the time, did not experience a gap in national funding, and most government se
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Screenshot Shows Donald Trump Called Elon Musk A ‘Two Bit Car Salesman’ On Truth Social
Did President-elect Donald Trump call Elon Musk a "two bit car salesman" in a post shared on Truth Social? No, that's not true: Lead Stories searched Trump's Truth Social account and found that he did not share such a post as of this publ
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Truth Social Post Shows Donald Trump Telling Elon Musk To ‘Stay In Your Lane’
Did President-elect Donald Trump tell Elon Musk to "stay in your lane" in a post shared to Truth Social? No, that's not true: This supposed post was fabricated. Lead Stories checked Trump's verified Truth Social account and did not find s
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Germany Did NOT Decriminalize Child Pornography Possession In 2024
Did Germany decriminalize the possession of child pornography in 2024? No, that's not true: Possession of child pornography in Germany remains a crime as of this publication. However, in some cases, German lawmakers in May 2024 reduced th
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Suspected German Christmas Market Attacker Did NOT Say ‘Allahu Akbar’ On Arrest Video
Did a Saudi Arabian immigrant suspected of driving his car into shoppers at a German Christmas market say "Allahu akbar" during a video of his arrest? No, that's not true: Lead Stories reviewed the full 52-second video of a German law enf