Fact Check

Have you seen viral videos showing an alarming weather alert for one state? Lead Stories has spotted a number of such posts recently and has found that many of them were created using artificial intelligence. The colorful maps and emergency information are eye-catching and designed to target an audience in a specific state but they do not show real weather…

Did Republican activist Konner Earnest admit to having sex with a dog? No, that's not true: There is no evidence from credible sources that Earnest has ever made such an admission. Public records show that he was arrested in April 2025 on two sexual-assault charges and one charge of continuous violence against the family, with no charge involving bestiality. The…

Did music streaming platform Spotify delete Ed Sheeran's songs after Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's tour for pro-Palestine statements? No, that's not true: As of this writing, the artist's songs are still available on the platform. The rumor seemed to have originated from a self-proclaimed satire account. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Threads where it was published…

Did the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC publish an online story that tied paying for groceries to white supremacy? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such a story was ever published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Searches for the story did not come up with any relevant results. The claim appeared in a post made by a user…

Does a real photo accurately depict a notable difference in height between Kash Patel and the FBI agent trainees running with him? No, that's not true: This image has been altered to make Patel appear much smaller than he appears in the original photo. The unaltered image was originally shared by Patel's verified account on X. The claim appeared in…

Did Donald Trump post a map with "United States" covering both Russia and the U.S. on social media? No, that's not true: A review of Trump's Truth Social account found no record of such a post. There are no credible reports that he shared the map or made a statement suggesting that Russia is part of the United States at…

Is the video of actor Mel Gibson criticizing Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass fake? No, that's not true: The video first appeared on Raymond Arroyo's podcast in the summer of 2025 during the wave of anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. Six AI-detection tools ruled that the footage of Gibson was not generated by AI. His statements were also covered by…

Does a viral video capture musician David Byrne actually telling singer Ed Sheeran that "it's time to make a musical change"? No, that's not true: The video was not a real recording of the conversation between the two. It originated from an account that splices together unrelated interviews of different people who never actually met or spoke to each other…

Does a real video show a woman named Consuela Herrera performing side-by-side comparisons between food from Europe and America? No, that's not true: This video is AI-generated. The account on Instagram where the video originated is labeled as an "AI-generated profile" and the reel is labeled "AI content". The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the @windsorray123 account…

Does a real video show masked police officers walking around in a polling station and looking at how people are voting? No, that's not true: There is no credible evidence that this incident ever occurred, and there have been no news reports of such an incident. The masked men are marked "Police," not Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), although they…

Is a mugshot that looks like Jennifer Lopez the real mugshot of a woman arrested for shoplifting in Minnesota? No, that's not true: The mugshot used in a post by the New York Post on X was generated with AI to look more like Jennifer Lopez. Lead Stories obtained the real mugshot of the woman; it is a different photo…

Did Ed Sheeran donate concert tickets to veterans after fans requested refunds over Macklemore's removal from his tour for pro-Palestine statements? No, that's not true: The rumor originated from an account on Facebook that explicitly says that "nothing on this page is real". Lead Stories found zero media coverage corroborating what was shared on social media. The claim appeared in…

Was it proven that a Muslim man spiked Millie Taplin's drink in an Essex, England, nightclub on her 18th birthday in 2021, paralyzing her? No, that's not true: Essex Police told Lead Stories there is "absolutely nothing" in the case that supports the claim. There is also no credible news coverage identifying a suspect or their religion. The claim appeared…

Does a video show Ed Sheeran playing a concert alone with a "loop station" after his backing band Beoga quit? No, that's not true: The video footage shows Sheeran in concert on July 1, 2022 at Wembley Stadium in London. Beoga published a statement announcing their departure from the remaining portion of Sheeran's Loop Tour Sept. 15, 2026, and no…

Does a real video show an Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashing into the runway, scraping the tarmac in a hail of sparks before the pilot ejects? No, that's not true: The video is from the online combat game War Thunder. There is also no evidence from credible sources that such an incident ever took place. The claim appeared…

Have you seen viral posts showing a map graphic with information about tremors felt all around a state? Lead Stories has spotted a number of such posts recently and found that many of them were created using artificial intelligence. The maps do not show real seismic data or official emergency preparedness recommendations, just alarmist clickbait. This article is part of…

Did Supreme Court justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett both disclose "gifts" from the George Soros Foundation? No, that's not true: The claim originated on a Facebook page known for posting satirical content that carries the disclaimer, "Nothing on this page is real." The image in the post also bears the same warning label. Lead Stories found no credible…

Did parents go public to complain about child deaths under the nursing care of Lindsay Clancy? No, that's not true: There is no credible evidence that any parents have publicly complained about their children dying while under Clancy's care. As of Sept. 16, 2026, a review of news reports found no such complaints. The claim appeared in a post (archived…

Did Dolly Parton's family deny Taylor Swift's request to headline a tribute concert honoring the late singer? No, that's not true: The story originated from a network of self-described satire websites that place multiple disclaimers on their content saying that nothing they publish is real. As of the time of publication, no tribute concert for Parton had been announced following…

Did California Governor Gavin Newsom's winery receive a state wildfire payout after a 2025 fire? No, that's not true: "The claim is FALSE," Newsom's office told Lead Stories. PlumpJack Group reached a private settlement with Hundred Acre winery, where the fire started, and did not receive state wildfire funds. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the @MrPotatoheadPHD…