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…
Does a viral video claiming to capture a truck pushing car from a railway crossing with closed barriers actually show a real-life situation? No, that's not true: When it was first posted on social media, the clip was marked as containing AI content. An AI detection tool and manual analysis strongly suggested that the video was the product of generative…
Is there proof a photo showing President Donald Trump kissing a woman, possibly his aide Natalie Harp, while golfing is real? Here's what we know: There is no verifiable information, such as a photographer, subjects, date or location associated with the image. Content detectors do not pick up AI signals from the blurry picture. A sharper AI-generated version of the…
Does a real video show aide Natalie Harp grinning behind President Donald Trump while he was speaking at the NATO Leaders Summit in Turkey? No, that's not true: The six-second video circulating on social media was made with AI. Only the first frame of the video is an authentic photo, taken by a New York Times photojournalist. The claim appeared…
Is a protester's claim at a JD Vance campaign event for Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas that Marshall sued his own patients true? Yes, that's true: Marshall is a Republican seeking re-election in the November 2026 midterms. During his decades-long career as an obstetrician-gynecologist, he sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills, according to a New York Times analysis…
Has "Superman" actor Henry Cavill been announced as the next James Bond? No, that's not true: The account that posted the claim is a parody account. There are no credible reports of Cavill starring in the next 007 film installment as of publication time. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) by the @DiscussingFake_ account on X on Sept.…
Did former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley say she wants to bring Palestinian refugees to the United States? No, that's not true: Haley called the claim "a total lie" on her official X account. Also, no credible evidence shows that she ever made such a statement or supported that stance. The claim appeared in a post (archived…
Is an image of President Donald Trump appearing to have wetted himself after meeting with Irish President Catherine Connolly a real photo? No, that's not true: It's from an AI-generated meme. No officially released images showed such a scene. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on Threads by the @joekillory account on Sept. 13, 2026. It read:…
