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Bill McCarthy

@billmccarthy.bsky.social
36K followers 1.1K following 750 posts

Senior digital investigation journalist covering online mis- and disinformation for AFP • Formerly with PolitiFact and the Raleigh News & Observer • Duke alum • “The internet folks” - Stephen Colbert factcheck.afp.com/Bill-MCCARTHY

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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
NEW: Donald Trump shared an image of Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival to Washington that appears to have been altered using artificial intelligence, with an unflattering expression captured in live footage of the moment edited out. www.france24.com/en/live-news...
france24.com
Trump's photo of Xi greeting carries signs of AI
Donald Trump shared an image Thursday of Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival to Washington that appears to have been altered using artificial intelligence, with an unflattering expression captured in live...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
NEW: Donald Trump shared an image of Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival to Washington that appears to have been altered using artificial intelligence, with an unflattering expression captured in live footage of the moment edited out. www.france24.com/en/live-news...
france24.com
Trump's photo of Xi greeting carries signs of AI
Donald Trump shared an image Thursday of Xi Jinping's red-carpet arrival to Washington that appears to have been altered using artificial intelligence, with an unflattering expression captured in live...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This video has been falsely claimed to show protests in Austin after a US immigration agent shot a Venezuelan national making a DoorDash delivery. The footage is actually from a demonstration last month in Jakarta, Indonesia. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Mike Baker @mikebaker.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Social media is filled with creators who are getting paid to post political messages. "Drew" posted about the struggles of living in Texas (3M views on TikTok). Then he later confessed: "I don't even live in Texas." And his name is not Drew. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/b...
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW: A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said. www.france24.com/en/live-news...
france24.com
Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms
A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said, with more...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This image depicting Democratic Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand wearing a mask and face shield while sitting with others -- amplified by his Republican opponent Zach Lahn -- is a fake doctored using AI. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
CNN @cnn.com · 18/09/2026
Exclusive: An AI-assisted intel report, circulated across the US military during the Iran war, nearly triggered an operation but was false, sources say. cnn.it/4y9MBJO
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
antibot4navalny | bot blocker | блокировщик ботов @antibot4navalny.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Another day of Kremlin-aligned Matryoshka bots impersonating celebrities, this time with transgender fearmongering to target Democratic party for the upcoming US midterms.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 17/09/2026
🇺🇸 An AFP photo of Donald Trump examining a depiction of Washington's Kennedy Center apparently being demolished sparked social media attention Thursday after the president threatened to tear down the revered arts venue because he has been blocked from renaming it after himself. ➡️ u.afp.com/SjEC
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 15/09/2026
Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms. A series of deepfake videos have been released that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers say, warning it is just the start u.afp.com/SjhN
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 14/09/2026
A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said, with more expected to come u.afp.com/Sjnt
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Several Hollywood actors were appalled to learn a Russian disinformation campaign had doctored their Cameo videos to falsely portray them attacking Democrats, in what experts say was the Kremlin operation's first pass at influencing the US midterms. www.yahoo.com/news/politic...
yahoo.com
Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms
A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said, with more...
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Several actors whose Cameo videos were doctored told AFP they disagreed with the views expressed. "I feel violated," said Emma Caulfield. "I had no idea this was happening," said Ed Begley Jr. "I am deeply troubled that my likeness was manipulated," said Eric Roberts.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Brandy Zadrozny @brandyzadrozny.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
My first Russian disinfo campaign. Feel like I’ve made it.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
WIRED @wired.com · 14/09/2026
Maddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back. www.wired.com/story/burner...
wired.com
A College Girl Was Exploited on Camera. A Network of Anonymous Men Got to Work
Maddie Kowalski is one of countless young women who’ve had their lives destroyed by the burnerverse, a loosely connected online community of sports fans. Now she’s fighting back.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 14/09/2026
Researchers have linked a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats to a Russian disinformation campaign. Experts said they signal which US races Russia intends to target in the elections that could flip the balance of power in the US Congress.
u.afp.com
Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms
A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said, with…
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW: A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said. www.france24.com/en/live-news...
france24.com
Russian disinformation campaign sets sights on US midterms
A Russian disinformation operation has turned its attention to the US midterm elections, unleashing a series of deepfake videos that depict celebrities attacking Democrats, researchers said, with more...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Five years ago, I wrote about how the modern conspiracy theory industry took shape after 9/11. On the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the disinformation landscape is even more bleak. Remembering all the innocent lives lost, and the brave first responders. politifact.com/article/2021...
politifact.com
Tracing 9/11’s impact on modern conspiracy theories
Outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, a New Jersey man held up his hand for a camera as he told a local TV reporter about the chaotic scene he’d just witnessed inside the building.  His palm was smeared...
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This image shared by Texas Governor Greg Abbott's campaign, which purports to show Democrat Gina Hinojosa speaking with a child at a table adorned with a transgender pride flag, is doctored. The state lawmaker's original footage showed a US flag. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This image shared by Texas Governor Greg Abbott's campaign, which purports to show Democrat Gina Hinojosa speaking with a child at a table adorned with a transgender pride flag, is doctored. The state lawmaker's original footage showed a US flag. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Donald Trump did share a static cartoon of him towering over Mark Carney on an ice rink. But the US president never posted this animated video version depicting him violently beating Canada's leader with a hockey stick. That supposed Truth Social post is fake. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 27/08/2026
The flags in this image have been altered. In the original, Mark Carney's family was holding Canadian flags with the signature red maple leaf. Read more: u.afp.com/SVQn
Screenshot of an X post. An orange x is drawn over the post to indicate it has been altered.Screenshot of a video posted to YouTube by Mark Carney in January 2025. Elements indicating the image was taken in Canada are highlighted by AFP.
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
This video has been falsely claimed online to show Native Americans gathering to "protect" wild horses from the Trump administration. It actually shows a charge of horse riders commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana in June. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Nick Baumann @nickbaumann.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
"The images of the Klan robe and the swastika had not been previously reported." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
A former Mike Collins staffer posted KKK and Nazi images. Some Republicans see a pattern.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-Georgia) is challenging Sen. Jon Ossoff (D). The former Collins staffer posted a swastika and shared an image of himself in what appear to be KKK robes.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 25/08/2026
#BREAKING: US country music legend Dolly Parton dies at 80: family
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
This video, purporting to show US Congresswoman Nancy Mace dancing erratically in a bar and contorting her face at the camera, is a doctored fake. It is altered from a clip of a comedian. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Exciting newsletter opportunity: My AFP digital investigation team is joining forces with a coalition of US fact-checking organizations to produce a weekly newsletter focused on debunking misinformation about November's US midterm elections. Subscribe here: u.afp.com/USMidtermsNewsletter
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Exciting newsletter opportunity: My AFP digital investigation team is joining forces with a coalition of US fact-checking organizations to produce a weekly newsletter focused on debunking misinformation about November's US midterm elections. Subscribe here: u.afp.com/USMidtermsNewsletter
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 13/08/2026
Conservative US politicians and influencers have latched on to private text threads involving Anthony Fauci to revive false claims that the Covid-19 vaccines led to an 82% miscarriage rate. There is no evidence the shots increase the rate of miscarriages. Read more: u.afp.com/SHBp
Anthony Fauci raises his right hand as he is sworn in during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 15/08/2026
Two major Republican groups released attack ads purporting to show Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed admitting that he is "dangerous." But the spots are selectively edited, taking the progressive candidate's comments out of context. Read more: u.afp.com/SHu8
US Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks during the Michigan Democratic Party rally in Detroit, Michigan
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The NRSC and Senate Leadership Fund both put out attack ads purporting to show Abdul El-Sayed admitting that he is "dangerous." But the campaign spots are selectively edited, taking the Michigan US Senate candidate's words out of context in a way that distorts their meaning.
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The NRSC and Senate Leadership Fund both put out attack ads purporting to show Abdul El-Sayed admitting that he is "dangerous." But the campaign spots are selectively edited, taking the Michigan US Senate candidate's words out of context in a way that distorts their meaning.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
This video has been falsely claimed across social media to show a motorcycle convoy heading to Dearborn to protest the city's Muslim population after Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan primary win. The clip was actually filmed in early July on a highway in Brazil. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
This video has been falsely claimed across social media to show a motorcycle convoy heading to Dearborn to protest the city's Muslim population after Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan primary win. The clip was actually filmed in early July on a highway in Brazil. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Among the extraordinary scenes of migrants flooding from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta were several unrelated videos shared out of context. This clip, for example, shows rioting in Toulouse, France after PSG won the Champions League in May. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Semafor @semafor.com · 03/08/2026
Hundreds of AI 'news' accounts are spreading claims like Kroger, Walmart, Costco, Shell, GM and Ford are all leaving Democrat-run states amid an economical collapse. None of these claims are true. www.semafor.com/article/08/0...
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
NEW @en.afp.com: Google has rolled back a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery, less than 24 hours after announcing it. The reversal follows a furious backlash about the tool's potential for disinformation.
today.rtl.lu
Risk of disinformation: Google rolls back new satellite image AI tool after backlash
Researchers are warning that Google's new AI image-generation feature for Google Earth could be used to create convincing fake satellite imagery and spread disinformation.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Henry Bushnell @henrybushnell.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Now official: Mauricio Pochettino is back. Contract agreed with U.S. Soccer through 2030. More — including comments from Poch on his approach to a second cycle with the USMNT — here and free to read @theathletic.com:
nytimes.com
Mauricio Pochettino returns as USMNT coach on new deal through 2030 World Cup (Gift Article)
Pochettino's previous contract expired after the 2026 World Cup, but U.S. Soccer is bringing back the Argentine manager for another cycle
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
NEW @en.afp.com: Google has rolled back a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery, less than 24 hours after announcing it. The reversal follows a furious backlash about the tool's potential for disinformation.
today.rtl.lu
Risk of disinformation: Google rolls back new satellite image AI tool after backlash
Researchers are warning that Google's new AI image-generation feature for Google Earth could be used to create convincing fake satellite imagery and spread disinformation.
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Testing Google Earth's new AI tool, AFP was able to fabricate satellite images of: - A Paris explosion - An Iran nuclear site - A bomb crater in Russia - ISIS training grounds - Floods in Bangladesh - Migrants at the US border - "Proof" of US election fraud The risk for disinformation is alarming
france24.com
Google launches new satellite image AI tool, alarming researchers
Google announced a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery, sparking concerns from researchers and open-source intelligence expe...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
NEW @en.afp.com: Disinformation and OSINT researchers are warning that Google's new feature allowing Google Earth users to create AI visualizations over real satellite imagery could enable bad actors to misuse the program -- a key resource for verification -- to make dangerous geospatial fakes.
france24.com
Google launches new satellite image AI tool, alarming researchers
Google announced a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery, sparking concerns from researchers and open-source intelligence expe...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Google has launched a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery. The implications for disinformation could be huge -- fake renderings of blast craters in war zones, migrant camps approaching borders, etc...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Google has launched a new feature allowing Google Earth users to generate AI visualizations on top of the service's satellite imagery. The implications for disinformation could be huge -- fake renderings of blast craters in war zones, migrant camps approaching borders, etc...
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The US State Department acknowledged "an unfortunate error" after an inaccurate map of Africa was displayed at an AIDS conference in Brazil. Nigeria, for example, was shown as a landlocked country in the center of the continent. www.vanguardngr.com/2026/07/us-a...
vanguardngr.com
US admits error after flawed Africa map shown at AIDS conference
The US State Department acknowledged "an unfortunate error" on Thursday after an inaccurate map of Africa was displayed at an AIDS conference in Brazil earlier this week.
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AFP News Agency @en.afp.com · 30/07/2026
#BREAKING UEFA says will boycott World Cup if FIFA presses ahead with private investor plan
File photo shows the UEFA logo displayed at the end of the 2025-2026 UEFA Europa League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw in Nyon, Switzerland on February 27, 2026
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Newsmax, which settled for $67 million and $40 million in two defamation cases brought over false 2020 election claims, has entered an "AI content partnership" with Meta "to support AI queries across Meta's apps and devices," the conservative TV channel announced.
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
There is a lot of horrowing footage out there of the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that rattled Japan's Kumamoto prefecture, but this widely shared video is unrelated. The video shows a different quake that struck the country's Noto Peninsula in 2024. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Newsmax, which settled for $67 million and $40 million in two defamation cases brought over false 2020 election claims, has entered an "AI content partnership" with Meta "to support AI queries across Meta's apps and devices," the conservative TV channel announced.
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Reposted by Bill McCarthy
Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This video depicting Donald Trump falling in front of his presidential limo has millions of views, but it is fake. The video's creator on TikTok admitted it was AI-generated. Real footage of the moment shows the US president moving gingerly but never collapsing. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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Bill McCarthy @billmccarthy.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
This video depicting Donald Trump falling in front of his presidential limo has millions of views, but it is fake. The video's creator on TikTok admitted it was AI-generated. Real footage of the moment shows the US president moving gingerly but never collapsing. factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com....
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