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Chelsea J. Carter

@chelsorelse.bsky.social
4.9K followers 240 following 81 posts

Editor. Writer. Producer. All-around newshound. Breaking news survivor. Senior editor/International Teams Manager at Lead Stories (@leadstories.bsky.social) Just the facts, please.

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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 08/10/2026
The Daily NOT - A show about what didn't happen today. Episode 826. #TheDailyNOT "An ark, the word of God and a BBC headline: what was really going on here?"
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Credit to the US for making the point the conference was trying to make about US foreign interference in European democracies for them, and bringing more attention to the conference and its themes than they could have possibly hoped for. www.politico.com/news/2026/10...
politico.com
EU, Canada and Lithuania pull out of disinformation conference after US pressure
The Trump administration was bothered by panels that referred to the U.S. as a disinformation threat.
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
“The Trump administration pressured multiple countries to withdraw their sponsorship of a leading European conference on disinformation, with Canada, Lithuania and the EU’s diplomatic service subsequently agreeing to do so, the Guardian understands.” -The Guardian www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
EU drops sponsorship of disinformation conference at Trump officials’ request
Lithuania and Canada were also pressured to withdraw, and days before #Disinfo2026, logos were wiped off website
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
“The demarche request appears to be an unusual administration effort to use allied government pressure to silence criticism from European citizens and Americans abroad (three U.S. citizens appeared on one of the panels that prompted the cable).” www.politico.com/news/2026/10... #eudisinfo2026
politico.com
EU, Canada and Lithuania pull out of disinformation conference after US pressure
The Trump administration was bothered by panels that referred to the U.S. as a disinformation threat.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Nina Jankowicz @ninajankowicz.com · 05/10/2026
Shellenberger is seemingly preparing to smear a bunch of people attending a conference on disinformation this week. Ten bucks says he’s gonna claim the researchers there are cEnSoRiNg yOu!!!1 In reality they’re presenting their ideas. Talking. Debating. You know, using their speech rights.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Ben Shultz @benmshultz.net · 05/10/2026
Michael Shellenberger appears to be preparing another piece falsely claiming that a conference of researchers studying disinformation is tantamount to a shadowy cabal of censorship. Spoiler alert: conferences, in fact, are the definition of free speech. My response to his questions is below.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Note: this was announced on the stage and two people here have shown me emails they received that appear to be part of the pressure campaign.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Sources: disinfo2026.mitto.app/programme web.archive.org/web/20261007... web.archive.org/web/20260909...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
An example of FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference) in action at the @disinfo.eu conference? Apparently someone in the U.S. did not agree with the topic of a session named "USA as a FIMI threat: acknowledge, adapt, push back" and applied pressure on the sponsors...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 25/09/2026
Fact Check: FAKE Photo Of Trump State Dinner With Xi, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos At The Head Table Is Al-Generated
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE Photo Of Trump State Dinner With Xi, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos At The Head Table Is Al-Generated
Is a photo of President Trump, President of China Xi Jinping, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos at the head table at the White House state dinner on Sept. 24, 2026, real? No, that's not true: The image is clearly labeled...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 25/09/2026
Fact Check: Benjamin Netanyahu Did NOT Say America Deserved 9/11 -- He Was Quoting Hassan Piker To Criticize Mamdani
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Benjamin Netanyahu Did NOT Say America Deserved 9/11 -- He Was Quoting Hassan Piker To Criticize Mamdani
Did Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say that America deserved 9/11 during an address to the United Nations General Assembly? No, that's not true: Netanyahu was criticizing New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani when he repeated the words said by political...
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The IFCN @ Poynter will organize GlobalFact with the EFCSN. Lead Stories (that's us) led the winning bid to host the conference in Antwerp. Public broadcaster VRT will serve as media partner, and the nonprofit deCheckers will coordinate volunteers. #factcheck #truth www.poynter.org/ifcn/2026/wo...
poynter.org
World’s fact-checkers to meet in Antwerp, Belgium, for GlobalFact 2027 - Poynter
From person-to-person coaching and intensive hands-on seminars to interactive online courses and media reporting, Poynter helps journalists sharpen skills and elevate storytelling throughout their car...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 21/08/2026
Fact Check: La Repubblica Did NOT Report French Politician And Le Pen Rival Édouard Philippe Bought Villa In Sicily For 15 Million Euros
leadstories.com
Fact Check: La Repubblica Did NOT Report French Politician And Le Pen Rival Édouard Philippe Bought Villa In Sicily For 15 Million Euros
Did Italian newspaper La Repubblica publish an article saying that one of the 2027 French presidential candidates, Édouard Philippe, acquired a villa for 15 million euros? No, that's not true: The newspaper denied it. Lead Stories found no credible sources...
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Is a meme that shows a mugshot of a woman accused of herding goats through a Walmart while drinking margaritas from a jug a real news story? leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2.... #factcheck #factsmatter #walmart #fact-checking
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE Story Of Woman Herding Goats Through Walmart While Drinking Margaritas From A Jug Is A Meme | Lead Stories
Is a meme that shows a mugshot of a woman accused of herding goats through a Walmart while drinking margaritas...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 21/08/2026
Fact Check: FAKE Daily Express Video Reports Andy Burnham Plans To Bring 4,000 Migrants From Ceuta Into UK #CheckTok #AndyBurnham #DailyExpress #Ceuta #FactCheck leadstories.com/hoax-alert/20…
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 16/08/2026
Our North American team is joining forces with @leadstories.com, @politifact.bsky.social, @factcheck.org & Factchequeado to publish a weekly newsletter that gathers the most important fact-checks of the US midterm elections in one place. Subscribe now ➡️ u.afp.com/USMidtermsNe...
A woman checks in to cast her ballot at a polling station in Black Mountain, North Carolina
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Lead Stories and several other fact-checking organizations active in North America are joining forces in a first-of-its-kind collaboration: a joint newsletter sharing their best election-related fact-checks. Sign up at leadstories.com/USMidtermsNe...
leadstories.com
North American Fact Checkers Group
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The 2026 U.S. Midterms will be fact-checked. Five newsrooms, one weekly roundup. Sign up for the newsletter now. #factcheck #usmidterms #factsmatter #midtermelections #newsletter
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 10/07/2026
Fact Check: Image Does NOT Show FIFA President Infantino Making Phone Call During Egypt-Argentina Match -- He Was At A Different Game
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Image Does NOT Show FIFA President Infantino Making Phone Call During Egypt-Argentina Match -- He Was At A Different Game
Did a caption accompanying a viral image correctly claim it showed FIFA President Gianni Infantino making a phone call after Egypt took a 2-0 lead over Argentina? No, that's not true: Infantino did not attend this World Cup game in...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 18/06/2026
Fact Check: Figure of 250,000 Girls Raped by U.K. Grooming Gangs NOT Definitively Documented -- Rhetorical Extrapolation
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Figure of 250,000 Girls Raped by U.K. Grooming Gangs NOT Definitively Documented -- Rhetorical Extrapolation
Is the number of girls raped in the United Kingdom by grooming gangs definitively documented to be 250,000? No, that's not true: That figure is an extrapolation using an unclear methodology based on data from smaller communities with headline-grabbing scandals...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 15/05/2026
Fact Check: FAKE Video Of Military Captain 'Elena Carter' Not Saluting Trump Is AI-Generated
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE Video Of Military Captain 'Elena Carter' Not Saluting Trump Is AI-Generated
Does a real video show a female military captain named Elena Carter not saluting President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: The video was posted on an account made of self-described AI videos. Details of the video also point to...
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Do you know what DID and DID NOT happen this week? Take the ‘Lead Stories Fact Check Quiz’ Did Jimmy Kimmel issue a sincere on-air apology “to everyone” for his controversial “widow” joke on Jimmy Kimmel Live!? Find the answer here: mailchi.mp/leadstories/... #factcheck #quiz #JimmyKimmel
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
AFP Fact Check @factcheck.afp.com · 30/04/2026
Public concern over Australia's energy reserves has sparked a wave of misleading posts claiming to show the country's dwindling fuel in "real time". Experts told us the figures are estimates -- and are not an accurate measure of the current petrol reserves u.afp.com/SaPK
Screenshots showing the misleading posts captured on April 28 and 29, 2026, with an orange X added by AFP
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Take a moment and read the @indicator.media report. It found 192 TikTok videos for #hoax #isolationchallenges with 54.8 million cumulative views. #factcheck #tiktokchallenge
indicator.media
Home | Indicator
Indicator is your essential guide to understanding and investigating digital deception. Sign up for free
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Vietnam-based boomer slop spam network floods Facebook with fake posts saying Cole Tomas Allen worked for dozens of celebs... If only they had fact checkers. Surely Community Notes will fix it :-) leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2... leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2... leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Posts Saying White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Suspect Cole Allen Worked Security For Sports Teams Are Not Real -- AI Spam From Vietnam | Lead Stories
Are viral posts claiming Cole Allen, the suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting, worked as a security staff...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 28/04/2026
Fact Check: White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Suspect Cole Allen Was NOT A Former Production Crew Member On Films Or Tours -- AI Spam From Vietnam #CheckTok #FactCheck #ColeAllen #WhiteHouseCorrespondentsDinner #Vietnam #FakeNews leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 24/04/2026
Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Marlon Brando Explaining He Declined 1973 Oscar Over 'Increasing Control Of Zionists In Hollywood'
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Marlon Brando Explaining He Declined 1973 Oscar Over 'Increasing Control Of Zionists In Hollywood'
Is a video real that shows Marlon Brando explaining that he declined the 1973 Oscar over the "increasing control of Zionists in Hollywood"? No, that's not true: The American actor did decline the 1973 Best Actor Oscar for his role...
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Think you have what it takes to separate #fact from fiction? Put your knowledge to the test with the Lead Stories Fact Check Quiz, where you can challenge what you know about what did or did not happen in the world of #fact-checking. Take the test here: tinyurl.com/4f2es6px #factsmatter
tinyurl.com
Lead Stories -- The Fact Check
Welcome to The Fact Check, where Lead Stories highlights disinformation trends through a selection of our fact checks of the last 7 days.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Some timeline stuff: — We expect to get InfoWars.com after the judge clears it in a couple of weeks. — We'll build a world of characters on the site and across social media. Tim Heidecker is in charge, and we have grand designs. — Visit theonion.info, buy a subscription, help us dominate the world.
theonion.info
InfoWars
Let me tell you a story. When I was a child, I suffered from night terrors. It was always the same dream: I could hear my family and neighbors wailing…
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
AI Being Wrong @aibeingwrong.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Scientists invented a fake disease. AI told people it was real Bixonimania doesn’t exist except in a clutch of obviously bogus academic papers. So why did AI chatbots warn people about this fictional illness? www.nature.com/articles/d41... Here's the paper: www.preprints.org/manuscript/2...
nature.com
Scientists invented a fake disease. AI told people it was real
Bixonimania doesn’t exist except in a clutch of obviously bogus academic papers. So why did AI chatbots warn people about this fictional illness?
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 10/04/2026
Fact Check: NO Book By Hungarian Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Ex-Wife Accused Him Of Microwaving Puppy, Sexual Acts -- No Such Book Exists #CheckTok #FactCheck leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 10/04/2026
Fact Check: Macron Did NOT Post FABRICATED Video Appearing To Show Epstein Kissing Melania Trump #CheckTok #FactCheck #EmmanuelMacron #JeffreyEpstein #MelaniaTrump #DepartmentOfJustice leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 05/04/2026
Fact Check: President Trump's Easter Morning Truth Social Post Saying 'Open The F--kin Strait, You Crazy Bastards' Is Real
leadstories.com
Fact Check: President Trump's Easter Morning Truth Social Post Saying 'Open The F--kin Strait, You Crazy Bastards' Is Real
Did President Donald Trump post a warning on his Truth Social account on Easter morning, April 5, 2026, that the United States would soon attack Iran's power plants and bridges and demanding that Iran "Open the Fuckin' Strait"? Yes, that's...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 05/04/2026
Fact Check: Image Does NOT Show American F-15 Crew Member After Rescue From Iran -- It's AI-Generated
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Image Does NOT Show American F-15 Crew Member After Rescue From Iran -- It's AI-Generated
Is an image of a smiling man in a combat uniform holding an American flag a real photo of a U.S. F-15 crew member after his rescue from Iran? No, that's not true: The image was made by an artificial...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 21/03/2026
There is extra information available about this content... (Subscribe to the @unclouder.com labeler to see fact check labels in your Bluesky timeline)
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Video That Appears To Show Trump Patting Secret Service Agent's Rear NOT In Real White House
Does a video show President Donald Trump patting a Secret Service agent on her backside? No, that's not true: The video appears to show a version of the White House Oval Office that does not match the real one, with...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 19/03/2026
Fact Check: Keir Starmer Did NOT Threaten To Close U.S. Bases At Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Or Elsewhere, Or Demand Rent If Trump Withdraws From NATO
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Keir Starmer Did NOT Threaten To Close U.S. Bases At Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Or Elsewhere, Or Demand Rent If Trump Withdraws From NATO
Did U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer threaten to close U.S. bases at Lakenheath, Mildenhall and elsewhere, and demand rent if President Donald Trump withdraws from NATO? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Starmer made such a threat....
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 18/03/2026
Fact Check: FAKE Video Does NOT Show Ruins Of Amazon Data Center In The Middle East
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE Video Does NOT Show Ruins Of Amazon Data Center In The Middle East
Does a viral video purporting to show the ruins of an Amazon data center in the Middle East document a real scene? No, that's not true: The video contained multiple signs pointing to AI, including an incorrectly spelled company's name...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 24/11/2025
Hey @meaww.com, why does your fact check section look so much like ours? news.meaww.com/fact-check
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Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 26/09/2025
Fact Check: Meta Did NOT Add New Tags On Threads Posts To Warn That Certain Users Are Suspected Of Membership In Antifa -- Meme Appears To Mock Trump Administration War On Antifa #CheckTok #Meta #Threads #Antifa #FactCheck leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
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Chelsea J. Carter @chelsorelse.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Did the Nobel Committee quietly remove President Donald Trump's name from the list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize? No, that's not true: The nominations list for a Nobel Peace Prize is private, and not made public until 50 years after it is awarded. leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2...
leadstories.com
Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE The Nobel Committee Removed Trump's Name From Peace Prize Nominee List | Lead Stories
Did the Nobel Committee quietly remove President Donald Trump's name from the list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize?...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 18/08/2025
Fact Check: AI Image Shows European Leaders Waiting On Chairs In White House Corridor -- Not Real Photograph
leadstories.com
Fact Check: AI Image Shows European Leaders Waiting On Chairs In White House Corridor -- Not Real Photograph
Does a viral image authentically show several European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen sitting on chairs in a White House corridor? No, that's not true: The image did not appear on any news sites. It contained...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Stories from @leadstories.com: Now also via Yahoo! News... www.yahoo.com/news/article...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Will Oremus @willoremus.com · 04/08/2025
Meta fired its fact-checkers, citing concerns of liberal bias, and replaced them with a version of X's "Community Notes." How's that going? Well, my coworker @geoffreyfowler.bsky.social proposed 65 fact-checks debunking false posts... and only 3 got approved. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
washingtonpost.com
Column | Zuckerberg fired the fact-checkers. We tested their replacement.
Our tech columnist drafted 65 community notes, Meta’s new crowdsourced system to fight falsehoods. It failed to make a dent.
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Curious about the case of missing hikers "Sarah Bennett" and "Andrew Miller"? * Google gives you two bogus videos, a summary of the fake story and a link to it on Facebook above the fact check that explains it is all fake. * Bing gives you the fact check in position one * So does DuckDuckGo
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 21/07/2025
Fact Check: Trump Organization Epstein Letter Image Does NOT Match Description In Wall Street Journal -- Several Differences
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Trump Organization Epstein Letter Image Does NOT Match Description In Wall Street Journal -- Several Differences
Does a viral image match the description of the birthday note Donald Trump sent to Jeffrey Epstein as given in a July 17, 2025 Wall Street Journal story? No, that's not true: Several elements in the image do not match...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 16/07/2025
Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show July 2025 Texas Flooding In Which '14 Childern' Were Among 'At Least 60 Dead' -- Viral Video Mixes AI Video With Clips From Non-Texas Floods
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show July 2025 Texas Flooding In Which '14 Childern' Were Among 'At Least 60 Dead' -- Viral Video Mixes AI Video With Clips From Non-Texas Floods
Does a viral video of flood scenes include real clips of the 2025 Independence Day Weekend flooding in Kerr County, Texas? No, that's not true: The opening scene is an obvious product of generative AI. None of the clips in...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 16/07/2025
Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Trump Stealing a Club World Cup Player's Medal
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Trump Stealing a Club World Cup Player's Medal
Did a video show U.S. President Donald Trump stealing the winner's medal of a player after the football Club World Cup Final in July 2025? No, that's not true: The medal in Trump's hands was earlier given to him by...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 13/07/2025
Fact Check: FAKE 'Sheriff Larry Leda Applying For Green Card For Mexican Rescue Team' Video Misspells Name -- No Media Reports
leadstories.com
Fact Check: FAKE 'Sheriff Larry Leda Applying For Green Card For Mexican Rescue Team' Video Misspells Name -- No Media Reports
Is a viral video a real news report about a "Sheriff Larry Leda" saying he'd apply for a green card for the Mexican rescue team that saved his family? No, that's not true: The footage in the viral video came...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Maarten Schenk @mschenk.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Comparing Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo on a recent fake story about a "Sheriff Larry Leda": Google: AI Overview repeating the false claim, fact check in 9th position. Bing: Fact check in 1st position DuckDuckGo: Fact check in 1st position But sure, stop using ClaimReview, Google...
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Reposted by Chelsea J. Carter
Lead Stories @leadstories.com · 10/07/2025
Fact Check: Image Claiming Kamala Harris Got 68M Votes Does NOT Correctly Represent 2024 Election Results
leadstories.com
Fact Check: Image Claiming Kamala Harris Got 68M Votes Does NOT Correctly Represent 2024 Election Results
Did Democratic nominee and then-sitting Vice President Kamala Harris get 68 million votes in 2024? No, that's not true: In reality, she got more than 75 million, according to data on the Federal Election Commission website. That's fewer than Joe...
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