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Fact check

Viral fake news on social media, false claims on COVID-19 or disinformation on elections — DW's Fact check team debunks, explains and uses in-depth research techniques to separate fact from fiction.

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Screenshots of three examples that did not happen in 2024: An AI-generated video of a dead Indian politician, Macron's alleged affair on a boat trip, and crickets in chocolate.

Screenshots of three examples that did not happen in 2024: An AI-generated video of a dead Indian politician, Macron's alleged affair on a boat trip, and crickets in chocolate.

Fact check: The strangest fakes of 2024

Diapers for Trump, migrants eating pets, crickets in chocolate — all fake news! Here are DW's strangest fakes of 2024.

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Fact check: What were the most bizarre fakes of 2024?

From diapers in the US election campaign, migrants allegedly eating pets and crickets in chocolate — none of this happened this year. Here are DW's picks of the strangest fakes from 2024.

Alice Weidel gesturing during a speech

Alice Weidel gesturing during a speech

Fact check: Far-right AfD supporters spread false survey

Germany's federal elections are around the corner. Some supporters use false surveys to further their party's cause.

Fighters from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA)

Fighters from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA)

Fact check: Do these images prove violence in Syria?

Numerous gruesome images online purport to show violence and murder in Syria. DW reviewed some of them.

People gather at the Saydnaya prison in Damascus looking for loved ones, on Tuesday, December 10, 2024

People gather at the Saydnaya prison in Damascus looking for loved ones, on Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Fact check: Misleading claims about Syria's Saydnaya Prison

Images and videos allegedly showing the Saydnaya prisoners flooded the internet. DW analyzed some viral claims.

Old images show a plane crash and an image of Assad with his wife in Aleppo, labelled False

Old images show a plane crash and an image of Assad with his wife in Aleppo, labelled False

Fact check: Fakes surrounding Assad's escape to Moscow

A lack of recent images or videos of Syria's toppled ruler Bashar Assad is fueling speculation about his fate.

Screenshot of an X-account that shows two wax figures at the Ebrat Museum in Tehran in a torture scene

Screenshot of an X-account that shows two wax figures at the Ebrat Museum in Tehran in a torture scene

Fact check: Image does not show torture in Syria

A viral image comes from a wax museum in Iran that shows the brutality of the Shah regime against political dissidents.

A screenshot of a social media post on X claiming Zelenskyy bought a luxury hotel in France

A screenshot of a social media post on X claiming Zelenskyy bought a luxury hotel in France

Fact check: No, Zelenskyy didn't buy a luxury hotel

False claims about Volodymyr Zelenskyy buying a luxury hotel are the latest attempts to discredit Ukraine's president.

Collage of three screenshots with claims made on social media

Collage of three screenshots with claims made on social media

Fact check: False claims on Syria war go viral

DW checks the facts as viral claims circulate about the escalation in fighting in Syria.

People walking on a street covered with a red liquid

People walking on a street covered with a red liquid

Fact check: AI images show fake aftermath of Khan protests

Chaos and confusion have follower the pro-Khan protests in Pakistan. AI-generated images are heightening the tension.

Screenshot of a social media threat showing a video in the middle of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking. The video has the words "Nuclear Deterrence" underneath. It is labelled as "Misleading"

Screenshot of a social media threat showing a video in the middle of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking. The video has the words "Nuclear Deterrence" underneath. It is labelled as "Misleading"

Fact check: Is Putin threatening to use nuclear weapons?

Videos allegedly showing Putin's response to Biden's decision on the use of US missiles are circulating on social media.

A screenshot of an ADL page listing Christian Identitarianism as an extremist, terrorist and bigoted movement

A screenshot of an ADL page listing Christian Identitarianism as an extremist, terrorist and bigoted movement

Fact check: ADL did not classify Christianity as 'terrorist'

According to an X post gone viral, the Anti-Defamation League has classified Christianity as a "terrorist" group.

Overcrowded boat on the Mediterranean

Overcrowded boat on the Mediterranean

African migration to Europe: A fact check

Overloaded smugglers' boats risking the journey from Africa to Europe are only a small part of the bigger picture.

A compilation of several X-accounts

A compilation of several X-accounts

Fact check: Suspicious accounts influencing COP29 debates

Azerbaijan sees itself as a good host and green pioneer. This positive image is also being fueled by dubious X accounts.

DW Fact checking Screenshots with abbreviated statements on the penalty order against Detlef Gürth

DW Fact checking Screenshots with abbreviated statements on the penalty order against Detlef Gürth

Fact Check: Musk's criticism of German judiciary unfounded

Musk commented on a fine imposed on German politician Detlef Gürth, who made disparaging remarks about migrants.

DW AfricaLink

DW AfricaLink

Combating disinformation and misinformation in Africa

Josey Mahachi talks to Rabiu Alhassan of FactSpace West Africa and Roselena Ahiable of Dubawa Ghana.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte giving a speech, speaking from a NATO branded podium

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte giving a speech, speaking from a NATO branded podium

Fact check: Has NATO chief Rutte threatened to expel US?

Rumors are spreading that NATO's chief has threatened to expel the US from the bloc if Trump abandons Ukraine to Russia.

A screenshot from a video showing riots, with the word False written in the top right corner

A screenshot from a video showing riots, with the word False written in the top right corner

Fact check: Amsterdam video doesn't show attack on Israelis

A video of riots following the game between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv was misrepresented by media outlets.

A bundle of notes

A bundle of notes

Fact check: Does lifting debt brake defy an oath of office?

Germany's former finance minister said suspending the country's debt brake would violate his oath. It's not that simple.

US-Wahl 2024 Donald Trump Kamala Harris Reaktionen

US-Wahl 2024 Donald Trump Kamala Harris Reaktionen

Fact check: Did Donald Trump cheat in the US election?

Following Donald Trump's huge electoral win, the hashtag #TrumpCheated trended on social media. What do the facts say?

A photo of the accounts of Donald Trump and Elon Musk on X

A photo of the accounts of Donald Trump and Elon Musk on X

Fact check: Disinformation's impact on the US election

Mis- and disinformation spread like wildfire on social media platforms. Did this sway the vote?

US-Wahl 2024 | Palm Beach | Donald Trump und Melania nach Stimmabgabe

US-Wahl 2024 | Palm Beach | Donald Trump und Melania nach Stimmabgabe

Fact check: Trump repeats false US election fraud claim

Donald Trump has claimed that the US presidential election is being rigged in Philadelphia. Here's a DW debunking.

Voters express their position at the Crown Gardens Community Center polling station

Voters express their position at the Crown Gardens Community Center polling station

Fact Check: Google did not only show maps to Harris voters

Elon Musk shared a video in which Google shows maps to voting sites for people searching for "Harris," but not "Trump."

A photo of a mobile phone that shows Donald Trump's X account

A photo of a mobile phone that shows Donald Trump's X account

AI-driven bot network tried to help Trump win US election

A bot network has been drumming up support for Donald Trump on social media platform X shortly before the US elections.

New Hampshire poll workers review voting documents as voters check in for the state primary

New Hampshire poll workers review voting documents as voters check in for the state primary

Fact check: Can noncitizens vote in US elections?

False claims alleging that Canadians can simply cross the border to cast their ballots have gone viral.

X owner Elon Musk jumps next to Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump during a campaign rally

X owner Elon Musk jumps next to Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump during a campaign rally

Fact check: Elon Musk spreads US election lies

X owner Elon Musk is amplifying false claims about the US election and shaping public opinion. A look at three claims.

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Fact check: Truths and fakes about Harris and Trump 

From sexism, to agism and racism, DW Fact check looks at what narratives and claims have been spread about Kamala Harris and Donald Trump ahead of the US presidential election.

A large military plane in the sky drops aid packages attached to parachutes over a cloud-covered background

A large military plane in the sky drops aid packages attached to parachutes over a cloud-covered background

Fact check: Video doesn't show Hamas shooting at airdrops

A collage of two unrelated clips is going viral, falsely claiming to show Hamas fighters shooting at Gaza aid airdrops.

AI picture showing aircraft parked at an airport partly on fire

AI picture showing aircraft parked at an airport partly on fire

Fact check: AI images instead of real Beirut airport attack

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is also a battle of images — and not everything is real.

Fact check composite picture showing a sign with a mosque depicted on it lying on the ground. The image has the words "Disinformation against Muslims on the rise" and a blue tick mark.

Fact check composite picture showing a sign with a mosque depicted on it lying on the ground. The image has the words "Disinformation against Muslims on the rise" and a blue tick mark.

Fact check: Disinformation against Muslims on the rise

Hate comments against Muslims and migrants have increased sharply.

The damaged Gaza City headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza

The damaged Gaza City headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza

Fact check: Black ribbon on UNRWA logo not mourning Sinwar

Following Sinwar's death, X is awash with false claims that UNRWA added a black ribbon in mourning.

Soldiers stand on a boat bearing the German flag

Soldiers stand on a boat bearing the German flag

Fact check: NATO presence does not breach German law

Social media users say a German-led NATO naval unit in Rostock violates the reunification-era Two-Plus-Four Treaty.

A screenshot of at tweet by far-right AfD Brandenburg

A screenshot of at tweet by far-right AfD Brandenburg

Fact check: How AI influences election campaigns

Political parties use artificial intelligence to create alternative realities. How does that influence us?

A woman looking at the damage around here after Hurricane Milton

A woman looking at the damage around here after Hurricane Milton

Fact check: Are artificial hurricanes targeting Republicans?

Social media users claim hurricanes are being engineered to harm Republican strongholds and disrupt the US election.

A man looks over distruction brought on by Hurricane Helene

A man looks over distruction brought on by Hurricane Helene

Fact check: Viral claims on the Hurricane Helene disaster

Disinformation is spreading in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has killed over 230 people in six US states.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel

Do these videos show Iran's attack on Israel?

In the aftermath of Iran's attacks, videos have sprung up on social media. But some are in fact several years old.

Person depositing a vote

Person depositing a vote

Fact check: What's behind electoral fraud allegations

Right-wing politicians, parties and users often question the legitimacy of elections. Why?

Emergency responders assess the aftermath of an airstrike in a residential area, with damaged buildings, destroyed vehicles, and smoke rising in the background.

Emergency responders assess the aftermath of an airstrike in a residential area, with damaged buildings, destroyed vehicles, and smoke rising in the background.

Fact check: Images don't show Hezbollah strikes on Israel

Many images that claim to show the aftermath of Hezbollah attacks are fake.

Libanon Pager Walkie-Talkie Explosionen

Libanon Pager Walkie-Talkie Explosionen

Fact check: No iPhones or solar panels exploded in Lebanon

A wave of fake news is spreading online after Hezbollah members were attacked by exploding walkie-talkies and pagers.

Screenshot of an X-Post showing a television interview with Hillary Clinton on MSNBC. The user "End Wokeness" writes: "BREAKING: Hillary Clinton suggests jailing Americans for posting "misinformation" | "There needs to be a deterrence"

Screenshot of an X-Post showing a television interview with Hillary Clinton on MSNBC. The user "End Wokeness" writes: "BREAKING: Hillary Clinton suggests jailing Americans for posting "misinformation" | "There needs to be a deterrence"

Fact check: Did Clinton call for jail over misinformation?

Viral social media posts claim Hillary Clinton wants to jail Americans for spreading "misinformation." What did she say?

Two men and a woman standing next to a tree draped in caution tape

Two men and a woman standing next to a tree draped in caution tape

Fact check: Trump's would-be assassin with links to Ukraine?

Viral posts claim Ryan R., detained in Trump's assassination attempt, has ties to BlackRock and fought in Ukraine.

close up of woman dancing during a Vodou ceremony.

close up of woman dancing during a Vodou ceremony.

Fact check: Disinformation targets Haitian migrants

Disinformation against Haitian migrants is now baselessly connecting the pet-eating accusations to Vodou rituals.

The presidential debate between US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump shows on a screen in Mexico. In the background are rows of tents. A man walks past.

The presidential debate between US Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump shows on a screen in Mexico. In the background are rows of tents. A man walks past.

Fact check: Harris-Trump presidential debate claims debunked

The debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was full of false and misleading claims. DW debunks fact from fiction.

Close-up of a house mosquito

Close-up of a house mosquito

Fact check: Bill Gates linked to US encephalitis outbreak?

Social media users are speculating about the involvement of Bill Gates in the EEE outbreak. DW looks at the facts.

A screenshot of a video showing a man with a hammer at an airport and the label "False"

A screenshot of a video showing a man with a hammer at an airport and the label "False"

Fact check: No ax attack at Düsseldorf Airport

A TikTok video claims a man allegedly went on a rampage with an ax at Düsseldorf Airport. But the scene is from Chile.

Riot police defend a Mosque in Sunderland

Riot police defend a Mosque in Sunderland

Islamophobia surges online as Europe struggles to respond

Far-right figures misuse recent stabbings in Solingen and Southport to push conspiracy theories and incite hate.

Bangladesch | Hochwasser in Feni

Bangladesch | Hochwasser in Feni

Fact check: India did not cause "artificial" flooding

Many are blaming India for causing floods in Bangladesh that have displaced more than five million people. Is it true?

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz hold hands and wave at the crowd at a campaign rally

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz hold hands and wave at the crowd at a campaign rally

Fact check: Tim Walz targeted by misinformation online

Since his nomination, Tim Walz, the democratic VP candidate, has been the subject of misinformation on social media.

An electron microscope image of Mpox virus particles

An electron microscope image of Mpox virus particles

Fact check: No link between mpox and COVID vaccination

Misinformation online links the current mpox outbreak to COVID-19 vaccines. What is the truth behind the claims?

A screen showing a fake video of former US President Barack Obama, overlaid with software elements of facial mapping

A screen showing a fake video of former US President Barack Obama, overlaid with software elements of facial mapping

Fact check: How do I spot audio deepfakes?

Audio deepfakes are considered a major disinformation threat and are difficult to debunk. These tips can help.