Episodes
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Trump promised 'no more wars'. His foreign policy tells another story
Donald Trump promised an “America First” foreign policy and pledged to keep the US out of foreign wars. But since returning to the White House, his administration has been deeply involved in conflicts around the world. From the war in Ukraine and threats to Greenland and Canada, to the US...
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Protests in Europe: Fact-checking viral videos amid claims of 'chaos'
As young people protest poor school conditions and the rising cost of living across Europe, misleading videos are spreading online. Footage from Poland in 2017, military preparations in Portugal and a protest in Argentina have all been falsely presented as recent demonstrations in Europe…
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Israel's Ben-Gvir shares AI videos mocking Gazans as 'donkeys' and sending them to Paris
Israel's far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is using AI-generated videos to mock Palestinians and push political messages ahead of the Israeli general election, including videos magically transporting Gazans to Paris or calling them "donkeys" for choosing to stay. One video has sparked an online...
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Trump exploits France riots to push false immigration claims ahead of midterms
US President Donald Trump and his inner circle are using unrest in France to push unsubstantiated claims blaming the riots on immigration, even showing French protest footage at midterm rallies. But there is no evidence linking immigration to the unrest, and it's prompted French President…
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'I'm alive': Paris street medic isn't dead, despite viral claims he was killed by police
A video showing French riot police violently beating a 26-year-old street medic in Paris has gone viral, with social media users falsely claiming he died from his injuries. But the street medic is alive, and spoke to FRANCE 24. The rumour was fuelled by confusion with a separate incident that…
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France riots: AI photos falsely depict elderly couple 'stripped and robbed'
AI-generated photos falsely claiming to show an elderly couple being "stripped and robbed" during unrest in France have racked up millions of views. Amplified by far-right accounts, the images fuelled inflammatory claims about Muslims, Jews and the riots. The FRANCE 24 Observers traced one image…
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Fake AI images of protester go viral after woman punched at Trump's Ohio rally
A protester who heckled US President Donald Trump at his midterm rally in Youngstown, Ohio, was physically assaulted and removed from the event, but fake AI-generated photos recreating the incident are going viral online. The images carry digital watermarks identifying them as AI-generated. While...
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Trump sparks outrage over AI tiger video after sharing footage of fatal UK attack
US President Donald Trump has sparked outrage after sharing the distressing footage of a 23-year-old man with mental illness being fatally mauled by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK, captioned "Don't ever mess with nature!" This was followed hours later by an AI-generated video of...
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Have Ukrainian strikes on Yandex data centres hit Russian online disinformation?
After recent Ukrainian bombings of Russian data centres belonging to Yandex, internet users claim to have noticed a sharp reduction in pro-Russian and far-right populist social media content. They suggest the reduction is a direct result of the strikes cutting off Russian disinformation "bots".…
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No, these pictures do not show the Houthi attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid Airport
As Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport suffers a string of deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, a slew of AI-generated or decontextualised videos and photos have been circulating on social media, purporting to show the strikes of the last few days. We take a closer look…
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No, the French army did not deploy tanks against protesting students
France's student protests have sparked a wave of misleading content online. A viral TikTok falsely claimed the French army had deployed an armoured vehicle against protesters, when it was actually returning to a nearby military base. Other posts recycle 2023 footage of retirement protests as...
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White House promotes 'Trump TV' with AI-altered photo
The White House has promoted "Trump TV" using an AI-altered photo of passengers apparently watching the president's new streaming channel. But the image was originally posted online in February 2023, showing passengers watching the NFL Super Bowl, with one watching the film "Hitch". The original...
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Russian lab worker's death sparks plague fears as unverified claims spread online
The death of a 28-year-old Russian lab worker at Siberia's Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute has sparked online panic about a "plague, despite the WHO assessing the public health risk in Russia as low. Unverified claims about how the worker became ill, including a laboratory accident…
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'France has fallen': Far-right figures fuel Islamophobic claims with false student protest videos
France's student protests have become the target of a wave of false and misleading videos shared by far-right figures, including Alex Jones and Tommy Robinson. Old footage and unrelated videos have been shared to portray the demonstrations as evidence of an "anti-white" or Islamist uprising…
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AI deepfake of BBC report falsely links Indians to FlyDubai hijacking attempt
False videos are circulating after the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv. One fake "BBC" report falsely claims an Indian passenger was behind the incident and links him to the stabbed pilot, Smit Machchhar. The video though, is an AI-generated deepfake: the BBC...
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Meet 'America': Trump's AI chatbot changes answers after challenging his claims
US President Donald Trump has launched "America", an AI chatbot designed as a digital portal for US government information. But its responses appear to be changing. The chatbot initially challenged several of Trump's claims, including on the 2020 election and inflation, providing evidence and...
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Public service announcement or Trump propaganda?
The White House calls them public service announcements, like those used in past administrations. But almost everyone else doesn't agree, with three taxpayer-funded advertisements that glorify US President Donald Trump drawing criticism from across the partisan divide. Legal experts say the ads...
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RAF Fairford: AI-enhanced photos of suspects fuel false claims about their religion
Five men arrested over a suspected bomb plot at RAF Fairford have been released on bail as investigations continue. Meanwhile, AI-enhanced images purporting to show their faces have gone viral, with some users claiming this "proves" the men are Muslim. SynthID confirms the sharpened images were...
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'Send in the Clowns': Viral video fuels claims Denmark trolled Trump and Rubio
A viral video claims Danish officials played Judy Collins's "Send in the Clowns" as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived for a Greenland signing ceremony, sparking claims of Danish "trolling". Our checks of separate livestreams confirm the song really played and the video was not…
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Fact-checking Trump's speech at the United Nations General Assembly
Donald Trump's UN address was packed with claims that are misleading, false or exaggerated. He said the US has more munitions than it could ever use, despite reports of depleting stocks. He also claimed the US and Venezuela hold 60 percent of the world's oil, despite the numbers not adding up…
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Viral NATO video falsely framed as 'war propaganda' against Russia
A viral NATO video is being falsely framed online as "war propaganda", with users accusing the Alliance of sharing a "promotional video" designed to prepare the public for imminent war with Russia. But the footage is not new: NATO published it in July 2024 for its 75th anniversary, and it's been...
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Ed Sheeran hit by viral false claims after Macklemore controversy
Ed Sheeran's controversial US tour has sparked a wave of viral rumours. A false claim that his music was removed from Spotify racked up more than 3 million views on X, despite his music remaining available. Another video, viewed over 14 million times, falsely suggested Sheeran was now defiantly...
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US Midterms: Russian disinformation campaign targets Democrats
With US midterm elections now less than two months away, a series of videos have surfaced online, featuring celebrities seemingly denouncing the Democrats. However, the clips are fake, and were created using AI, as FRANCE 24's Charlotte Hughes explains.
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Viral Putin, Modi and Xi selfie at BRICS summit is AI-generated
A viral selfie allegedly showing leaders including, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra at the BRICS summit in New Delhi is AI-generated. A SynthID watermark shows it was created using OpenAI tools. Several leaders pictured, including...
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Yemen: Fact-checking videos claiming to show Houthi rebel attacks
A video claiming to show Houthi rebels ambushing Saudi-backed mercenaries has racked up major views on X. But the FRANCE 24 Observers found it is actually footage of 2024 Houthi military drills. The clip was edited with football commentary and blurred flags, which originally show Israel, the UK…
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Meta tests out putting fact-checking in users’ hands across Latin America
Meta is expanding its shift away from professional fact-checking. The tech giant announced it's trialling it's crowdsourced "Community Notes" system across 16 countries in Latin America. Meta says the system will only fully roll out once it is confident it works, but critics warn that with...
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Trump claims firefighters carried him to safety ‘right after’ 9/11, but his account is disputed
As the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the press over coverage questioning where he was. This week, he said two firefighters carried him to safety near the US Steel Building right after the attacks, though he later said that he wasn’t at the World...
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No, UN chief Guterres did not call Francesca Albanese 'out of control'
Pro-Israel lobby group UN Watch has alleged that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to Francesca Albanese, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Palestine, as "out of control", saying he'd previously called her a "horrible woman". But Guterres named no one in his remarks. He said "many"...
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US-Iran war: Old videos falsely claim to show new attacks on American bases
As US-Iran hostilities flare up and strikes resume, so has a wave of misinformation online. Old and unrelated videos are flooding social media, falsely presented as footage of new attacks. As tensions escalate, clips filmed in Dubai, Russia and the US have been misrepresented as Iranian strikes…
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Google Maps changes Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' as MapQuest downloads surge
Lake Ontario is now appearing as "Lake America" on Google Maps for US users, following US President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the lake. Canadians still see "Lake Ontario", while users elsewhere see both names. But the change is far from universal: Apple Maps and MapQuest continue…
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Nepal disaster: Fake and AI images flood social media as deaths mount
As deadly floods hit the Nepal-China border, social media is being inundated with fake and misleading footage. In Truth or Fake, Vedika Bahl goes through viral videos falsely linked to the disaster, including AI-generated content and old recycled footage from India, Chile and Alaska. Some posts...
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Trump changes Reflecting Pool ‘gash’ size again, but offers no evidence
When announcing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool had been drained again, US President Donald Trump doubled down on his vandalism claims, but his latest account raises fresh questions. Online, Trump said the alleged "slashes" stretched for 300 yards, after previously describing them as 250…
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No evidence Mitch McConnell’s ‘proof of life’ photo is fake or AI-generated
Following weeks of speculation over his health after he hadn’t been seen in weeks, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell shared a "proof of life" photo showing himself alive and well in an apparent bid to silence the rumours. Instead, it fuelled a fresh wave of conspiracy theories.
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Gianni Infantino under fire as viral claims drag European Parliament into FIFA row
Viral claims with millions of views falsely claim the European Parliament has launched a probe into FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. In reality, 72 MEPs penned a letter to EU football associations, urging them to seek a formal FIFA review into the controversial Balogun red card reversal. No probe has...
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FIFA World Cup: Fake racism videos go viral as players, fans face real abuse
AI-generated fake videos, viral hoaxes and real racism are colliding at the FIFA World Cup. From a fabricated Ronald Koeman rant and false claims targeting Algerian fans to the racist abuse of Kylian Mbappé and FIFA investigations, misinformation is spreading alongside genuine discrimination....
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Egypt files FIFA complaint as Argentina's ‘rigged’ World Cup claims go viral
Egypt has filed a formal complaint with FIFA after its controversial World Cup exit to Argentina, accusing officials of “double standards” and demanding the removal of the referee and his team. Egypt led 2-0 before Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, with controversy centred on a VAR decision...
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Viral AI fakes flood social media as Iran mourns Khamenei
International news agencies documented huge crowds at former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral procession in Tehran. But alongside genuine images of mourners, AI-generated videos and photos falsely claiming to show the event have spread widely online. Some exaggerate the size of the...
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‘Restraining order needed’: Trump shares doctored Meloni meme to reignite feud
On the eve of a key NATO summit, US Presient Donald Trump reignited his feud with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by sharing a doctored image on Truth Social, captioned “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED.” The altered image is based on genuine G7 footage but changes Meloni's facial expression to…
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Austria-Algeria draw sparks World Cup match fixing allegations online
Austria and Algeria's dramatic 3-3 World Cup draw sparked online claims that the match was fixed to send both teams into the knockout stage at Iran's expense. Conspiracy theories, misleading videos and fake FIFA notices have fuelled the speculation, with some dubbing it the "Disgrace of Kansas...
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Fact-checking Trump's birthright citizenship claims
The US Supreme Court has dealt a major blow to President Donald Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship, ruling that children born in the US are citizens under the Constitution regardless of their parents' immigration status. The decision also casts fresh scrutiny on Trump's repeated claims…
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Trump mocked for posting 'tacky' AI golden eagle on White House balcony
Ahead of America's 250th anniversary, US President Donald Trump shared what appears to be an AI-generated image of a giant golden eagle mounted on the White House's Truman Balcony. Google detected a SynthID watermark, while photos taken after the post showed no eagle in place. Reposted by…
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Venezuela earthquakes: Old footage and AI fakes exploit disaster online
As rescue efforts continue in Venezuela after the twin earthquakes, social media has been flooded with misleading videos falsely claiming to show the devastation. Viral clips have been recycled from disasters in other countries, old footage from Venezuela presented as current and AI-generated...
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World Cup 'Pride Match': FIFA refuses to ban rainbow flags despite Iran, Egypt objections
FIFA has rejected calls from Iran and Egypt to ban rainbow flags at their World Cup match in Seattle on Friday, despite both countries objecting to local Pride-themed celebrations linked to the fixture. FIFA says LGBTQ+ flags are permitted at all World Cup games under its Code of Conduct, despite...
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Did Qatar's prime minister 'snub' JD Vance? Doha, Washington deny claim
A viral clip from the first round of US-Iran peace talks in Switzerland has fuelled online speculation that US Vice President JD Vance was snubbed by Qatar’s prime minister, after users claimed the video showed him "ignore" Vance in favour of greeting Pakistan's prime minister. The Qatari PM,...
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Trump, without proof, blames 'vandalism' as Reflecting Pool turns green again
With algae-green water and blue peeling paint, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is set to be drained again, despite US President Donald Trump's recent renovation costing over $14 million. Trump has blamed the problems on "vandalism," claiming a 350-foot gash was deliberately cut into the…
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'Messi is the enemy of Allah': World Cup hoax falsely blames Algerian fans for chant
Lionel Messi is now the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, after scoring twice on Monday against Austria in the 2026 World Cup. But his first match, where he scored a hat-trick against Algeria, saw some online controversy. According to internet users, Algerian fans allegedly targeted him...
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Did a Hitler lookalike really attend Germany's World Cup game?
The World Cup is well underway across North America, bringing its usual mix of spectacular goals, historic upsets and colourful stadium crowds. But alongside the genuine celebrations, a wave of manipulated media is flooding social media. From a fake Hitler lookalike to hyper-realistic female...
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Misleading images turn Iran's World Cup debut into a political flashpoint
As Iran began its World Cup campaign amidst a tense political climate, a wave of misleading images and claims have spread online about the team allegedly making political statements. One photo falsely claimed to show an Iranian player carrying a pink school backpack in tribute to Iranian...
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Fact-checking claims that Macron 'snubbed' Trump at G7 summit
With the G7 summit underway in France, some social media users are claiming that French leader Emmanuel Macron deliberately "humiliated" US President Donald Trump by not being there to greet him upon his arrival at the airport. Many posts shared a video showing Trump disembarking an aircraft and...