Claim: US Marshals have arrested Bill Gates and charged him with “war crimes against humanity”; he is now being held under armed watch at Guantanamo Bay. The text is attributed to the Washington Post. An accompanying photo shows Gates strapped to a gurney. Fact: Gates has not been arrested and the accompanying photo has been […]
Claim: Afghan singer Hasiba Noori was shot dead by unknown assailants in Peshawar in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Fact: There is no truth to the claim. Hasiba Noori has released a video statement saying that she is alive. Police in Peshawar and Quetta have also denied receiving information about any such targeted killing. On 17 […]
Claim: A picture shows a car on fire amid riots in Belgium over the June 2023 police killing of Nahel M in Paris, France. Fact: The picture is unrelated to the June 2023 France protests and is, in fact, from football fans engaging in arson in Amsterdam following Morocco’s win over Belgium in the 2022 […]
Claim: A video shows Algerians atop the Monument à la République in Paris as riots erupted in France over the killing of an Algerian teenager in June 2023. Fact: The video is unrelated to the June 2023 protests in France and is actually from the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations against former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. On […]
Claim: Leaked audio picked up by search and rescue officials has been released, with banging sounds from the ill-fated Titan submersible being heard. Fact: The leaked audio has no basis in reality. Neither the US Coast Guard nor the Canadian authorities released any audio. On 21 June 2023, Facebook page ‘Frankie Olivo’ posted a video […]
Claim: A picture shows three stunt doubles of Tom Cruise. Fact: The men are not the stunt doubles of Tom Cruise. In fact, the picture is AI-generated. On 8 June 2023, Instagram account @fhmpakistan posted a picture (archive) showing what the magazine claims are “three stunt doubles” of Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. @fhmpakistan captioned the […]
Claim: Geo News reported in one of their news bulletins that hospital sources have confirmed Khadijah Shah was sexually assaulted in prison. Fact: The visual is manipulated and the editor of Geo News’ Urdu website has confirmed that it is a doctored image. On 28 May 2023, Facebook user ‘Imtiaz Hussain Pti’ posted two pictures […]
Claim: A viral WhatsApp message claims that Michael Jackson’s unreleased last song was about Hajj and that Saudi Arabia bought the rights from the US. Fact: Michael Jackson did not record this song, but Pakistani-Canadian singer Irfan Makki. It was uploaded on YouTube in 2012. The other claim that it was bought by Saudi Arabia […]
Claim: The missing submersible Titan was found empty. Fact: A CNN spokesperson has confirmed that the image was fabricated. The screenshot is, therefore, doctored. On 21 June 2023, Facebook page ‘Swagteamondeck’ posted a reel (archive) containing a screenshot allegedly from a CNN report, claiming that a submersible named Titan, which went missing a few days […]
Claim: Instagram user @feella.artx has claimed that a March 2023 report is proof the UN has called for the decriminalisation of sexual relations between adults and minors. Fact: The claim is false. A report prepared by the ICJ, UNAIDS, and the OHCHR provides a guideline on the application of criminal laws. It includes suggestions on […]
Claim: A photo shows the badly-bruised back of a female PTI supporter who was tortured in custody following a government crackdown on the party in response to protests over Imran Khan’s arrest. Fact: The image shows the back of a woman who was tortured at a dance event in Peshawar in 2021. It is unrelated […]
Claim: A photo shows Khadijah Shah wearing sweatpants and a cropped top while posing on a rooftop. Fact: The image does not show Khadijah Shah but Elnaaz Norouzi, an Iranian-German actor and model. On 24 May 2023, Facebook page ‘REALITY.of life’ uploaded a post (archive) comprising two pictures, one showing a woman prisoner in police […]