All Fact Checks

Are Wind Turbines Responsible for Recent Whale Deaths?

Social media posts often claim that offshore wind farms are directly responsible for an increase in whale deaths along coastlines. The claim is misleading because there is no scientific evidence showing that operational offshore wind turbines are the primary cause of whale strandings. Marine scientists and government agencies report that whale deaths result from multiple factors, including vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglement, disease, changing ocean conditions, and environmental stress. While researchers continue monitoring the effects of offshore wind development on marine life, current evidence has not established a direct causal link between offshore wind farms and the reported whale mortality events.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

FALSEentertainment

Did Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Donate $5 Million to Rebuild Iranian Schools?

The claim is false. No credible evidence shows that Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce made such a donation. Investigations found the story originated from a network of AI-generated spam websites and coordinated social media pages that regularly publish fabricated celebrity philanthropy stories to generate engagement. Neither celebrity nor their representatives announced any such donation.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

FALSEtechnology

Can Artificial Intelligence Read Your Thoughts?

Social media posts often claim that modern artificial intelligence can read people's thoughts simply through smartphones, smart speakers, or cameras. This claim is false. Current AI systems cannot directly read a person's thoughts. Research laboratories have developed experimental brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies that use specialized equipment—such as implanted electrodes or non-invasive brain scanners—to interpret certain patterns of brain activity. These systems can sometimes identify simple words, intended movements, or images with limited accuracy under controlled conditions. They do not allow AI to freely access or read a person's thoughts, and they require the person's active participation and specialized hardware.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

MIXTUREtechnology

Does Airplane Mode Stop Your Phone From Being Tracked?

Many social media posts claim that enabling Airplane Mode makes your smartphone completely untraceable. This claim is only partially true. Airplane Mode disables most wireless communications, including cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth (unless Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are manually turned back on). This significantly limits real-time location tracking through cellular networks. However, it does not make a phone completely untrackable. If location services remain enabled, the phone stores location history locally, and tracking can resume once connectivity is restored. Additionally, GPS receivers can still determine the device's location even though they do not transmit it until a connection becomes available.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

FALSEscience

Can Humans Hear Sounds in Space?

A common claim on social media suggests that astronauts can hear sounds directly in outer space, including explosions, spacecraft engines, or planets. This claim is false. Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a medium—such as air, water, or a solid material—to travel. Since outer space is almost a perfect vacuum with extremely few particles, sound cannot propagate through it. Astronauts can hear sounds inside spacecraft because air is present there, and they can communicate through radios, which transmit electromagnetic waves rather than sound waves.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

MIXTUREscience

Did NASA Discover a New Planet That Could Support Human Life?

Claims on social media suggest that NASA has discovered a new planet that is ready to support human life. The claim contains some truth but lacks important context. NASA has discovered and confirmed thousands of exoplanets, including several located within the "habitable zone" of their stars, where liquid water could potentially exist. However, scientists have not confirmed that any of these planets currently support life or are suitable for human habitation. A planet being in the habitable zone does not mean it has breathable air, liquid water on its surface, or conditions necessary for humans to survive.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

FALSEhealth

Did the WHO Declare Coffee a Cause of Cancer?

Claims circulating on social media suggest that the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared that drinking coffee causes cancer. This claim is false. In 2016, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, reviewed more than 1,000 scientific studies and concluded that there is inadequate evidence to classify coffee drinking as carcinogenic. Instead, the agency removed coffee from its list of substances considered "possibly carcinogenic." However, it noted that consuming very hot beverages (above approximately 65°C/149°F), regardless of whether they contain coffee, tea, or other drinks, may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

MIXTUREhealth

Does Drinking Lemon Water Cure Kidney Stones?

Lemon juice contains citrate, which may help prevent some stones, but it does not reliably dissolve existing kidney stones.

FactBrief · Jul 5, 2026

MIXTUREpolitics

Counting Video Shows Election Fraud in UK By-Election?

The viral video is genuine and was recorded during the ballot count for the Makerfield by-election. However, claims that it proves election fraud are unsupported. Election officials explained that ballot counters often sort papers into stacks before tallying votes, meaning they do not need to look at every ballot individually during every stage of the process. The short clip lacks the full context of the counting procedure and does not demonstrate fraudulent activity.

FactBrief · Jul 4, 2026

FALSEpolitics

Tony Blair's Son Awarded a £100 Billion UK Digital ID Contract?

Social media posts falsely claimed that Euan Blair's company, Multiverse, received a £100 billion government contract to build and manage the UK's digital ID system. The UK Cabinet Office confirmed that the claim is untrue. Multiverse also stated it is an education technology company, not a digital identity provider, and has no role in designing or delivering any government digital ID programme. Additionally, there is no record of such a contract on the UK's public procurement register.

FactBrief · Jul 4, 2026

FALSEpolitics

Obama Presidential Center requires all visitors to show a photo ID

According to Reuters: A photo ID is NOT required for general admission to the center. ID is only needed in limited cases, such as proving Illinois residency for discounted or waived admission. The viral posts misrepresented the center's visitor policy to support a political argument about voter ID laws.

FactBrief · Jun 30, 2026