misinformation

Researchers at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public trace how the Wedgewood fake polls affair evolved from an apparent confession into a full-blown conspiracy narrative. Their analysis follows the story's spread across communities, showing how claims about fabricated polling data were reframed and amplified as the story moved online.

A Yale cancer specialist is addressing common misconceptions about childhood cancer, explaining what actually causes pediatric cancers and correcting widespread false beliefs about prevention, risk factors, and treatment. The commentary aims to reassure families and improve public understanding of how cancer affects children differently from adults, and why childhood cancer cannot be prevented through lifestyle changes the way some adult cancers can.

BLACKPINK's Lisa suffered her only real career backlash over her Crazy Horse cabaret performances in Paris, according to a widely shared post. The argument goes that she lost a large fandom in China not because she performed there, but because she failed to counter a wave of misinformation about the venue at the time, leaving her unable to defend the decision to Chinese fans.

A video showing crowds collecting iPhones washed ashore on a beach has circulated widely online, but Reuters fact-checkers confirm the footage is artificial intelligence generated. No such event took place, and the clip is the latest example of fabricated AI videos spreading on social media before viewers can verify their authenticity.

Reports are claiming that actor Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 86, with a follow-up story saying his cause of death has been revealed. Patrick Stewart is alive, so such a report would appear to be a celebrity death hoax or misinformation spreading online. Readers are urged to verify with reliable outlets before sharing.

The Center for Democracy and Technology has released a report examining how prediction markets, where users wager real money on electoral outcomes, could reshape the environment around US elections. The analysis weighs potential benefits, such as crowd-sourced forecasting, against concerns about misinformation, manipulation and gambling-style speculation influencing voter perceptions of races.

Brazilian scientist and science communicator Átila Iamarino argues that Covid-era denialism in Brazil was driven by commercial interests rather than genuine disbelief in science. His claim — summed up as 'it wasn't denialism, it was business' — has drawn massive public engagement, with people debating who profited from anti-science positions during the pandemic and how those interests shaped public health policy.

A widely shared video depicting an apparent incident has been confirmed as AI-generated and not real. AI detection responses note the footage shows clear signs of fabrication, including unnatural physics and editing jumps, and no Singapore news outlets report any matching incident. The clip highlights how modern AI-generated videos are often nearly indistinguishable from authentic footage to the naked eye, fuelling renewed warnings to verify sensational clips before sharing them.

Sacramento City Unified School District's Measure M is the subject of a fact check examining what the measure actually mandates and what it does not. The review, published by the Sacramento Bee, addresses claims circulating about the district's obligations under the measure, correcting misconceptions about its requirements and scope.

An old video has been recirculated and misrepresented as footage of Europe-inspired protests taking place in Canada. Fact-checking coverage notes that the clip does not show current demonstrations and that claims linking it to recent protest movements in the country are false. The item highlights how older footage continues to be repurposed to fuel narratives about protests spreading across Western countries.

CNN has published a fact-check rejecting claims that voting machines are switching or 'flipping' votes. The piece argues there is no credible evidence of such manipulation, pushing back on election-fraud narratives circulating online. It reflects ongoing media efforts to counter misinformation about election integrity and voting technology in the United States.

Officials and fact-checkers are warning that false information about voting is circulating with less than a week to go before Election Day. Reports focus on claims about polling procedures, registration deadlines and mail ballots that could confuse voters. Experts are urging people to verify voting details with official election sources before casting their ballots.

Security experts are warning that AI-generated deepfakes pose serious risks to consumers, voters and the wider public. They caution that convincing fake audio and video can be used for scams, fraud and election disinformation, and are urging stronger safeguards and greater public awareness as the technology becomes more accessible.

Health journalists have published expert answers to common questions about measles and respiratory virus vaccines. The piece addresses public concerns around vaccine safety, effectiveness and timing as respiratory illness season raises interest in immunisation. With measles cases continuing to appear in various regions and misinformation spreading online, health communicators are turning to specialists to provide clear, evidence-based guidance for the public.