We are monitoring social media, national and international media, and fact-checking websites in order to share the Fake News making the rounds each week.
The world of news is complex – and false stories and images are often widely shared on social media. Blasting News’s editorial team spots the most popular hoaxes and misleading information every week to help you discern truth from falsehood. Here is some of the most popular fake news of the week from around the world. Don't be fooled!
Please send us fake news tips or claims to check at this email: factcheck@blastingnews.com or at this BlueSky account @bnfactcheck.bsky.social: Read this page for our submission guidelines.
✨AI summary:
- Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are not leaving the U.S.: Claims they moved abroad after Trump’s election are false; both reside in the U.S.
- Elon Musk is not buying Ford: False rumors claim Musk acquired Ford, stemming from a Tesla-Ford EV charging collaboration.
- Indonesia's glass bridge images are doctored: Viral video claiming to show a Bromo bridge is actually footage of China’s Ruyi Bridge.
- Climate graph is not disproving warming: A graph misused to dismiss human-caused warming ignores recent rapid temperature rise linked to human activity.
- Disinformation spreads like a virus: False information spreads like a virus; strategies like "prebunking" help reduce its impact.
No, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are not leaving the U.S. following Trump’s election
The Lie: Several posts on social media - Facebook (Archive) Threads (Archive) - claim that Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish left the United States after Trump won the elections.
According to these posts, Swift moved to Canada, while Eilish left the country and “turned down an Oscar nomination.” Both claims are false.
Country: U.S.
Languages and outlets: English, social media
Where spotted: Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Threads
The Truth:
- These claims are entirely baseless. While both Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish have endorsed Kamala Harris and criticized Donald Trump, they have never mentioned on their social media or in interviews that they planned to leave the United States.
- An analysis of the two singers' online activity in the last few weeks does not support these claims. Taylor Swift’s primary residence is in Nashville, Tennessee, while Billie Eilish is based in Highland Park, Los Angeles. Swift also owns a house in London.
- The claim that Eilish turned down an Oscar nomination is also baseless. Eilish, together with her brother Finneas O'Connell, won Oscars for Best Original Song in 2022 and 2024.
- After Donald Trump won the elections, a small group of Democratic supporters—including some celebrities like Eva Longoria—stated that they might leave the United States before Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2024. Eva Longoria later clarified, “I didn’t leave because of the political environment. I left because my work took me there.” In a previous comment, she had expressed frustration, referring to the U.S. as a “dystopian country.”
Elon Musk didn’t buy Ford
The Lie: Social media posts - Post 1 Facebook (Archive), Post 2 Facebook (Archive) - claim that Elon Musk acquired Ford, with headlines like “Elon Musk surprises the world with Ford acquisition.” These posts suggest the Tesla CEO and Donald Trump consultant made the announcement in a groundbreaking move for the automotive industry.
The claim is false.
Country: U.S.
Languages and outlets: English, social media
Where spotted: Facebook, Twitter
The Truth:
- This claim is entirely unfounded. Ian Thibodeau, a spokesperson for Ford, confirmed that the story is “totally false.” There are no credible announcements or news reports to support the claim. Neither Elon Musk nor Ford has posted such information on their official websites or social media platforms.
- A review of recent activity on Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) profile, Tesla’s website, and Ford’s channels reveals no indication of an acquisition. Ford CEO Jim Farley’s social media posts similarly make no mention of this.
- This rumor may stem from Ford's May 2023 announcement of a partnership with Tesla, allowing Ford EV owners to use Tesla charging stations. However, this collaboration does not imply any ownership change.
No, the video does not show Indonesia's new glass bridge in Bromo
The Lie: A video circulating on social media claims to depict the newly opened glass bridge at Mount Bromo in Indonesia.
The footage shows a curved glass bridge set against a mountainous backdrop, suggesting it is the latest tourist attraction in the Bromo area. This claim is false and the video is AI generated.
Country: Indonesia
Languages and outlets: Indonesian, social media
Where spotted: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter)
The Truth:
- The video in question actually features the Ruyi Bridge, located in the Shenxianju scenic area of Taizhou, Zhejiang province, China. This bridge, known for its distinctive curved design and partial glass decks, was inaugurated in September 2020. It spans 100 meters across the Shenxianju Valley and is situated at a height of 140 meters.
- In contrast, the Seruni Point Bridge at Mount Bromo, which opened in August 2024, has a straight design and differs significantly from the bridge shown in the video. The misrepresentation likely arose due to the visual similarities between the two structures, leading to confusion among viewers.
No, a paleoclimate graph does not disprove human-induced global warming
The Lie: Social media posts - Facebook (Archive) - claim that a graph depicting temperature fluctuations over the past 400,000 years demonstrates that current climate changes are purely natural and not influenced by human activities.
These posts argue that recent temperature increases are part of Earth's natural cycles, rendering concerns about anthropogenic global warming unfounded. This claim is false.
Country: United States
Languages and outlets: English, social media
Where spotted: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
The Truth:
- The graph in question illustrates natural temperature variations associated with ice age cycles over hundreds of thousands of years. However, it does not account for the rapid temperature rise observed in the past 150 years. Climate scientists emphasize that the recent unprecedented warming correlates closely with increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
- Experts, including Professor Donald Canfield from the University of Southern Denmark, note that while natural climate fluctuations exist, they do not negate the significant impact humans have on the current warming trend. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states unequivocally that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.
- Misinterpreting paleoclimate data to dismiss human-induced climate change overlooks the substantial scientific evidence linking recent temperature increases to anthropogenic factors. Relying on such misrepresentations can hinder efforts to address the pressing challenges posed by global warming.
The research: Disinfo spreads like a virus
Sander van der Linden and David Robert Grimes use mathematical models from epidemiology, such as the SIR model, to explain how misinformation spreads online like a virus.
These models simulate how individuals become "infected" by false information and help predict its spread using metrics like the reproduction number (R0). Social media platforms often facilitate epidemic-like misinformation dissemination, driven by "superspreaders." Countermeasures include "psychological inoculation," or prebunking, which primes individuals to resist misinformation, similar to vaccinations. Studies, including those on election disinformation, show prebunking and other interventions can reduce misinformation's reach, helping address its societal harms.
