Tag Archives: TikTok

Did British Royal Family Warn Of A Major Announcement Soon?!

Did the British Royal Family just say there will be a major announcement soon?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Royal Family Will Make A Major Announcement Soon!

Some people are claiming that the British Royal Family will make a major announcement soon! Here are just some examples:

Global Eye News : The British Royal Family has said there will be a Major Announcement at any moment.

Recommended : Did Kate Middleton hint at divorce by not wearing wedding ring?!

 

No Evidence Royal Family Will Make A Major Announcement Soon!

This appears to be another example of fake news circulating on social media platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Royal Family Never Said There Will Be Major Announcement Soon

Let me start by simply pointing out that the British Royal Family has not said anything about a major announcement soon.

There was no announcement on its official website, or its official Instagram page, or any official sources.

There may, or may not be, a major announcement soon, but the British Royal Family has not said anything. It certainly did tell people to watch out for an impending major announcement!

Fact #2 : Royal Experts Never Said Anything Either

Not even the usual royal experts / commentators have said that the Royal Family is about to make a major announcement.

They would never have kept quiet about such a juicy gossip. Yet none of them confirmed that any major announcement was forthcoming from the Royal Family.

Recommended : Is Kate Middleton Planning To Retire From Royal Duties?!

Fact #3 : No One Offered Any Evidence

None of those who claimed that the British Royal Family “said there will be a Major Announcement” soon, or at any moment, actually provided any evidence to back up their claims.

That’s because it didn’t happen. Even those who should known better did not appear to have done any basic verification, before posting it on their social media accounts.

Or perhaps, they were merely interested in trolling or gaslighting people for traffic and engagement, because that’s what makes money!

Fact #4 : This Is Just Royal Family Fake News!

This appears to be yet another example of fake news about the British Royal family, like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Do Israelis get free healthcare + faster organ transplants in US?!

Do Israelis get free healthcare, and faster organ transplants in the US?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Israelis Get Free Healthcare + Faster Organ Transplants In US!

People are sharing a video, which claims or suggests that Israelis get free healthcare and faster organ transplants in the US!

Stew Peters : 🚨ALERT: Israelis are fast-tracked to the top of the U.S. ORGAN DONATION list and they get the entire operation for FREE.

Again, American taxpayers are paying for Israelis to come to the US, skip to the top of organ donation list, steal American organs, and have American doctors perform the transplants.

Reconsider becoming an organ donor.

Recommended : Does UN Document Show New World Order Goals For 2030?!

 

Truth : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare / Faster Organ Transplants In US!

This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Israelis Do Not Get Free Healthcare In US

Let me start by simply pointing out that Israelis do not get free healthcare in the US, even though they now

After the October 7 attack by Hamas (but unrelated to it), the United States government granted a 90-day visa waiver for Israelis to travel to the US for tourism or business purposes. However, these Israeli visitors do not get free healthcare.

Even though Israelis can travel to the US without visa for medical treatment, they cannot stay longer than 90 days. Hence, the NIH still recommends that travellers obtain a B-2 temporary visitor’s visa for medical treatment.

But the key takeaway point is that Israelis do not get special benefits like free healthcare, or longer visa-free stays, than citizens of other countries in the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Fact #2 : Only Israeli PRs Can Access Medicaid / CHIP

Even Israeli immigrants do not get access to free healthcare in the United States. Only after they become legal permanent residents, or citizens, can they potentially access Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), which offer free or low-cost coverage for those who meet state income and residency requirements.

However, many legal permanent residents are required to wait 5 years after receiving their “qualified immigration status” before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage.

To get Medicaid and CHIP coverage, many qualified non-citizens (such as many Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as LPRs or green card holders) have a 5-year waiting period. This means they must wait 5 years after getting “qualified” immigration status before they can get Medicaid and CHIP coverage. There are exceptions. For example, refugees, asylees, or LPRs who used to be refugees or asylees don’t have to wait 5 years.

To be clear – Israelis cannot simply fly to the US and get access to Medicaid or CHIP, even if they are applying for residency in the United States.

Recommended : Did WHO Warn Everyone Will Have Cancer Within 20 Years?!

Fact #3 : Israel Has Universal Healthcare!

It is illogical for Israelis to fly all the way to the US for free healthcare, when they already get universal healthcare in Israel!

In Israel, all citizens and permanent residents are covered by its National Health Insurance Law, which guarantees them the right to receive healthcare “within a reasonable time and at a reasonable distance from their place of residence”.

This universal healthcare system is funded by Israeli citizens who pay 3% to 5% of their income, while the government funds the rest. Many new Israeli citizens are entitled to free healthcare for six months to a year.

Fact #4 : Israelis Do Not Get Priority In US Organ Transplants

There is no evidence that Israelis get special priority, or are fast tracked for organ transplants in the US. Neither have those making these claims ever provided any evidence.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), whenever an organ is available, its centralised computer network generates a list of potential transplant candidates who have medical and biologic profiles that are compatible with the donor.

Its system ranks transplant candidates by their biologic information, as well as medical factors, disease severity, and time spent on the waiting list. Those other factors may result in a relatively new candidate receiving an organ earlier than one who spent more time on the waiting list.

However, that does not mean that they are getting fast-tracked, or special priority. It just means that the donor organs may better match them, or they may be prioritised for some other factors like delivery time and distance.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was Transgender Caught Playing In Women’s Rugby League?!

Was a transgender woman just caught playing in the women’s rugby league?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Transgender Woman Played In Women’s Rugby League!

People are sharing a video on YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), claiming that it shows a transgender man playing in the women’s rugby league!

David Atherton : A trans woman shows why they have no place in women’s sport. This is a Rugby League match.

Recommended : Did Lionel Messi Die Suddenly In Tragic Car Crash?!

 

That Was Not Transgender Woman Playing In Women’s Rugby League!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on YouTube, TikTok and X, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was From September 2022

Let me start by pointing out that the video isn’t new. It was recorded in September 2022, and shows the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII game against Papua New Guinea (source).

Fact #2 : Joanne Lagona Is Not Transgender

The player in the viral video clip that people are accusing of being a transgender woman is actually a Papua New Guinea woman named Joanne Lagona.

Joanne Lagona was a fullback in the Papua New Guinea Orchids women’s national rugby league team, who played in the 2012 Oceania Women’s Sevens Championship, the 2016 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship, and the 2021 Women’s Rugby League World Cup.

That would not be possible if Joanne Lagona was a transgender woman, because transgender players are not allowed to participate in official women’s rugby matches.

Fact #3 : Joanne Lagona Also Plays Against Men

Joanne Lagona has been playing rugby since she was five years old, and is used to playing against the men. In fact, she plays against men, when there are no women’s competitions in Papua New Guinea.

I am not new to 7s rugby as I have been playing the game at a very young age. At times when there are no women competitions in PNG, I play in the men’s competition. I am used to tough and physical competition.

While she plays against the men, Joanne Lagona is a biological female. People making claims that she is a transgender woman who was born a man, have provided no evidence to back up their claims.

Recommended : Did Andy Delort Collapse From Vaccine Death Spiral?!

Fact #4 : IRL Banned Transgender Players In Women’s Rugby

On 21 June 2022, the International Rugby League (IRL) announced that it does not permit transgender players from participating in women’s rugby league matches.

The IRL is continuing work to review and update rules about transgender participation in women’s international rugby league and will seek to use the upcoming World Cup to help develop a comprehensive inclusion policy.

Until further research is completed to enable the IRL to implement a formal transgender inclusion policy, male-to-female (transwomen) players are unable to play in sanctioned women’s international rugby league matches.

As such, it is impossible for any transgender man to play in women’s rugby matches, at least not in official matches, as shown in the viral video.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Does Indocafe Instant Coffee Contain Harmful Drugs?!

Was Indocafe instant coffee mix found to contain harmful drugs?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Indocafe Coffee Mix Contains Harmful Drugs!

People are sharing a video clip on WhatsApp, TikTok, and social media, claiming or suggesting that Indocafe instant coffee mix was found to contain harmful drugs!

WhatsApp example #1 : Please viral to all your family and friends in your group

Discovery of sachets in Indocafe 3 in 1 coffeemix from Indonesia, mixed with harmful drugs??

Recommended : Is Food Being Fried With Plastic To Last Longer?!

Here is the rough English translation of the commentary in Indonesia / Bahasa Malaysia:

Here are all the drugs. From Indonesia. New coffee from Indocafe, which I will open now. This is new okay, now we open.  Let’s throw this first okay. Empty. Okay. Let’s open. Let’s see if there are still reddish drugs. Oh my God… Oh my God… There’s a lot.

 

Truth : Indocafe Coffee Mix Does Not Contain Harmful Drugs!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS being shared on WhatsApp and online platforms like TikTok and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Many Indocafe Customers Disputed Claim

The video appears to have been posted on TikTok by @dianaz780 on 26 November 2023 (archive).

Many people who commented on the video pointed out that they have never seen such pink-coloured drugs or dangerous substances in their Indocafe coffee mixture, even though some have been drinking it for many years.

Personally, I have also made and drunk this particular Indocafe instant coffee mix, and have never seen such pink-coloured substances before.

Fact #2 : Indocafe Labelled Video As “False”

On the same day, Indocafe advised people on Instagram not to fall for the “hoax”, stating that it has more than 38 years of experience in the industry. Then on 29 November 2023, Indocafe issued a statement (archive) through their lawyer, labelling the video as “false” and “fake news”. Here is the English translation:

In connection with the video currently circulating on social media regarding our product, namely Indocafe Coffeemix, which contains drugs, we hereby deny in the strongest possible terms that this is false and is fake news.

The statement also pointed out that the Indocafe Coffeemix product is monitored by the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM)

Recommended : Can Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Cause Liver Damage?!

Fact #3 : Unknown What Those Pink Substances Are

Unless the person who created that video sends the samples to Indocafe (or an independent laboratory) for testing, it is impossible to know what those pink-coloured pieces really are.

Could the instant coffee mix sachets have been tampered with? Or is it possible that these are counterfeit Indocafe coffee mix sachets?

Fact #4 : Pink Substance May Be Annatto

Assuming the sachets were not contaminated or tampered with, what could those pink pieces be? Short of a laboratory test, it would be quite impossible to know.

That said, the ingredients (archive) of this particular Indocafe Coffeemix 3-in-1 product may offer us a clue:

Sugar, Non-Dairy Creamer [Glucose Syrup, Hardened Vegetable Fat, Sodium Caseinate (contain milk protein), Stabilizer (E452ii, E340ii) and Emulsifier (non-animal origin) (E471), Anti-caking Agent (E554), Colour (160b)], Indocafé Instant Coffee.

The three key components of this coffee mix are sugar, non-diary creamer, and coffee. But one of the components of the non-diary creamer is 160b (E160b), also known as Annatto – orange-red food colouring from the seeds of the Bixa orellana tree.

It is possible that the annatto powder may have clumped together with the other components of the creamer, caking them into large pieces in the presence of excessive moisture.

Recommended : Can Bak Kut Teh Herbal Soup Cause Liver Damage?!

Fact #5 : Narcotics Are Expensive

While contamination or counterfeiting might be possible, it is absurd to claim, without evidence, that the pink substances are “dangerous drugs”. For one thing – narcotics are expensive. Who would be so stupid enough to put narcotics into cheap instant coffee mix?

Fact #6 : World Population Is Now Over 8 Billion

Claims that these “dangerous drugs” are being used to kill people and depopulate the world is a ridiculous conspiracy fantasy. Anyone who opens a sachet would immediately see the large pink pieces, thus foiling the dastardly plans of an incompetent evil cabal that has hitherto failed to stop the world from expanding to 8 billion people!

A real “Deep State operative” would have blended the poison to mix evenly with the coffee mix. And a real evil depopulation cabal would have done a better job of stopping population growth! This is nothing more than a silly conspiracy theory.

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Justin Bieber Just Die In Tragic Car Accident?!

Did Justin Bieber just die in a hospital after a high speed car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-14 : Refreshed for a new release
Originally posted @ 2023-04-13

 

Claim : Justin Bieber Died Suddenly In High Speed Car Crash!

People are sharing YouTube, Facebook and TikTok videos claiming that Justin Bieber just died suddenly in a high speed car crash, with titles like :

10 minutes ago in Los Angeles, American famous singer Justin Bieber died suddenly in car accident

( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

12 Minute ago ( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

RIP Justin Bieber… We lost him in a car crash over 100mph if your depressed please reach out.

( RIP ) Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 120mph, coroner’s report reveals

( RIP ) Very Sad 20 Second ago in Chicago, Justin Bieber died after crashing at over 100mph, coroner’s report reveals

7 minutes ago Justin Bieber died in car accident after crashing at over 100mph…. RIP legend…very sad news

Justin Bieber died #justinbieber #justinbieberdied #death #singer #justinbieberupdates #ytshorts

Recommended : Clint Eastwood Just Died On The Way To Hospital?!

 

Truth : Justin Bieber Did Not Die In Car Accident!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos have been circulating for days now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Justin Bieber’s death.

Justin Bieber is a megastar, with a beautiful celebrity model wife. If something happened to him, not will it be eagerly reported on by celebrity blogs, the worldwide media would no doubt cover it too.

When Justin Bieber revealed that he is suffering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, the worldwide media breathlessly reported on his condition, including he cancelled the rest of his concerts.

No legitimate media outlet has reported that Justin Bieber died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites like NewsC60 / Fact Journal Media / NewsC8, or random YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos?

Fact #2 : Justin Bieber Is Still Alive + Well!

Justin Bieber is still very much alive and well, as of Sunday, 14 January, 2024. Of course, you want “proof of life”, don’t you?

Well, Justin Bieber himself posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram on 7 January 2024, to share how excited he is for 2024:

excited for this next year. New beginnings

One of them is a video of him playing golf. Needless to say – he looks very well, f or someone who allegedly got smashed into pieces in a terrible car accident.

This happened many days, weeks and even months after those YouTube / TikTok / Facebook videos claimed that he died in a high speed car accident! What a miracle!

Obviously, we can confirm that all those videos and articles about Justin Bieber dying from a tragic car accident are FAKE.

Read more : Did Vaccine Injury Force Justin Bieber To Cancel Tour?!
Read more : Did Justin Bieber Get Ramsay Hunt Syndrome From Vaccine?!

Fact #3 : Justin Bieber “Died Suddenly” Photos Were Edited

I analysed this photo used in some of the videos, and confirmed that Justin Bieber wasn’t even involved in that car accident, never mind die in it.

This is actually a photo of a car accident that happened in July 2022, involving Justin Bieber’s step grandmother, Kathy Bieber.

Marty Denham was outside his shop when he heard a loud noise on Lorne Avenue West and saw one vehicle had collided with another.

“I had my back to it, I turned around, there was probably a five-count and the entire car blew up behind them,” he said.

One of the vehicles was consumed by flames almost instantly.

That’s when Denham saw a woman jump out of the car to safety.

“We thought we were watching a person die because we thought the girl was the passenger.”

Denham said one of the people involved in the crash was Kathy Bieber, who is married to the pop star’s grandfather on his dad’s side of the family.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die Suddenly At Home / Hospital?!

Here is another popular photo used to show Justin Bieber dying in a hospital after his tragic car crash, but that’s not him in that hospital bed.

That is really a photo of doctors and nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center treating a COVID-19 patient, that Victor J. Blue of the New York Times took in April 2020.

Photo credit : Victor J. Blue, New York Times

Fact #4 : Justin Bieber Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Justin Bieber death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which appears to regularly update / change the dates.

News of singer Justin Bieber’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like Beauty and a Beat, Boyfriend or Baby is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Justin Bieber Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Justin Bieber’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Was Prince William Caught Seducing Jacinda Ardern?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Lionel Messi Die Suddenly In Tragic Car Crash?!

Did football legend Lionel Messi just die suddenly in a high speed car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-01-09 : Updated with new information
Updated @ 2023-09-24 : Added video fact check and comparison!
Originally posted @ 2023-04-20

 

Claim : Lionel Messi Died Suddenly In High Speed Car Crash!

People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim that football legend Lionel Messi just died suddenly in a high-speed car accident, with photos of the tragic car crash!

#fyp #soccer #messi #dead rest in peace legend👑⚽️🕊️

LIONEL MESSI DIES IN UNBELIEVABLE CAR CRASH

Messi, Xavi and Christiano dead after car accident

#Rip Messie Messie❤️ respect for Messie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⚽️🥅
Messie the best of the world ❤️🇦🇷❤️❤️#Messie

INFO CHOC: Lionel Messi est décédé
SHOCK INFO: Lionel Messi has died

Recommended : Did Cristiano Ronaldo Just Die In Tragic Car Accident?!

 

Truth : Lionel Messi Did Not Die In High Speed Car Crash!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These social media posts, as well as YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Lionel Messi’s death!

Lionel Messi is one of the world’s best footballer and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe! And his fans would have mourned his death on social media.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Lionel Messi died recently from any cause, never mind a tragic car accident. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / TikTok videos?

Fact #2 : Lionel Messi Is Still Alive + Well!

Lionel Messi (born Lionel Andrés Messi on 24 June 1987) is still very much alive and well, as of Tuesday, 9 January 2024.

Of course, you want proof of life, right? What you should be asking is the proof of death when you see social media claims that some celebrity or athlete has died. But I digress…

Well, Lionel Messi himself posted a photo with his family on New Year’s Day – 1 January 2024. As you can see, not only is he very much still alive, his family looks great!

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Fact #3 : This Car Accident Photo Was From 2009

To convince you that Lionel Messi died (even though he’s still alive), the fake news creators had to make use of unrelated car crashes.

In this example, the video claimed that Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, died in this car accident.

The truth is – that is a photo of a Ferrari 599 that crashed in October 2009, on the Great Ocean Road in southern Victoria, Australia. The driver was a 64 year-old man called Carlo Vaccari.

Mr. Vaccari lost control while driving his Ferrari 599 at 80 km/h and ploughed into two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. He was convicted of careless driving, but only fined $3000.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

Fact #4 : This Car Accident Photo Was Posted In 2014

It is unknown when this car accident happened, but this undated car accident photo was posted by WreckedExotics.com on August 13, 2014.

Apparently, the driver lost control of his Ferrari 458 Italia while trying to overtake another car, and crashed into a trash bin. The driver left the scene of the accident, possibly under the influence of drugs / alcohol.

Even though this incident happened in Madrid, Spain, this photo is old and has nothing to do with Lionel Messi.

Recommended : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #5 : This Car Accident Occurred In 2012

This photo does not show Lionel Messi’s fatal car crash. This accident actually occurred at around 9 PM on 1 September 2012, at the E42 highway near Francorchamps in Belgium.

The driver was a 63 year-old man from Saint-Ghislain, and was obviously not Lionel Messi.

Recommended : Did Toby Keith Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #6 : Lionel Messi Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Lionel Messi death hoax is, ironically, also fuelled by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in its fake fact check article:

News of footballer Lionel Messi’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 36-year-old footballer is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Lionel Messi Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Lionel Messi’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Mike Tyson, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, Tom Cruise, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #7 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Grab Delivery Rider Flew To Singapore To Buy Chicken Rice?!

Did a Grab delivery rider really fly from Thailand to buy chicken rice in Singapore?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Grab Delivery Rider Flew To Singapore To Buy Chicken Rice!

A TikTok video, which allegedly shows a Grab delivery rider flying from Thailand to Singapore, simply to buy chicken rice, has racked up millions of views.

The 27-second video was recorded and posted by a Thai TikToker called Thita Vy, with these comments:

อยากกินขนมโตเกียว พี่เขาจะไปซื้อที่ญี่ปุ่นให้มั้ย 🤓 #วาสนาผู้ใด๋น้อ #grab #grabth

I want to eat Tokyo snacks. Will he go buy it in Japan for me? #grab #grabth

She apparently encountered this Grab delivery rider, while flying from Bangkok to Singapore. At first, she thought someone had ordered food delivery at the airport. But the man allegedly told her that he had been asked by a customer in Thailand to buy chicken rice in Singapore!

The viral video shows the man queuing up for the flight with the signature green Grab thermal bag, while holding a passport with his flight ticket. He is then shown stowing the thermal bag in the plane’s overhead compartment.

Recommended : Massive Crack In Second Penang Bridge Fact Check!

 

Truth : That’s Not (Really) A Grab Delivery Rider!

Now, we all know that chicken rice in Malaysia is tastier (and much cheaper!) than chicken rice in Singapore, Heck, everything is tastier and cheaper in Malaysia! 😉

In fact, Malaysian food is so delicious, someone actually sent a helicopter to collect 36 packets of Nasi Ganja from a famous nasi kandar outlet Ipoh in July 2021! But I digress…

Here is what we know so far about this viral story about chicken rice…

Fact #1 : Video Was Allegedly Recorded At DMK

According to the media outlet, 8world, the TikToker alleged that the incident occurred on 12 October 2023, at the Don Mueang International Airport.

That is plausible because the video shows people boarding an AirAsia flight, and AirAsia flies from the Bangkok Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Changi International Airport (SIN) several times a day.

Fact #2 : The Man Flew From Bangkok To Singapore

The video shows the man holding a Thai passport, as he is waiting to board the AirAsia flight. It then cuts to the Changi International Airport, where the man is seen checking the green Grab thermal bag.

So the video does appear to show the man taking an AirAsia flight from Bangkok to Singapore. It, however, does not show him actually purchasing any chicken rice.

Fact #3 : Grab Labelled Video As Fictional

After the video went viral, Grab came out to refute the video, calling it “fictional”:

We understand that the fictional video was created by a member of the public independently.

Recommended : Did Penang Bridge Get Hit By Tornado This Morning?!

Fact #4 : Man Was Not A Registered Grab Delivery Rider

In addition, a Grab spokesperson said that it does not offer cross-border food delivery services, and the man in the video was not registered with them as “a delivery partner”:

We do not offer such a service, and the person starring as a delivery partner in the video is not registered with Grab.

It is certainly plausible for rich folks to go to extreme measures to get their favourite foods. For example, Macau tycoon Stanley Ho famously sent 88 Musang King (Mao Shan Wang) durians on a private plane from Singapore to Hong Kong. Note – the durians were from Malaysia. 😉

That said, it doesn’t make sense for the man to put on a Grab uniform, or bring the Grab thermal bag… especially if he isn’t actually a Grab delivery rider!

Fact #5 : Grab Does Not Offer Cross-Border Food Deliveries

Grab said that it does not offer cross-border food deliveries. The only cross-border delivery service Grab offers is its 100+ Cities Delivery service, which is in beta testing.

Even that option only allows users to “order and send food and physical gifts from GrabFood and GrabMart merchant-partners that are available in the recipient’s city within an hour”.

In other words – the food and physical gifts must already be present in the recipient’s city. The only thing that is “cross-border” is the ability to order from another country.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Radioactive?!

Were Japanese food products proven to be highly radioactive in a viral video?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-27 : Added new version, and other updates
Originally posted @ 2023-07-16

 

Claim : Viral Video Proves Japanese Food Is Highly Radioactive!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp, TikTok and social media platforms, which claims to prove that Japanese food products are highly radioactive!

In the video, a man explains in Cantonese how he tested the radioactivity level of a Japanese food product, and found that it was highly radioactive.

The radiation of Japanese products exceeds the standard. Please note the video instructions above.

日本产品辐射超标。 请注意上面的视频说明

Japanese foodstuffs full of radiation.

Japan has d very toxic nuclear radiation waters to be release or partially released already… be aware…fr d FUKUSHIMA Nuclear plant.

This video is also being promoted by pro-CCP netizens, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Recommended : Treated Fukushima Water Is Still Highly Radioactive?!

 

Truth : Video Does Not Prove Japanese Food Is Radioactive At All!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS circulating on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Viral Video Is Several Months Old

Let me just start by pointing out that the viral video is several months old, coming to our attention in the middle of July 2023. The video was certainly recorded and distributed on WhatsApp, TikTok and other social media platforms in early July, if not earlier.

At that time, Japan had not yet released treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean. So it is impossible for the video to show radioactive food caused by the release of Fukushima nuclear plant’s treated water.

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Station (NPS) only started releasing its ALPS-treated and diluted water into the sea on the afternoon of Thursday, 24 August 2023 – about 6 weeks after the video first went viral on WhatsApp and social media platforms.

Recommended : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Fact #2 : The Viral Messages Are Misleading

The viral English and Chinese messages tied to this video are misleading. The man in the video never once mentioned that this food product was from Fukushima, or mentioned the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

With help from Yuh Hui and Adrian Tung, here is the English translation of what the man actually said in the viral video:

This is a radiation monitoring device.

Now, there is Japanese food that I placed on a bench over there. Now, I will walk towards it, and see how much radiation it has.

As I approach the Japanese food, the radiation reading goes up. Now, I place the device here (on the food). See how the radiation reading is very high. This is food from Japan.

See how the device gives a “beep beep” sound, and the screen turns red. The radiation reading is more than 400.

If you ever go to Japan, try not to eat the food there, or buy any food souvenirs for your relatives and friends. It will be terrible if they get radiation poisoning!

This food was given to me by a friend who bought it from Japan. I’m not going to eat it. I will accept it and will throw it away later.

Recommended : Truth About FDA Import Alert 99-33 On Japanese Food

Fact #3 : That Was An EMF Meter, Not A Geiger Counter

The man claimed in the viral video that he was using a radiation monitoring device. The truth is – he was just the ST1393 EMF Meter, which anyone can buy from Amazon for just $31.39. Here are other purchase options :

The ST1393 EMF meter is designed to detect and measure the electromagnetic radiation produced by magnetic and electric fields. It is not designed to detect nuclear radiation like alpha and beta particles, as well as gamma rays.

To detect ionising radiation from nuclear sources, he needs to use a Geiger counter, not an EMF meter.

As the manufacturer advertises, the ST1393 EMF testers is used to detect “electric field radiation” and “magnetic field emission” from mobile phones, hair dryer, computer, TV, printer, etc. It does NOT detect nuclear radiation!

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #3 : EMF Meter Likely Measured Static Electricity

In the video, the EMF meter was seen registering between 292 V/m and 441 V/m. That was the measurement of a static electric field, not nuclear radiation.

If you look closely, the meter says the unit is V/m (volts per meter), and the type is Electric Field. Nuclear radiation is measured in units like Becquerel (Bq) or Curie (Ci) or Sievert (Sv) or Rem (One Sv = 100 rem).

The EMF meter was very likely measuring the static electricity on the Japanese food product’s plastic polymer packaging. If the man tests other plastic packaging, he would likely register similar levels of static electricity.

In case you are worried about the “high” static electricity produced by Japanese food packaging, here are some common static electricity levels:

  • Natural electric field in atmosphere : 100 V/m
  • Electric field during thunderstorms : Up to several thousand V/m
  • Walking on non-conducting carpets : Up to 500,000 V/m
  • High voltage DC power lines : Up to 20,0000 V/m
  • Inside DC-powered electric trains : Up to 300 V/m

In other words – you do NOT need to worry about a few hundred volts per meter of static electricity!

Recommended : Did Man Using Bluetooth Get Electrocuted Near Train?!

Fact #4 : Induction Cooker Not Source Of Electric Field

Some sharp-eyed folks have pointed out that the man placed the Japanese food item on an induction cooker, and posited that the increase in electric field “radiation” was due to EM radiation from the induction cooker.

I have to point out that while it appears to be an induction cooker, it could potentially be a radiant cooker which come in similar designs, with a black glass top. You can only tell them apart when they are operating – the radiant cooker’s heating element will glow red, while induction cookers won’t.

In any case, an induction cooker works by inducing an electromagnetic field to transfer energy to a magnetic pan / pot. So the EMF meter should have registered a magnetic field as well.

Since the video showed no magnetic field, the induction cooker was not powered and would not have affected the results.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Water Kill Thousands Of Fish In Penang?!

Fact #4 : EM Radiation Is Not Nuclear Radiation

Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is a form of radiation, but it is not the same as nuclear radiation.

EM radiation is wide-ranging, and includes everything from visible light to radio waves, microwaves, infrared to X-rays. It is emitted by everything from the sun to computers and smartphones.

Nuclear radiation, on the other hand, consists mainly of Alpha particles, Beta particles, and Gamma rays, that are produced as a result of a nuclear reaction, or radioactive decay.

It is like comparing bicycles with cars. They are both vehicles (radiation), but a bicycle (electromagnetic radiation) is different from a car (nuclear radiation). Getting hit by a bicycle is also very different than getting hit by a car!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Clint Eastwood Just Died On The Way To Hospital?!

Did Clint Eastwood just die suddenly on the way to the hospital?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-20 : Updated with a video, new versions + details
Originally posted @ 2023-05-08

 

Claim : Clint Eastwood Died Suddenly From Cancer / Ligma Virus!

People are sharing YouTube videos and articles claiming that Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood just died suddenly in the hospital from a Ligma virus infection, with titles like :

5 Minutes Ago / Clint Eastwood Died On The Way To The Hospital / Goodbye Clint Eastwood

Stopped Breathing 10 minutes ago / Legendary Clint Eastwood dies in hospital…

10 Minutes Ago / Sad News / RIP Clint Eastwood / Goodbye Clint Eastwood

SUDDEN DEATH of terminal cancer! American Actor Clint Eastwood has left fans with great pain.

5 Minutes Ago/ Hollywood Sends Condolences To His Family / We Report Sad News About Clint Eastwood..

Clint Eastwood’s funeral took place, millions of fans were present and in tears.

Clint Eastwood Funeral😭 As of Sources Clint Eastwood is no More

Funeral in Hollywood / Clint Eastwood Officially Dies at 92, Goodbye Legend

25 minutes ago / we send our condolences to the family of Clint Eastwood, goodbye Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood On Life Support After The Deadly Ligma Virus Spreads Through His Body

Recommended : Did Celine Dion Attend Son’s Wedding In Wheelchair?!

 

Truth : Clint Eastwood Did Not Die On The Way To Hospital!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Clint Eastwood Is Still Alive!

Clint Eastwood (born Clinton Eastwood Jr. on May 31, 1930) is still alive as of August 31, 2023.

He had not been sighted in public for over 550 days now, but celebrated his 93rd birthday on May 31, 2023. He also began filming his last movie, Juror No. 2, with Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette in June 2023.

Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube videos and articles have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death!

Clint Eastwood may not have been in the public eye for some time now, but he remains a Hollywood legend, not only as an actor but also as a filmmaker.

If he was really hospitalised for a viral infection, or even a fall, it would have been reported by both mainstream media, as well as celebrity blogs.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet or even a celebrity blog reported that Clint Eastwood was hospitalised, much less died from a viral infection. That’s because it never happened!

Recommended : Why Did Johnny Depp Faint + Cancel Budapest Concert?!

Fact #3 : Ligma Virus Does Not Exist

It is impossible for Clint Eastwood to die from a Ligma virus infection, because there is no such virus!

The Ligma virus was created in a 2018 Internet hoax, which claimed that Fortnite game streamer, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins died from it. The fake Ligma virus was simply resurrected and used in the Clint Eastwood death hoax.

Fact #4 : Clint Eastwood Death Photos Were Edited

I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.

In this example, the fake news creator edited a photo of pallbearers leaving St. Mary Parish after a funeral for two siblings – 7 year-old Sean Munroe, and 8 year-old Lexi Munroe, who died after getting trapped in a wooden hope chest.

The funeral was not only far away in Franklin, Massachusetts, it occurred on January 20, 2014 – many years ago.

To make you think it was Clint Eastwood in that casket, the fake news creator simply added a large, floating picture in front of the man in the front.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

This photo does not show Clint Eastwood dying in the hospital from the Ligma virus. It is really a photo of Ahmet Dobran, an 82 year-old cancer patient who was attacked and robbed by three men.

That violent attack broke his back in three places, and Mr. Dobran died in the hospital five months later, after drifting in and out of a coma.

Not only did this incident happen far away in East London, this photo was taken a few years ago, in January 2018.

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In High Speed Car Crash?!

And this photo does not show Clint Eastwood’s funeral procession. It was actually taken many years ago – on 5 October 2017, at the funeral procession for Irish actor Marc O’Shea in Northern Ireland.

Fact #5 : Clint Eastwood Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Clint Eastwood death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of actor Clint Eastwood’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the October 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for the movie Invictus and best known for his roles in Dirty Harry or A Fistful of Dollars is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Clint Eastwood Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Clint Eastwood’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Can StopNCII Remove All Nude / Deep Fake Photos?!

Can the StopNCII website remove all of your nude or deep fake or Photoshopped photos from the Internet?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : StopNCII Can Remove All Nude / Deep Fake Photos!

People are sharing this advice on WhatsApp and social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, claiming that the StopNCI website can remove all of your nude or deep fake or Photoshopped photos from the Internet!

Attention girls! If someone edits your photo with Al or Photoshop to create a nude photo, then you go to stopncii.org and submit the original photo and the edited photo.

They’ll remove the edited photo from all the places on the Internet and your identity will be confidential. Please immediately inform the cyber cell and file a case to take immediate action.

Recommended : Can Mexico Did It Photo Infect Your Phone With Virus?!

 

Truth : StopNCII Cannot Remove All Nude / Deep Fake Photos!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : StopNCII Does Not Remove Photos / Videos

First, let me just point out that the StopNCII website is a project by the Revenge Porn Helpline, which is itself a part of the UK-based charity, SWGfL.

StopNCII is not a government organisation, or even a multinational / international organisation that controls what gets posted on the Internet. It does not have any power or authority or even capability to remove a single photo or video.

To be clear – StopNCII cannot remove all of your photos or videos from the Internet. No organisation can.

Fact #2 : You Don’t Upload Photos / Videos To StopNCII

The advice to upload your nude or edited photos or videos to the StopNCII website is nonsensical. So is the claim that you must also upload your original photos or videos.

StopNCII does not require you to upload your nude / edited photo or video, or your original photo or video.

In fact, StopNCII does not even require you to upload a single photo or video. It merely scans the photos or videos that you are concerned about.

Those photos or videos do not leave your devices (computers, tablets, and smartphones).

Fact #3 : StopNCII Only Generates Digital Hashes

StopNCII only scans the photos or videos that you select on your device, and generate their digital fingerprints (hashes). It does not download or keep your nude photos or videos.

Select the image(s)/video(s) on your device that you would like to protect. Remember, your image(s)/video(s) do not leave your device, they will only be scanned so a unique “hash,” or digital fingerprint, can be generated.

Recommended : Can Israel Seismic Wave Card Hack Your Phone?!

Fact #4 : Photos / Videos Are Only Removed On Certain Platforms

StopNCII itself does not remove any photos or videos, whether they are nude or edited. Instead, they rely on a limited number of partner platforms to do that:

  • Facebook
  • TikTok
  • Reddit
  • Instagram
  • Bumble
  • OnlyFans
  • Threads
  • Pornhub

Only these platforms will receive cases and the digital hashes (fingerprints) from StopNCII.

Fact #5 : Not All Photos / Videos Will Be Removed

Even on those supported platforms, it’s not a guarantee that those photos / videos submitted to StopNCII will be removed.

Those platforms will scan their systems for those digital hashes, and remove them if they are found to have violated their intimate image abuse policy.

This is to avoid the StopNCII system from being abused to remove photos or videos that are not sexual, abusive, personal, or illegal in any way.

Once generated the ‘hash’ will be shared with the participating companies.

Participating companies will look for matches to the hash and remove any matches within their system(s) if it violates their intimate image abuse policy.

The Revenge Porn Helpline reported a 90% removal rate on those platforms since 2015. While that is impressive, that tells us that some 10% of all reported photos or videos were determined not to have contravened the policies of those partner platforms.

Recommended : Can SIM swap attack empty bank account without warning?!

Fact #6 : No One Can Remove All Photos / Videos From Internet

Even if StopNCII is able to partner with every single social media platform, large and small; or Internet service providers, it simply cannot help you remove all of your nude photos or videos from the Internet.

That’s because once released on the Internet, those photos or videos (whether nude or edited) can be transmitted through many means – messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, or email and file-sharing services.

They can also be posted or stored on independent websites / servers on the Internet or the dark web, that no one can shut down. There are revenge porn websites and groups dedicated to this, and it is simply impossible to remove edited / nude photos and videos from those websites and groups.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Celine Dion Now Forced To Use A Wheelchair?!

Was Celine Dion forced to attend her son’s wedding in a wheelchair after suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-13 : Updated for new wave
Updated @ 2023-06-30 : Added video and other updates

Originally posted @ 2023-04-13

 

Claim : Celine Dion Attended Her Son’s Wedding In Wheelchair!

People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim to show Celine Dion attending her son’s wedding in a wheelchair, after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome.

It’s just so heart breaking to watch !!

Singer Celine Dion attending her son’s wedding, she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition known as stiff-person syndrome.

A reminder that health is the most important aspect of life…..

Recommended : Leaked Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub?!

 

Truth : Celine Dion Did Not Attend Her Son’s Wedding In A Wheelchair!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to go viral on TikTok and other social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Celine Dion Revealed Her Diagnosis In December 2022

First, let’s start with a quick recap on Celine Dion’s recent health problems.

Celine Dion (born Céline Marie Claudette Dion on 30 March, 1968) announced in an emotional video on 8 December 2022, that she had been struggling with health issues for a long time.

She did not mention how long ago she started experiencing muscle spasms, but they became so “severe and persistent” that on 19 October 2021, she delayed her Las Vegas residency. Then on 15 January 2022, she was forced to cancel the US and Canadian concerts from 9 March to 22 April 2022.

It was only recently that the muscle spasms Celine Dion was suffering from was diagnosed as Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) – a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.

I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time. And it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.

Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome which affects something like one-in-a-million people.

While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms I’ve been having.

Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.

Fact #2 : That Was Kathy Poirier, Not Celine Dion

The lady in the wheelchair was not Celine Dion, but a 55 year-old mother called Kathy Poirier from Florida.

Kathy Poirier suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive nervous system disease that causes a loss of muscle control.

When her 28 year-old son, Zak Poirier, married Anja d’Adesky, 27, on 9 April 2022, she had already lost the ability to walk, and arrived in a wheelchair.

Read more : Was Celine Dion Disabled By Vaccine Side Effect?!

Kathy Poirier and her sons

Fact #3 : Kathy Poirier Danced With Her Son

The viral TikTok video was edited to show Celine Dion (really Kathy Poirier) being lifted to hug her son who tears up, before she is placed back on her wheelchair.

In the real video, Kathy actually danced with her son on his wedding day! In his now-deleted Instagram post, Zak explained:

My Mom was diagnosed with ALS shortly before I graduated law school. Since that time, I’ve watched her bravely fight her diagnosis and challenge the odds against her.

Despite not being able to stand on her own, my Mom and I shared a dance at my wedding. She inspires me every day to be humble, kind and selfless. Love you Mom.

On that day, Zak and his two brothers escorted her to the dance floor for the mother-son dance. The three brothers then lifted her off the wheelchair.

With his brothers holding her upright, Kathy Poirier was able to dance with Zak that day. Her sons then lowered her back onto her wheelchair while their guests gave them a standing ovation.

Their wedding planner, Root to Stems also posted a video on Instagram, which went viral last year.

Fact #5 : Celine Dion Can Still Stand + Walk

Just to be clear, Celine Dion is not suffering from ALS, but from SPS – Stiff Person Syndrome.

As of April 2023, Celine Dion is able to stand and walk on her own, as well as sing and act. This is obvious from the posts (example) she made to promote her movie with Priyanka Chopra and Sam Heughan – Love Again.

Recommended : Did Elton John Ban US Over Anti-Grooming Laws?!

Fact #6 : This Is Just Another Fake TikTok Video

This is just another example of fake videos created by TikTok content creators to go viral, and here are other examples you may have seen:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Fact Check : New WhatsApp Cyber Crime Rules?!

Did WhatsApp just implement new cyber crime rules to help the government monitor and record your calls and messages?! Find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-08 : Updated after message went viral again.
Originally posted @ 2023-07-03

 

Claim : WhatsApp Has New Cyber Crime Rules!

People are sharing this warning about WhatsApp implementing new cyber crime rules, to help the government monitor and record all calls and messages!

Tʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʀᴜʟᴇs ғᴏʀ WʜᴀᴛsAᴘᴘ ᴀɴᴅ WʜᴀᴛsAᴘᴘ Cᴀʟʟs (Vᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Vɪᴅᴇᴏ Cᴀʟʟs) ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ɪᴍᴘʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ: –

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

 

Truth : WhatsApp Does Not Have New Cyber Crime Rules!

And here is why this is nothing more than yet another Internet hoax :

Fact #1 : Only China Can Do This

The only country that has accomplished most of what was shared above is China, but it took them decades to erect the Great Firewall of China.

It’s not just the massive infrastructure that needs to be created, it also requires legislation to be enacted, and considerable manpower and resources to maintain such a system.

That’s why China is leaning heavily on AI and cloud computing capabilities to automatically and quickly censor information it deems “sensitive”.

However, no other country has come close to spending the money and resources on a similar scale, although Russia, Cuba, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Belarus have imported some surveillance technology from China.

Fact #2 : WhatsApp, Instagram + Facebook Messenger Have End-to-End Encryption

All three Facebook-owned apps now run on the same common platform, which provides end-to-end encryption.

End-to-end encryption protects messages as they travel through the Internet, and specifically prevents anyone (bad guys or your friendly government censor) from snooping into your conversations.

That is also why all three apps are banned in China…

Recommended : Can SIM swap attack empty bank account without warning?!

Fact #3 : Governments Generally Have No Control Over Those Apps

Outside of authoritarian countries like China and Russia, governments generally have little to no control over social media and instant messaging apps. Even then, their control is generally limited to banning access if they don’t get their way.

The ability to keep conversations and messages safe and private is key to the success of instant messaging apps, in particular. So WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal would never allow governments access to user messages or voice calls, never mind record and monitor them for governments!

In fact, by implementing end-to-end encryption, these companies themselves do not have access to your messages and calls.

Fact #4 : WhatsApp Does Not Have Three Check Marks!

WhatsApp messages only have two ticks / check marks to notify users about the status of their messages:

: The message was successfully sent.
: The message was successfully delivered to the recipient’s phone or any of their linked devices.
: The recipient has read your message.

There is no third check mark, as claimed by the viral message.

Fact #5 : Governments Won’t Tip You About Investigations

It is illogical for WhatsApp to inform you when the government is checking your information, or when it has started proceedings against you.

In fact, it doesn’t make sense for any government to inform you by instant messaging check marks! If the government is charging you with a crime, it will send police officers, not check marks on WhatsApp!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why Viral Video Does Not Show Bangkok Mall Shooting!

The video which appears to show a gunman shooting at people does not actually the recent Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Viral Video Shows Bangkok Mall Shooting!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp and social media platforms, claiming that it shows the recent Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok!

Recommended : Did Putin Threaten To Release 9/11 Satellite Evidence?!

 

Truth : Viral Video Does Not Show Bangkok Mall Shooting!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was Posted In Douyin

I traced the video that was posted to Douyin – China’s version of TikTok. The original poster (OP) is a Douyin user called Master ho (@yzz945201314), and here is the direct link to the video.

Fact #2 : Video Was Posted In August 2023

Master ho posted the video on 9 August 2023. The Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok only occurred on 3 October 2023almost two months later.

So there is simply impossible for the viral video to be of the Siam Paragon mall shooting in Bangkok.

Fact #3 : Video Was Recorded In Phuket In June 2023

Even though the viral video was only posted to Douyin in August, it was originally recorded more than a month earlier – on Friday, 28 June 2023.

It was also not recorded in the Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok. Rather, it was recorded in the Domestic Terminal of the Phuket International Airport.

If you look carefully at the video, you will notice the airport check-in counters, and people carrying luggages. The video was obviously recorded at an airport, and not a mall.

Recommended : US Gov Stole $50 Trillion Of Gold + Oil From Iraq?!

Fact #4 : Siam Paragon Shooter Was Only Armed With Pistol

The Siam Paragon mall shooter was an unnamed 14 year-old teenager from the nearby private secondary school – The Essence.

The boy was only armed with a modified Glock 9mm pistol, and did not have any long guns with him.

The shooter in the viral video was not only armed with a handgun, he also had what looked like an automatic rifle.

Fact #5 : It Was An Active Shooter Drill

The viral video does not show any actual crime, or gun violence taking place. It was an emergency security drill to simulate a response to an “active shooter” in the Phuket International Airport. In the photo above, you can even see a man taking photos or videos of the drill!

The drill was called “Full-scal exercise of Phuket International Airport Emergency Plan (PEMEX 2023), and conducted on the second floor of the Domestic Terminal, at around 11 PM – -after boarding for the final departing domestic flight had cleared the area.

The exercise was designed to simulate the coordinated response of security and anti-terrorism personnel to an active shooter taking hostages in the domestic terminal area. Thai agencies and personnel that took part in this PEMEX 2023 exercise included:

  • Thai Provincial Police Region 8
  • Sakhu Police
  • Phuket Airline Operations Committee (AOC)
  • Airports of Thailand ground service company (AOTGA)
  • Airports of Thailand private security company (AOT AVSEC)
  • Vachira Phuket Hospital
  • Phuket Provincial Public Health Office
  • Subdistrict Administrative Organisations (OrBorTor) for Mai Khao, Sakhu, and Thepkrasattri.

Recommended : Did US Army Lose + Recover Stolen Sarin Gas Rockets?!

Fact #6 : There Are Many Clues In The Video

The truth is – anyone who analyses the video will realise that there are many “issues” with this video:

  • the gunshots do not sound like real gunshots
  • gunshots ring out even when the gunman isn’t shooting
  • none of the victims are bleeding
  • the person recording the video is bravely standing up to record the video for almost 2.5 minutes
  • the person recording the video can be heard laughing at around 0:18 in the video
  • at around 1:30, another man can be seen recording the scene from the upper floor

Fact #7 : OP Likely Reposted From A Different Source

The Douyin poster, Master ho, does not appear to be the person recording the video. He mistakenly labelled the location as Songkhla Airport – more accurately known as the Hat Yai International Airport in the Songkhla Province.

泰国宋卡机场发生枪击事件,听说是演习农 因 因 因

A shooting incident occurred at Songkhla Airport in Thailand. It was said that it an exercise.

However, he clearly stated in the description, and his subsequent comments, that it was just a drill.

Whoever copied this video from his Douyin account is certainly aware that the video was of an airport drill, and posted almost 3 months earlier.

The only conclusion we can draw from this is that – whoever copied the video to share in October 2023, is intentionally trying to mislead people.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was Bill Gates Destroyed In ABC News Interview?!

Was Bill Gates just destroyed in an ABC News interview with Sarah Ferguson?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-07 : Updated with new information after video went viral again
Originally posted @ 2023-03-08

 

Claim : Bill Gates Was Destroyed In ABC News Interview!

People are sharing a TikTok video with the title “Bill Gates caught in corner”, which shows Bill Gates getting destroyed in a recent ABC News interview.

Here are the accompanying subtitles from the interview, but it’s rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

ABC News : So Mr Gates, in your own words, what have you contributed to the world?

Bill Gates : Um I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I created the world’s most popular computer operating system.

Recommended : Is Bill Gates Releasing Millions of GMO Mosquitoes?!

 

Truth : Bill Gates Was NOT Destroyed In ABC News Interview!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to go viral on TikTok, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : ABC News Interviewed Bill Gates On Jan 31, 2023

First, let’s start by sharing some basic context on the ABC News interview with Bill Gates.

The interview was conducted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist, Sarah Ferguson, on her current affairs show – 7.30, and released on Tuesday, 31 January 2023.

Fact #2 : ABC News Did Not Destroy Bill Gates In That Interview

Anyone who watches the actual ABC News interview of Bill Gates will be puzzled by the viral video and claim, because Sarah Ferguson never “destroyed” Bill Gates.

You can read all about her interview and even watch the video in an article written by Sarah Ferguson and her colleague Myles Wearring. In her interview, she only asked Bill Gates about:

  • COVID-19 conspiracy theories
  • Elon Musk buying Twitter
  • the rise of artificial intelligence
  • climate change and renewable energy
  • his association with Jeffrey Epstein
  • his philanthropy, and pledge to give away most of his wealth

Sarah Ferguson ended the interview by thanking Bill Gates, who only nods. He never quit the interview in frustration as shown in the viral video.

Fact #3 : Gates Foundation Called Viral Video Fake

The media department for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation labelled the viral video as fake:

We confirm that the audio in this altered video is fake.

Recommended : Did Philippines Issue Arrest Warrant For Bill Gates?!

Fact #4 : Viral Video Was Edited Using Artificial Intelligence

The viral video was created by a TikTok creator called bdti989, who posted it with the caption:

How dangerous AI can be 😱
#BillGates #billgates #microsoft #Microsoft #followformore #follow #msdos #uops #ups #ops #world #interview #interviews #artificialintelligence #ai

bdti989 also stated several times that he edited the ABC News interview using artificial intelligence. It is basically a deep fake video.

Yes, it’s AI generated!

Fact #5 : Fake Video Was Not Satire

While some people are trying to justify the creation and/or sharing the video as “satire”, that is not true. Even the content creator himself did not call it satire.

bdti989 does not appear to create satire. His account is full of typical edited news content pushing right wing conspiracies, not satire.

Most of his videos aren’t particularly popular, typically with less than 3,000 views. Only his AI-generated fake video of the ABC News interview of Bill Gates has gone viral, with over 1.4 million views.

It is likely he created it to test his ability to create fake videos using artificial intelligence. Hopefully, it does not inspire him to create more of such deep fake videos to increase the popularity of his TikTok channel.

Fact #6 : Bill Gates Was A Notable Programmer

Regardless of what we may think of Bill Gates as a businessman and/or person, he was well regarded as a programmer. Both Gates and Paul Allen developed Altair BASIC – a BASIC programming interpreter for the MITS Altair 8800 and S-100 computers.

Paul Allen would famously write a bootstrap program for it during a flight to demonstrate their Altair BASIC interpreter, but Bill Gates would famously win the bet on who could write the shortest possible bootstrap program.

Fact #6 : MS-DOS Was Not Created By Gary Kildall

Gary Kildall (wrongly named as Gary Kildahl in the fake video) was the creator of the CP/M operating system that was once considered by IBM for its first PC.

Bill Gates not only did not steal MS-DOS from Gary Kildall, it was Gates who suggested that IBM should purchase CP/M-86 from Kildall for its forthcoming PC.

However, Gary Kildall famously went flying on his private plane instead of meeting IBM representatives, and they failed to reach an agreement.

Fact #7 : MS-DOS Was Based On 86-DOS

MS-DOS (wrongly named as Emma’s DOS in the fake video) was based on 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products.

After IBM and Digital Research failed to reach an agreement on CP/M-86, IBM lead negotiator Jack Sams asked Bill Gates to find a usable operating system for the IBM PC. Gates later proposed using 86-DOS.

Microsoft then purchased a non-exclusive licence for 86-DOS in December 1980 for US$25,000, and hired Tim Paterson to port it to the IBM PC, so it would work on the Intel 8086 processor. IBM would submit over 300 change requests before accepting the final port.

It was only in July 1981 – a month before IBM released the PC, that Microsoft purchased all rights to 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products for US$50,000. Microsoft then licensed the modified 86-DOS to IBM, and it became PC DOS 1.0.

In short, MS-DOS (rebranded from PC DOS) was based on 86-DOS, which was a different operating system from CP/M invented by Gary Kildall.

Kildall would later persuade IBM to offer CP/M-86 with the PC. That would not be possible if Kildall really sold CP/M to Microsoft “for a couple of dollars” as the fake video alleges.

Recommended : Is Interpol Investigating Bill Gates For Murder?!

Fact #8 : COVID-19 Vaccines Have Been Proven Safe + Effective

Anti-vaccination proponents are not interested in your health, which is why they keep lying about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

The truth is – COVID-19 vaccines were only approved AFTER they have undergone extensive safety and efficacy tests, involving tens of thousands of volunteers.

And even after receiving Emergency Use Authorisation and full FDA approval, they continue to be monitored for safety and efficacy.

The reason why doctors and health authorities STRONGLY advocate vaccination is because the vaccines have been PROVEN to protect the vast majority of people from getting COVID-19 in the first place.

And even if you do get infected after vaccination, the vaccine will protect you against hospitalisation and death from COVID-19.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was There Mass Looting At London’s Oxford Street?!

Was there mass looting at London’s Oxford Street, as part of a crime wave in Western countries?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Mass Looting At London’s Oxford Street!

Pro-CCP netizens, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), are sharing a video which appears to show mass looting at London’s Oxford Street, with claims that this is part of a crime wave in Western countries!

Looting London, Oxford St

Also happens in US,France and Australia.Now,also in Sweden.

Recommended : China Unveils New Incentives For Wumao + CCP Uncles!

 

Truth : There Was No Mass Looting At London’s Oxford Street!

This is yet another example of misinformation and propaganda created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and shared by anti-West netizens, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Originated In TikTok

First, the video originated in TikTok, with the poster describing it as a “mass looting stunt” that was planned on social media:

Chaos erupts on Oxford Street amid reports of ‘mass looting stunt’ planned on social media #london #oxfordstreet #clash #chaos #looting #stunt #shopping #shops #uk #news #fyp #foryoupage

Fact #2 : It Only Targeted JD Sports

The so-called looting did not occur at multiple stores at London’s Oxford Street. Rather, it only targeted one store – the JD Sports outlet nearest to Oxford Circus.

There are actually three JD Sports outlets along Oxford Street, but the outlet at 197-203 Oxford Street is the closest to Oxford Circus.

Recommended : Were French People Caught Urinating On African Child?!

Fact #3 : It Was A TikTok + Snapchat Stunt

This was not the typical looting that has been going on in certain cities like San Francisco, for example.

The truth is – this was initiated by posts on TikTok and Snapchat calling on users to take part in an “Oxford Circus JD Robbery” at 3 PM on Wednesday, 9 August 2023.

The TikTok and Snapchat posts encouraged yobs (British slang for louts) to follow the dress code of balaclavas and gloves, with the warning – “Don’t come if you can’t run. Don’t come if you’re loud. Don’t come with any weapons“.

London mayor, Sadiq Khan, even issued a warning about the TikTok craze:

I am worried about this nonsense we have seen on TikTok encouraging people to go to Oxford Street.

Recommended : Did Asian Lady Shoot American Bully At Gas Station?!

Fact #4 : There Was No Looting

The viral TikTok and Snapchat posts caught the attention of the Metropolitan Police, which sent dozens of police officers to proactively prevent the “mass looting” event, should it actually take place.

We are aware of online speculation about opportunities to commit crime around Oxford Street. There will be a significant number of our officers in the area over the next 24 hours.

Mounted police officers on horses patrolled Oxford Street, while police officers formed human shields around shops. In the end, hundreds of teenagers gathered outside the JD Sports outlet, but no actual looting took place.

Just after 3 PM, two young men were detained outside McDonald’s near JD Sports. By 8 PM, the Metropolitan police issued 34 dispersal orders and arrested nine people.

Four people were arrested on suspicion of breaching the dispersal order, one person was arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal, one person arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, and one person was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.

Earlier in the afternoon, officers arrested two people in Essex for conspiracy to commit robbery following online social media posts.

However, no actual looting took place at JD Sports or any other store along Oxford Street that day.

Recommended : Did Woman Smash Bottles Of Alcohol In Lawless US?!

Fact #5 : Most People Were There To Take Photos / Videos

While several people were arrested at the “mass looting” event, it appears that most people were there to take photos or videos of any looting that might actually occur due to the “TikTok craze”.

When British media interviewed people at the scene, many said that they were just there to record the “event”:

Harry, 14, from Islington : I’m not here to steal anything, I’ve been raised better than that. I just want to record it.

CJ, 16, from Hertfordshire : We’re not here to steal stuff – there’s loads of famous people making videos. We just saw loads of police and want to see what it’s about.

Many teenagers shared the photos and videos they took on TikTok and Snapchat, some of which appear in the video above.

Fact #9 : This Is Just CCP Propaganda

This is really nothing more than yet another example of CCP propaganda created / promoted by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false in most instances. So please watch out for such false claims. Here is just the latest dozen,.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Morgan Freeman Just Die Suddenly From Cancer?!

Did legendary actor Morgan Freeman just die suddenly in the hospital from cancer?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-10-03 : Added updated information.
Originally posted @ 2023-05-24

 

Claim : Morgan Freeman Just Died Suddenly From Cancer!

People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming that legendary singer Dolly Parton just died suddenly of a stroke, with titles like :

We Have Extreme Sad News For 85-year old Morgan Freeman As He Is Confirmed To Be… RIP

SUDDEN DEATH of terminal cancer! Morgan Freeman has left fans with great pain.

Funeral in Hollywood / Morgan Freeman Officially Dies at 85, Goodbye Legend

Heartbreaking Final Moments of Actor Morgan Freeman – Cause of Death is Hidden!

The Funeral Is In 3 Days / Actor Morgan Freeman

Funeral at the church, This will be the last time fans will see Morgan Freeman, Rest In Peace!

5 Minutes Ago / Died in the Hospital / Goodbye Morgan Freeman

5 mins ago / R.I.P. Legendary actor Morgan Freeman, Goodby Morgan Freeman

Died of natural cases, Hollywood pays tribute to actor Morgan Freeman

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In A High Speed Car Crash?!

 

Truth : Morgan Freeman Did NOT Die Suddenly From Cancer!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Morgan Freeman’s death.

Morgan Freeman is such a Hollywood legend, his death would have been covered globally by the media and celebrity blogs.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet, nor celebrity blog, has reported that Morgan Freeman died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook videos?

Fact #2 : Morgan Freeman Is Still Alive + Well!

Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is still very much alive and well, as of September 29, 2023, when he last posted on Instagram and Twitter about the documentary Life on Our Planet which he narrated!

On 2 August 2023, he even visited the Pentagon, to talk with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, on his upcoming documentary about an all-Black tank unit that fought in Europe during World War II – the 761st Tank Battalion.

All those posts came many days to weeks after those YouTube and Facebook videos claimed that he died suddenly from cancer, or some other cause of death.

Recommended : Did Bruce Willis Just Die In A Hospital?!

Fact #3 : The Videos Provided No Evidence For His Death

To generate ad money, the videos must engage you long enough, so they come up with some story that Morgan Freeman was suffering from a “dangerous disease” or a “stroke” or “cancer”, and they drag out the video with details about Morgan Freeman’s life.

In any case, after watching the videos, you will realise that none of them offered any evidence that Morgan Freeman died from cancer or any disease.

That may anger you, but it doesn’t matter. They got you to watch the video, and generate income for them. And they know that most people will not realise that, and forward the fake news to their family and friends!

Fact #4 : They Edited Real Photos

To make their videos more convincing, these fake video creators add faces of celebrities like Chris Tucker and Will Smith to the fake Morgan Freeman funeral photos.

Take for example, this photo of Chris Tucker and Will Smith apparently carrying Morgan Freeman’s coffin. Not only do their heads look ridiculously large, their faces look much sharper and are more vibrant in colour than the rest of the photo.

That’s because the fake news creator use the funeral photo of Fairgrounds Holdings CEO Michael Montshiwa, who was murdered in Botswana in 2016. The fake news creator had to make the heads of Chris Tucker and Will Smith larger to cover up the faces of the real men in the real photo.

The fake news creator also added a framed photo of Morgan Freeman. In the real photo, you can see that the coffin does not have a framed photo hanging from the front.

Recommended : Did Michael J. Fox Die Suddenly From COVID-19?!

I should give special mention to this “terrifically photoshopped” photo, which shows Morgan Freeman smiling in his casket!

The fake news creator overlaid a photo of Morgan Freeman’s over the photo of the high chief of Ngardmau Palau, Beouch Sakaziro. The photo was taken by his children, and posted on Facebook and Wikipedia in 2011.

Fact #5 : Morgan Freeman Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Morgan Freeman death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of actor Morgan Freeman’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the October 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in Invictus, Bruce Almighty or Driving Miss Daisy is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Morgan Freeman Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Morgan Freeman’s unnamed reps confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie Laurent, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon Cowell, Sylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Was Jasmine Caught Repackaging Local Rice As Imported Rice?!

Was Jasmine Food Corporation caught on a viral video repackaging local rice as imported rice to make more profit?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Jasmine Was Caught Repackaging Local Rice As Imported Rice!

A video has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media, with people claiming that it shows Jasmine Food Corporation repacking local rice as imported rice to make more profit. Here are two examples circulating on WhatsApp:

Cheap rice is being re-bagged as imported rice. Another scam by greedy traders. Please viral this. Location – Kuala Kurau This is exactly what’s happening !! From previously RM 25 per bag of 10 kg now it’s RM 39 for 5 kg claiming imported rice

Cheap rice is being re-bagged as imported rice. Another scam by greedy traders. Please viral this. Location – Kuala Kurau

Recommended : Switching From Maxis To Digi Saves Me RM1.9K / Year!

 

Truth : Jasmine Food Did Not Repackage Local Rice As Imported Rice

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Appears To Originate In TikTok

The two video examples I received appear to have been originally posted on TikTok by @azizcheani145 on 4 September 2023.

The TikTok account did not include any information, or description, with his video. So the messages that accompany the viral video in WhatsApp and social media do not appear to originate from that TikTok account.

Fact #2 : Video Was Recorded In Kedah

The messages accompanying the video claimed that it was recorded in Kuala Kurau, Perak. That’s not true.

On 4 September 2023, Jasmine Food Corporation (JFC) confirmed that the video was recorded at its factory located in Tunjang, Alor Setar, Kedah. JFC also stated that the video was recorded on Saturday, 2 September 2023.

Fact #3 : Video Shows Imported Rice

The video does not show bags of local rice being poured out, to be repackaged as imported rice.

If you look carefully, there are two types of packaging visible. They both have a blue Imported White Rice (Beras Putih Import – BPI) logo.

Jasmine Food Corporation confirmed the two types of packaging are for their Jasmine Super Special Import and Jasmine Sawah Mas (imported) rice.

Therefore, the claim that JFC was repackaging local white rice to resell as more expensive imported white rice is false.

Recommended : MPH Free Books : Don’t Fall For This Scam!

Fact #4 : JFC Was Repackaging Rice

According to JFC, the video actually shows the repackaging of rice that stores and supermarkets have returned because the bags were torn, or contain (excess) broken rice.

JFC said that this repackaging process is a normal procedure to ensure that the quality of their rice, as part of their replacement policy to wholesalers for rice that do not meet quality standards.

Fact #5 : JFC Issued A Public Statement

On 4 September 2023, Jasmine Food Corporation (JFC) issued this public statement to clarify the video. Here is the machine translation of their statement, and their original statement in Bahasa Malaysia:

ABOUT VIRAL VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA CONCERNING PACKAGING OF LOCAL RICE INTO IMPORTED RICE

04 September, Shah Alam – Jasmine Food Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (JFC) takes seriously the spread of videos on social media and claims that local rice has been repackaged as imported rice.

The JFC confirmed that the viral video was recorded inside the Jasmine factory in Tunjang, Alor Setar, Kedah on 2 September 2023 (Saturday). However, the claim that the opened rice package is local rice as stated in the video is NOT TRUE. Instead it is Imported White Rice (BPI).

BP repackaging is a normal process when there is an incident of broken rice or dusty rice when the rice is in the store and supermarket. This process is made to ensure that the quality of rice produced by JFC is always in good condition when purchased by our customers. JFC practices a replacement policy to wholesalers for rice that does not meet the quality and standards set by the authorities.

The public is advised not to spread false information or make any speculations that may cause confusion. The JFC does not hesitate to take legal action against those who try to discredit the company.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

[/su_note]

 

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Did Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Die Of Heart Attack?!

Did Arnold Schwarzenegger just die in the hospital from a heart attack?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-09-26 : Added new details
Originally posted @ 2023-04-04

 

Claim : Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Died From Heart Attack!

People are sharing YouTube and TikTok videos claiming that Arnold Schwarzenegger just died in a hospital after a heart attack, with titles like :

5 minutes ago / Sad News / R.I.P Arnold Schwarzenegger / died on a way to the hospital?

1 Hour Ago / R.I.P Arnold Schwarzenegger / Heart stopped #arnoldschwarzenegger

5 Minutes Ago / Rip Arnold schwarzenegger / Goodbye Arnold schwarzenegger

5 Minutes Ago… Arnold Schwarzenegger R.I.P.

Sending Our Thoughts and prayers to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Family. It’s a huge loss.

Arnold Schwarzenegger died today. Rest in peace #rip #motivation #idol #gym #resteasy #arnoldschwarzenegger

Recommended : Did Celine Dion Attend Son’s Wedding In Wheelchair?!

 

Truth : Arnold Schwarzenegger Did Not Die From Heart Attack!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death

These YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death or heart attack!

Arnold Schwarzenegger is not only a Hollywood legend, he served as the 38th governor of California for 8 years! Everything he does, no matter how small, is covered in detail by the media and celebrity blogs.

When “the Governator” got fed up and fixed a neighbourhood pothole with his team, it even became international news! So if he actually suffered a heart attack, it would have been covered by legitimate news media.

Yet, no legitimate media outlet or even a celebrity blog reported that Arnold Schwarzenegger suffered a heart attack recently, much less died in a hospital. That’s because it never happened!

Fact #2 : Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Still Alive + Well!

Arnold Schwarzenegger (born Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger on 30 March, 1968) is very much still alive, as of Monday, 25 September 2023!

That was when he shared two posts on X (formerly known as Twitter), with comments like “Bryan, we are all rooting for you“, and “Fantastic work!“.

Just four days ago, Arnold even posted a video getting some exercise after his elbow surgery!

These and many other public posts appeared days and weeks after people started claiming that Arnold Schwarzenegger died from a heart attack!

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In High Speed Car Crash?!

Fact #3 : Viral Photo Was From 2020 Heart Surgery

The viral photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger clutching a red heart-shaped pillow while unconscious on a hospital bed is real, but it was taken from his 2020 heart surgery.

On April 16, 1997, Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent elective heart surgery to replace a defective, congenital aortic heart valve. He chose to get a tissue valve, as he felt that a mechanical valve might limit his capacity to exercise.

On March 30, 2018, Arnold Schwarzenegger had his pulmonary valve replaced at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

On Friday, 23 October 2023, Arnold Schwarzenegger underwent a third heart valve procedure at the Cleveland Clinic to replace his aortic valve. That was when the viral photo was taken.

That operation was successful of course, because Arnold is not only alive today, he posted a photo of himself with a thumbs-up on social media!

Thanks to the team at the Cleveland Clinic, I have a new aortic valve to go along with my new pulmonary valve from my last surgery.

I feel fantastic and have already been walking the streets of Cleveland enjoying your amazing statues.  Thank you to every doc and nurse on my team.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In Tragic Car Crash?!

Fact #4 : Arnold Schwarzenegger Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Arnold Schwarzenegger death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:

News of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the May 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in Total Recall or The Terminator is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Arnold Schwarzenegger Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Arnold’s unnamed rep confirming that he is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other celebrities whose reps MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Barry Gibb, Bruce Willis, Clint Eastwood, Celine Dion, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dolly Parton, Harrison Ford, Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Lucy LiuMadonna, Melanie LaurentMorgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Pattinson, Simon CowellSylvester Stallone, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Tom Hanks.

He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade?!

Is the Klang Valley going to be hit by a 4-day water cut for a major pipe upgrade in October 2023?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : 4-Day Water Cut For 2023 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

People are sharing a TikTok video together with this warning about a 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley in October 2023:

Pls save enough water from 13 to 16-Oct-2023 as Klang valley pipe water upgrade exercise

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : 4-Day Water Cut Is For 2021 Klang Valley Pipe Upgrade!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Is Genuine But Old

First, let me just confirm that the video is genuine, and was posted by the @SelangorTV channel on TikTok. However, it is an old video from 2021, and has nothing to do with any water cut or pipe upgrade exercise in 2023.

Fact #2 : Air Selangor Did Not Announce Major Water Cuts

There are always minor water cuts to fix broken pipes and other localised issues, which you can check on the Air Selangor app.

For major water cuts that affect entire states or regions, Air Selangor will issue press releases, and make public announcements. However, there has been no such announcements in September 2023.

Fact #3 : Video Referred To 2021 Water Cut

If you look carefully at 00:54 of the video clip, there is a single frame that shows the date of the 4-day water cut – 9 AM on 13 October 2021.

Recommended : Fukushima Radioactive Water : What Makes It Different?

Fact #4 : 4-Day Water Cut Happened In October 2021

The 4-day water cut for the entire Klang Valley was a momentous event caused considerable hardship for many people, and businesses. However, it occurred almost two years ago.

On 1 October 2021, Air Selangor announced a 4-day water cut from 13-16 October 2021, to allow it to complete critical upgrading and maintenance works at the Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP).

Here was the original Air Selangor press release announcing the commencement of the 4-day water cut:

Scheduled Upgrading and Maintenance Works for Air Selangor’s Critical Asset in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) Commence

Posted on

Kuala Lumpur – Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) would like to inform that the upgrading and maintenance works for critical assets in Sungai Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant (SSP1 WTP) has commenced at 9:00 am today according to schedule as announced on 1 October 2021.

The maintenance works for the critical assets are expected to be completed at 11:00 pm, 13 October 2021. Water supply will be distributed in stages starting from 5:00 pm, 14 October 2021 once the water supply system has been stabilised. The duration of the water supply disruption and recovery in the affected areas will vary depending on the distance of the consumers’ premises and the water pressure at the distribution system. Water supply is expected to be fully restored at 9:00 pm, 16 October 2021.

A complete list of the affected areas, Public Water Taps, and Commercial Water Filling Stations is as listed in Appendix A and can also be obtained at hentitugas.airselangor.com.

Air Selangor will be mobilising alternative water supply to critical premises such as hospitals, dialysis centres, COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) and Vaccination Centres (PPV) as well as for funerals.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures?!

Does a viral video show terrifying mutant creatures created by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Nuclear Radiation Created These Mutant Creatures!

People are sharing a video on TikTok and WhatsApp, which claims to show that mutant creatures created by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as a warning of what the release of treated Fukushima waste water will create!

On TikTok : How frightening are the mutations caused by nuclear contamination #tiktokusa #usa #science #foryou #horror #contamination

Here is a transcript of the video:

This is a dog that has been contaminated by nuclear radiation. Pay attention. It has only one eye positioned right in the center displaying an extremely eerie mutation that gives it a profoundly unsettling appearance.

What’s even more chilling is the discovery of a group of creatures under the bridge. They hang themselves beneath the structure featuring eerie teeth in their central sections. To this day, the exact species remains undetermined. However, the extraction of their blood confirms that they have been subjected to nuclear contamination.

All of this took place in 1986, the third year after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Radioactive substances contaminated the entire sky resulting in widespread nuclear pollution across the region. By the third year of the nuclear contamination, the local wildlife had undergone severe mutations.

Three years later, scientists returned to the area and one creature without a head caught their attention. Its appearance resembled that of a headless deer with the head seemingly missing.

Now the mass before their eyes coiled into a slow undulating motion has puzzled scientists. Some speculate that they are mutated forms of animals while others suggest they might be plants affected by nuclear contamination. However, it’s certain that there is a faint consciousness within them.

What can be confirmed is that they’ve endured nuclear contamination. What exactly these entities are might not matter. But it’s likely that in the not so distant future, with Japan’s release of nuclear contaminated water, more similar organisms could come into our view.

Recommended : Did Fukushima Just Release Black Radioactive Water?!

 

Truth : Nuclear Radiation Did Not Create These Mutant Creatures!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS surrounding the release of treated waste water from the Fukushima NPS, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : That Was A Baby Goat, Not A Dog

The dog with one eye isn’t even a dog. It was a baby goat that was born with one eye. The kid – that’s what a baby goat is called – was born on May 10, 2017, in the Indian state of Assam.

While the condition is rare, it is not unheard of. In fact, the condition is known as cyclopia, and occurs in the womb when the developing brain fails to separate into two hemispheres. As a result, the skull only forms a single eye socket.

Most animals born with cyclopia do not survive long after birth. A similar case in the past only survived for 10 hours. This cyclops goat, however, has survived longer than expected.

Needless to say, the cyclops goat has nothing to do with Chernobyl, and was not born this way because of radioactive contamination.

Fact #2 : Those Are Rabbit-Ear Barnacles

The alien-like creatures hanging under the bridge isn’t actually unknown mutants created by nuclear contamination.

They are just rabbit-ear barnacles (Conchoderma auritum), which are found all over the world. These barnacles look like that all the time, and were not created by nuclear radiation.

Recommended : Did Yasuhiro Sonoda Die After Drinking Fukushima Water?!

Fact #3 : Headless Moose / Deer Has A Head!

I cannot trace the source of the headless moose / deer video (yet), but I managed to get a higher resolution video that runs longer.

If you look closely at the video, you can see that its ears. The headless moose / deer actually has a head. It is simply looking away from the camera, which makes it appear like it is headless.

Perhaps the moose or deer was looking for a potential predator in that direction. Needless to say – a headless moose or deer was never found at Chernobyl, or anywhere else in the world.

Fact #4 : That Was A Horsehair Worm!

The mysterious tangle is not a mutant creature or plant that was created by nuclear contamination.

It has been identified by multiple experts, including University of New Mexico parasitologist Ben Hanelt, as a horsehair worm – a nematode-like parasite from the phylum Nematomorpha.

Also known as Gordian worms, these parasites pose no danger to humans, as they target insects like crickets, grasshoppers, and cockroaches.

The viral video was recorded by Huang Meilan in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on 29 August 2017. It shows a single horsehair worm which appears to be tangled in plastic mesh or plant material.

Needless to say, it has nothing to do with Chernobyl or nuclear contamination.

Recommended : Singapore Just Found NEW Radioactive Food From Japan?!

Fact #5 : Chernobyl Is Not Comparable To Fukushima

Now, I should also point out that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster is not comparable at all to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. You can read a detailed study about this, but here is a quick summary:

  • Chernobyl dispersed 10X more radioactive elements (radionuclides) than Fukushima.
  • Even then, over 80% of released radionuclides in Fukushima were blown offshore into the Pacific Ocean.
  • Environmental impact of Chernobyl is much greater than that of Fukushima.
  • Highly contaminated area around Fukushima is much smaller than Chernobyl.
  • In contrast with Chernobyl, no one died from acute radiation in Fukushima.

A 2011 study confirmed that animals living near Chernobyl have 20X more genetic mutations than normal. However, these mutations are not turning those animals into completely new species.

If such long-term exposure to nuclear radiation have not made those animals glow in the dark, or give them extra limbs, or change them into new species, it is unlikely that the far less impactful Fukushima nuclear disaster will create any new animal species.

Fact #6 : Fukushima Waste Water Is Filtered + Treated Before Release

Japan isn’t going to just release the radioactive water into the ocean. The Fukushima waste water is being filtered using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most of its radioactivity.

The ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from the contaminated water, leaving only tritium and carbon-14. Tritium and carbon-14 are radioactive forms of hydrogen and carbon, which makes them difficult to separate from water.

The treated waste water is then diluted with seawater to reduce the concentration of tritium and carbon-14 before it is released into the ocean. The final level of tritium is estimated at 1,500 becquerels per litre, which is lower than what is required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for release, and even lower than the WHO limit for drinking water.

I should also point out that the level of tritium in the treated waste water is many times LOWER than the waste water released in other nuclear power plants, including the Qinshan NPP in China.

Recommended : Chinese Nuclear Plants Release More Tritium Than Fukushima?!

Fact #7 : Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Happened In 1986

The fake video claimed that these mutant creatures were seen in 1986 – 3 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. That would not be possible as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster happened in April 1986.

Fact #8 : This Is Just Fake News About Fukushima

There is no doubt that Japan is facing a LOT of criticism over its release of the Fukushima waste water, even though IAEA and many experts have endorsed the plan.

However, this is just another example of FAKE NEWS being created around the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Here are other examples I fact checked earlier:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Taylor Swift Die Suddenly In Concert Car Crash?!

Did Taylor Swift die suddenly from a tragic car crash, just after leaving her concert?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-08-12 : Added new details, including updated MediaMass hoax
Updated @ 2023-07-02 : Added updated details

Originally posted @ 2023-06-03

 

Claim : Taylor Swift Just Died Suddenly In Car Accident!

A TikTok video which claims that Taylor Swift just died suddenly in a tragic car accident has gone viral. The video has been removed, and unfortunately, I was not able to grab a copy of it before it disappeared.

The viral TikTok video was posted by @taylor.fan17, and shows photos of Taylor Swift performing at her concerts, with a male narrator claiming that the singer died suddenly in a tragic car accident.

The video claimed that Taylor Swift’s car was hit by another car while she was leaving her show in Atlanta, and the unnamed driver was taken into custody, and is now awaiting a court trial for the crime.

Some people have also been sharing a photo of a mural showing that Taylor Swift did indeed die.

Recommended : Did Justin Bieber Just Die In A High Speed Car Crash?!

 

Truth : Taylor Swift Did Not Die Suddenly In Car Accident!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to gain notoriety, generate income from page views and/or YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Reported Her Death

That viral TikTok video has been circulating for weeks, but some people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported her death.

Taylor Swift is, arguably, one of the world’s most famous and influential singer today. A mega star, with a legion of fans who call themselves Swifties. If she just tripped in public, the paparazzi and celebrity blogs would have reported on the incident and analysed it to death.

If she got into any car accident, it would have been international news, even if she did not suffer so much as a scratch. Yet no legitimate media outlet reported that Taylor Swift died suddenly in a tragic car accident. Not even small-time celebrity blogs reported her death!

Fact #2 : Taylor Swift Is Still Alive + Well!

The viral video claimed that Taylor Swift died on Monday, May 1, 2023 – just after wrapping up her stop in Atlanta, Georgia for The Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift did not die, and is still very much alive and well, as of August 9, 2023. That was when she announced that she is releasing a re-recording – 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on October 27!

Tens of thousands of Swifties also sang with Taylor Swift that day on her last concert at the SoFi Stadium in Southern California.

“Here we are, on the last night of the U.S. leg of the Eras tour, in the eighth month of the year, on the ninth day (of the month),” Swift said to frenzied screams, before art for the upcoming “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” due Oct. 27, flashed on the gigantic screen behind her.

Needless to say, all that would not be possible if Taylor Swift died in car accident on Monday, May 1, 2023…

Recommended : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #3 : Taylor Swift Memorial Mural Is From 2016

You may have seen people posting photos of a Taylor Swift memorial mural as evidence that she truly died.

The mural is real, and is located in Melbourne, Australia. However, it was created by Australian graffiti artist, Lushsux, to mark the “death” of Taylor Swift’s career in March 2016.

At that time, Kanye West released his single, Famous, with the lines:

I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex

Why? I made that bitch famous.

Taylor Swift then got into a spat with Kanye West and his then-wife, Kim Kardashian. That was when Lushsux created the mural, and posted a video of it on Instagram with this caption:

Please pay your respects at Hosier Lane today by laying flowers or lighting a candle in mourning, taken from us too soon sweet princess.

Recommended : Did Simon Cowell Just Die In A Car Accident?!

Fact #4 : Taylor Swift Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too

This Taylor Swift death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.

News of singer Taylor Swift’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the August 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like You Belong with Me or Love Story is alive and well.

Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Taylor Swift Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.

The statement from Taylor Swift’s’ unnamed reps confirming that she is not dead is exactly the same as statements from other reps of celebrities MediaMass claimed were victims of death hoaxes, like Celine Dion, Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey, Simon Cowell, Madonna, Toby Keith, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Justin Bieber, Robert Pattinson, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, Dolly Parton, Lucy Liu, and Melanie Laurent.

She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. She’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.

Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that it is a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.

Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.

Recommended : Did Madonna Just Collapse + Die Suddenly In Hospital?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News

This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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How Do You Magically Sort Balls By Their Colours?!

How do people magically sort balls according to their colours?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Galton Boards Can Magically Sort Balls By Colour!

People are sharing videos showing coloured balls being magically sorted into their individual colours using Galton boards!

In these videos, a mix of coloured balls are allowed to drop into a simple Galton board, and they somehow fall into separate colours according to their colours!

How is that possible? Are these special sorting boards with magnets that control where the balls fall? Or do these balls have different weights so they would fall in a special pattern?

Recommended : Who Captured This Amazing Rainbow Photo At 30,000 Feet?!

 

Truth : Galton Boards Can Magically Sort Balls By Colour!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS circulating on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Those Are Galton Boards

Let me just start by pointing out that the devices or boards you see in those videos are known as Galton boards.

Named after its inventor – English scientist Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911), the Galton board is also known as the quincunx, or the bean machine.

The original Galton board consists of a vertical board with interleaved rows of pegs. Beads or small balls are dropped from the top, falling left or right as they hit each peg.

When each ball reaches a peg, it has a 50% chance of choosing a right or left path. Each ball repeats the process at each peg. Eventually, all those balls fall into different bins at the bottom.

Fact #2 : Galton Boards Do Not Sort Balls

Galton boards are not designed to sort balls, whether by weight, size or colour. In fact, real Galton boards use beads or balls of the same colour, size and weight. So there really is no sorting of any sort.

The Galton board is used to demonstrate the central limit theorem – that the binomial distribution approximates a normal distribution with a bell curve, when the sample size is large enough. At the end of a traditional Galton board demonstration, the height of the balls in each bin approximate a bell curve (see photo below).

However, the Galton board can be modified to demonstrate other distributions by changing the shape of the pins, or using a bimodal design. For example, you can create a Galton board to show a log-normal distribution by using isosceles triangles of different widths to “multiply” the distance the ball travels.

Recommended : The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck Fact Check!

Fact #3 : The Videos Were Computer-Generated

The reason why the balls in those viral videos were able to be sorted so accurately into the same colours is because all those videos were computer-generated using 3D graphics software like Blender or Maya.

One of the viral videos was created by Konstantin Otrembsky – a Russian visual effects artist who works for Channel One Russia. Konstantin posted his video on his Vimeo channel, stating clearly that “it’s a joke video which was made to provoke people to suggest all kinds of theories“, and was created “just for fun“.

Unfortunately, many of these videos are being shared and reposted to mislead people… or simply to generate views or increase the popularity of their social media accounts.

Fact #4 : The Balls Were Coloured After Baking Simulation

You may be wondering how do these content creators actually ensure that the coloured balls fall correctly into the bins according to their individual colour.

For starters, they use 3D graphics software like Blender or Maya to build a virtual Galton board model. They can then run simulations using real physics to see how the balls fall.

If necessary, they can modify the Galton board design, or even the weight of different balls to change the distribution. However, even they cannot simulate the proper sorting of the balls according to their colours.

While it is possible to run enough simulations to create such a video, it would require A LOT of simulation runs and adjustments. Too much work for what’s supposed to be a fun video.

What they do instead is bake the simulation, and then colour the balls after they have fallen. Because the simulation has been baked, the balls will fall exactly the same way again and again. Then all they have to do is render the baked simulation with the coloured balls into a video.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck Fact Check!

Does the last video of the OceanGate Titan sub show it exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : This Is The Last Video Of Titan Sub At Titanic Wreck!

People are sharing what they claim are the leaked last video showing the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before imploding suddenly!

supremewarlock2.0 : this is lost footage of the missing titan submarine that was recovered in the bebris found by divers. the camera was apart the the titansub but got detracted due to faulty installment and pressure. #missingsubmarineupdate #missingsubmarine #titanic #titansubmarine #titansub #subarmineimpolded #rip #fyp

motet.tv : Unbelievable! Titanic Submarine Footage.. #titanic #submarinemissing #viral #oceangate #news #missingsubmarine

Nick’s Excursions : The Titan submarine’s last footage #titan #titanic

A G Creation : Titanic Submarine Exclusive Footage Last moment

Recommended : Leaked Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub?!

 

Truth : OceanGate Titan Sub Last Videos Are All Fake!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS created by “content creators” to generate views and/or controversy, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Are No Videos Of Titan Sub On Its Last Dive

First, I should just quickly point out that no videos were recorded of the OceanGate Titan at the Titanic wreck during its ill-fated dive on 18 June 2023.

It was the only submersible / submarine known to be in the area, and it was at a depth of almost 4,000 metres / 13,000 feet when it imploded.

No diver can dive that low, and there are no other deep-diving submersibles / submarines nearby. So it is impossible for anyone to have recorded its descent or its exploration of the Titanic wreck from outside.

Fact #2 : Some Of The Videos Are Computer Simulations

Some of the viral videos are computed-generated simulations of what an implosion of the OceanGate Titan sub might look like.

Unfortunately, it looks like they are being misappropriated and passed off as real implosion videos of the Titan sub on WhatsApp, TikTok, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Fact #3 : Wreck Video Was From Barbados Submarine

One particular video called MISSING TITANIC SUBMARINE FOOTAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE!! went viral on Facebook, claiming to show the leaked footage of the Titanic wreck recorded from inside the Titan sub before it imploded.

The truth is – that video was recorded from an Atlantis submarine touring the Lord Willoughby shipwreck that sank near Barbados in 1976. That was a real submarine operating in Barbados, and not a submersible like the OceanGate Titan.

The Lord Willoughby wreck sits in just sixty feet / 18 metres of water, so it is bright enough to view  without external lighting. The Titanic wreck, on the other hand, is in pitch darkness at almost 4 kilometres / 2.5 miles deep!

Recommended : Did Beyonce Flash Her Fans At Paris Concert?!

Fact #4 : Some Are GTA V Gameplay Videos With Titan Mod

There are also quite a number of videos that claim to show the OceanGate Titan sub exploring the Titanic wreck before it imploded. In all likelihood, the Titan sub imploded before it even reached the wreck.

But what is certain is that those are just gameplay videos from the Grand Theft Auto V game, using the OceanGate Titan submarine mod that was released on June 22, 2023.

Because of the intense interest in the Titan sub tragedy, the Titan sub mod went viral, with many GTA V gamers using it to play at piloting it underwater.

Unfortunately, some people are using the Titan sub mod in GTA V to create videos that they are passing off as real videos of the OceanGate Titan sub.

Fact #5 : They Are Just Fake Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created to generate views and/or controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Because there is still so much interest in the OceanGate Titan tragedy, you can expect more fake videos to surface.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Who Captured This Amazing Rainbow Photo At 30,000 Feet?!

Was this viral photo of an amazing full circle rainbow captured by a pilot flying at 30,000 feet?!

Take a look at the photo, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : This Rare Rainbow Was Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

People are sharing what they claim is a rare rainbow captured by Lloyd J Ferraro, a pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean at at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Rainbow at 30,000 Feet: Pilot’s Photo Captures Rare and Breathtaking Sight

A rare sight was captured from the cockpit of a commercial airplane as pilot Lloyd J Ferraro took a stunning photograph of a complete rainbow from an altitude of 30,000 feet. The breathtaking image shows the colors of the rainbow in their full spectrum, arching gracefully across the sky.

Rainbows have long been a source of fascination for people around the world, with their vivid colors and seemingly magical appearance. While rainbows can be seen from the ground after a storm, it is much rarer to witness a complete rainbow from the vantage point of an airplane.

Recommended : Leaked Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub?!

 

Truth : Rare Rainbow Was Not Captured By Pilot At 30,000 Feet!

This is yet another example of FAKE PHOTOS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Photo Was Not Taken By Lloyd J Ferraro

Lead Stories spoke to the pilot, Lloyd J Ferraro, on March 1, 2023. He has seen circular rainbows while flying, but he did not take that viral photo.

Ferraro shared that both he and his colleague copied and shared the rainbow image on social media, but he did not take the photo himself.

Fact #2 : Circular Rainbows Are Not Particularly Rare

Lloyd J Ferraro said that full-circle rainbows are not as rare as people think, and people do not need to be in an airplane to see one – a full circle rainbow can be observed from any high vantage point, like a mountain top.

In fact, NASA featured this full circle rainbow photo as its Astronomy Picture of the Day on December 27, 2022. That amazing photo of a full circle rainbow was taken using a drone by Swiss photographer Lukas Moesch over the Lofoten islands of Norway.

NASA also explained why full circle rainbows are more commonly seen from the air, instead of the ground.

Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360-degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible.

Pictured here, a full-circle rainbow was captured over the Lofoten Islands of Norway in September by a drone passing through a rain shower.

An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the rainbow has a full diameter of 84 degrees. The Sun is in the exact opposite direction from the rainbow’s center. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.

Recommended : Did Beyonce Flash Her Fans At Paris Concert?!

Fact #3 : Rainbow Photo Originated In Xiaohongshu

Lloyd J Ferraro could not have been the creator of the photo, because the viral photo of the rare circular rainbow circulated much earlier.

It appeared to have been posted in the Facebook group, Beautiful Nature, as part of a 5-photo collection of rainbows on February 6, 2023. After that, it went viral with many people sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.

But a closer examination of these photos will show a digital watermark at their lower right corners. These photos were created by someone with the user ID of 5463530014 on the Chinese social shopping platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

Fact #4 : Professor Labelled Rainbow Photo As Fake

Lead Stories asked Roland Stull, a professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of British Columbia to analyse the photo. He labelled it as a fake rainbow photo, and explained why:

It is fake. Rainbows form a circle centered around the shadow of the photographer or the camera; namely, looking away from the sun.

In the photo you attached, based on the sides of the clouds that are illuminated by the sun, the rainbow incorrectly appears to be in the direction of the sun, not opposite to the sun. Also, the rainbow circle itself appears to be incorrectly touching the location in the sky where the sun is (even though it is hidden behind a cloud), instead of the circle being centered on a shadow opposite to the sun (i.e., centered around the “anti-solar” point).

Recommended : Did Beyonce Flash Her Fans At Paris Concert?!

Fact #5 : Rainbow Photo Most Likely Generated By AI

It is not possible to know if the fake rainbow photo was digitally drawn by an artist, or created by AI image generators.

However, due to the numerous examples of similar rainbow photos with the same tone and colour palette, they were all likely generated by text-to-image generators like Midjourney, DALL-E or Stable Diffusion.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Leaked Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub?!

Did the last audio and video messages from the OceanGate Titan submersible that imploded get leaked?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Last Messages From OceanGate Titan Sub Were Leaked!

People are sharing what they claim are the leaked last audio and video messages from the OceanGate Titan submersible that imploded, killing all five people onboard.

Leaked last messages from the lost submarine

The last audio clip from the Oceangate submarine

Real live audio from the submarine!!

Last communication from the OceanGate submarine, before it disappeared

Recommended : Did Asian Lady Shoot American Bully At Gas Station?!

 

Truth : OceanGate Titan Sub Did Not Send Any Last Messages!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS created by “content creators” to generate views and/or controversy, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : OceanGate Titan Is A Submersible

First, I should just quickly point out that the OceanGate Titan is not a submarine, but a Cyclops-class submersible.

Submarines can operate independently of other vessels, but a submersible has to be transported and supported by a separate surface vessel or platform.

The OceanGate Titan, for example, was transported and supported by a Canadian-flagged ship called Polar Prince, which tows a dry dock-like “Launch and Recovery Platform” that is used to launch and recover it.

Fact #2 : OceanGate Titan Communicates Only By Text Messaging

The viral videos circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter, are all fake because it is impossible for the OceanGate Titan to send any last messages by audio or video.

The Titan submersible can only communicate with its mothership by text message. That’s because the Titan is not tethered by cable to its mothership, and it cannot communicate by Wi-Fi or radio waves.

Recommended : Did Beyonce Flash Her Fans At Paris Concert?!

Fact #3 : OceanGate Titan Suffered A Catastrophic Implosion

At around 9:30 am NDT on 18 June 2023, the OceanGate Titan submersible began its two-hour descent to view the Titanic shipwreck.

The Titan was required to send a text message to its mothership every 15 minutes, which it did until 11:15 am – approximately 1 hour 45 minutes into its dive. That was its last communication with its mothership.

The US Navy detected an acoustic signature at around that time that was consistent with a catastrophic implosion.

On 22 June 2023, the Odysseus 6K remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) operated by Pelagic Research Services would locate a debris field about 500 metres from the Titanic shipwreck that confirmed the implosion of the Titan submersible.

Fact #4 : They Would Not Have Time To Send Any Message

The water pressure at that depth of 3.8 kilometres (3,800 metres) below the surface is approximately 400 atmospheres, or about 6,000 psi (pounds per square inch).

An implosion at such a high pressure would have instantly obliterated everyone inside the Titan submersible. It would be like being suddenly crushed by the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

All 5 people inside the Titan submersible would not have realised what happened, never mind have the time to send any last messages.

Read more : Did Pantsir-S1 Shoot Down Storm Shadow Missile?!

Fact #5 : Investigators Only Have Voice Recordings From Mothership

It is also impossible for any audio messages from the Titan submersible to leak because investigators only have access to the voice recordings from its mothership, the Polar Prince.

On 24 June 2023, the Polar Prince docked near the Canadian Coast Guard in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Canadian officials then took possession of its voyage data recorder and other systems with “useful information” for further investigations.

However, there are no data or voice recorders from the Titan submersible itself because its debris are scattered at a depth of some 4,000 metres (13,000 feet). The ROV that discovered the debris was not powerful enough to lift the debris. Any recovery operation will have to take place later.

Fact #6 : They Are Just Fake Videos

This is just another example of fake videos created to generate views and/or controversies. Here are some other recent examples you may have seen recently:

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is Selena Gomez Having An Affair With Zayn Malik?!

Is Selena Gomez having an affair with Zayn Malik?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Selena Gomez Is Having An Affair With Zayn Malik!

People are sharing a Music Mundial article which claims that Zayn Malik is having an affair with Selena Gomez!

Here is the viral Music Mundial article. Please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Zayn Malik is reportedly having an affair with Selena Gomez

Recommended : Is Prince William Violently Abusing Kate Middleton?!

 

Truth : Selena Gomez Is Not Having An Affair With Zayn Malik!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS created by Music Mundial to generate page views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Both Selena Gomez + Zayn Malik Are Not Married

By definition, having an affair would mean that one or both parties are married, or have an informal commitment to another person (girlfriend / boyfriend / fiancee, etc.

Since neither Selena Gomez, nor Zayn Malik, are married or involved with anyone else, they cannot possibly be having “an affair”. It is likely that the insinuation of “an affair” was used to add drama, and drive traffic.

Fact #2 : Romance Speculation Based On A Single Date

The recent Selena Gomez – Zayn Malik romance claim was based on a single date at a New York City restaurant.

First piece of evidence was a TikTok video by Klarissa Garcia (@klarissa.mpeg), in which she claimed that her friend – a restaurant hostess, witnessed the two celebrities kissing on 25 March 2023.

Tell me how Selena Gomez and Zayn just walked hand in hand making out and I seated them.

Entertainment Tonight also quoted an eyewitness (could be the same person), who said:

Most restaurant staff and restaurant goers didn’t notice them. It seemed like they were comfortable together and it was clear that it was a date.

Fact #3 : Selena Gomez Said She Was Single

While there may be evidence that Selena Gomez went out once with Zayn Malik, it happened months ago.

Approximately eleven days before Music Mundial posted its article claiming an affair between Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik, she declared that she was still SINGLE.

On Thursday, 8 June 2023, Selena Gomez posted a TikTok video, in which she shouted at some soccer players playing on a football field:

I’m single! I’m just a little high maintenance but I love you all so much!

She captioned the video – “The struggle man lol” because she could not catch the attention of the men playing on the field.

It is odd that Music Mundial would claim eleven days later that Selena Gomez was having “an affair” with Zayn Malik when she already stated that she was still “single”.

Fact #4 : Zayn Malik Posted A Somber Selfie

Approximately two days before Music Mundial posted its article claiming an affair between Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik, Zayn posted a selfie of himself looking somber.

Zayn did not caption the photo, but fans of both celebrities believe that it was because Selena Gomez said that she was still single. Speculation is that he was acknowledging that they were no longer dating.

That seems to be confirmed after he posted two photos (here and here) of himself enjoying a night out with two girls on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

Recommended : Did Prince William Finally Dump Rose Hanbury?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Music Mundial Fake News

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news posted by Music Mundial. Here are examples of Music Mundial fake news that I looked into recently:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Beyonce Flash Her Fans At Paris Concert?!

Did Beyonce cheekily flash her fans during her recent Renaissance World Tour concert in Paris, France?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Beyonce Flashed Her Fans During Paris Concert!

People are sharing a video on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok, which claims to show Beyonce cheekily flashing her fans during her recent Renaissance World Tour concert in Paris, France!

From a fellow Virgo to another Virgo, she knew what she was doing. She wanted to show the world that moose knuckle!

Incredible …! Beyoncé shows her pussy during a concert in Paris 😅

Beyonce have a big pussy 💀

Recommended : Did Zendaya reject marriage proposal by Tom Holland?!

 

Truth : Beyonce Did Not Flash Her Fans During Concert!

This is yet another example of celebrity FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Viral Beyonce Video Appears To Be Genuine

I should point out that, as far as I can tell, this is a genuine video, and is not a deep fake video. However, I’m not able to confirm if this video was recorded in Paris.

The earliest example of this video appears to have been posted to TikTok on June 1, 2023. So it is plausible that the viral video of Beyonce apparently showing off her coochie could have been recorded during her performance at the Stade de France, Paris, on 26 May 2023.

However, I can confirmed that the video was definitely recorded during Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour, which kicked off on 10 May 2023:

  • 10-11 May : Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
  • 14 May : King Baudoudin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium
  • 17 May : Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
  • 20 May : BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • 23 May : Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England
  • 26 May : Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France
  • 29 May – 4 June : Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England

Fact #2 : Video Was Recorded Off Jumbotron

More pertinent is the fact that the person recording the video did not capture Beyonce herself. Rather, the video was recorded off a Jumbotron – a large video display at the concert.

Why this is important is because the colour fidelity of the video was poor, with a purple cast to boot. It is the discolouration that made it appear as if she was cheekily showing off her coochie.

If you see other videos directly recorded of Beyonce (see our video above for an example), you will immediately see that she did not show off her coochie at any point in her performance.

Fact #3 : Beyonce Was Wearing A Bodysuit

The truth is – Beyonce was wearing a multi-coloured patterned bodysuit during her performance in the viral video.

In this photo, which accurately shows the colours and pattern of her bodysuit, you can see that it has many lines.

It was the poor colour accuracy of the video that made it look like she went “commando” and flashed her fans!

Recommended : Jamie Foxx Blind + Paralysed by Vaccine Blood Clot?!

Fact #4 : Beyonce Always Wears Bodysuits

Beyonce is a consummate performer, and she would never have gone “commando” on stage. In fact, she has always worn bodysuits at her concerts for the past 13 years.

They may be cheeky and sexually suggestive, but they allow her to dance without worrying about wardrobe malfunctions on stage. So no, you won’t catch her showing her coochie at her concerts anytime soon!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Celebrity Fake News

This appears to be nothing more than yet another example of celebrity fake news circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms.

While it does not appear to be intentionally created by rumour or celebrity blogs / TikTok creators to generate views, I’m sure Queen Bey would not appreciate all those snide, misogynistic comments about her coochie

Here are some other recent examples of celebrity fake news you may have seen on social media:

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Shane Macaulay die suddenly from vaccine SADS?!

Did Canadian musician and podcaster Shane Macaulay collapse and die suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine SADS?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Shane Macaulay Died Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

Many people are sharing a video of Shane Macaulay collapsing suddenly outside his home, suggesting that the Canadian musician and podcaster died suddenly from COVID-19 vaccine sudden adult death syndrome (SADS)!

Died Suddenly : Another horrifying collapse caught on a security camera. They are MURDERING you

Stew Peters : They are MURDERING you.

“Sudden And Unexpected” : I don’t think this is normal. These experimental Covid vaccines are deadly. 💉☠️

Recommended : Died Suddenly : Anti-Vaccination Movie Lies Exposed!

 

Truth : Shane Macaulay Did Not Die Suddenly From Vaccine!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are the reasons why this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists…

Fact #1 : Shane Macaulay Is Still Alive

First, I should point out that Shane Macaulay is still alive, as of June 13, 2023 when he posted a last call for a Pre-Father’s Day BBQ on his podcast’s Facebook page.

On his personal Twitter page, Shane Macaulay (also known as Shaner Macaulay) last posted this message on June 5, 2023:

Anyone wanna see this? @NUBS416? I used to see ya at shows in Toronto at The Phoenix, Opera House, etc. if it’s just @FatMike_of_NOFX that wants to leave @NOFXband I’ll try to fill in. #justtheflu

So claims that Shane Macaulay died suddenly from the COVID-19 vaccine are nonsense.

Fact #2 : Video Was Recorded In February 2023

I should also point out that while his video only went viral on TikTok and Twitter in June 2023, it was recorded and posted in his YouTube channel months ago – on 28 February 2023 to be specific.

Fact #3 : Shane Macaulay Had A Seizure

In his original video, Shane Macaulay clearly said that he suffered a seizure. It would also be impossible for him to post his own video, or this explanation, if he actually died suddenly…

The morning I had a Seizure.

I came back from dropping my son off at day care. Five mins later Home Depot was here dropping off lumber and cement for our back deck. With all the contractors. My stress and anxiety was through the roof.

It also looked like Shane / Shaner Macaulay has a prior history of seizures, which made it impossible for him to even drive:

Thanks @ONtransport . One seizure back in September of 2021. Making it so difficult. @OntarioNDP @CTVNews @680editor can’t drive. Can’t live.

Read more : Why Utah State WR Josh Davis Suddenly Collapsed!

Fact #4 : Viral Video Was Cut Short

The original video was 2 minutes and 45 seconds long. The video clip that went viral on TikTok and Twitter was (intentionally?) cut short to just 1 minute 21 seconds.

Why was it cut short? Perhaps because at around the 1:42 mark, a Home Depot man can be heard telling the 911 operator that Shane was suffering from a seizure. The man can also be heard confirming to the 911 operator that Shane was breathing (and therefore, still alive).

Fact #5 : Shane Macaulay Was Never Vaccinated Against COVID-19!

No COVID-19 vaccine is known to be capable of causing seizures. In any case, it is impossible for Shaner Macaulay to have suffered a seizure from the COVID-19 vaccine, because he was never vaccinated against COVID-19!

THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN STOLEN AND HAS GONE VIRAL ON TIKTOK. SAYING THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET VAXXED.

For the record. I am unvaxxed. And if anything. I am strongly against it. And I would recommend looking up vaccination shedding. Which is what I was looking into. Don’t jump to conclusions without asking myself.

Shane Macaulay even told Stew Peters off for claiming that he suffered the seizure because of the COVID-19 vaccine!

@realstewpeters Hey ass hat. I am the one who had the seizure. That is my video first of all. Secondly. Do some research. I am unvaxxed if that’s what you are referring to. Retweet this to your followers. Set the record straight.

Shane Macaulay / Shaner Macaulay joins the list of unvaccinated people who were falsely accused of dying from, or getting injured by, the COVID-19 vaccine – Aaron Carter, Kirstie Alley, Kris Jordan, Stephan Bonnar, David Wayne Burleson, and Kaden Clymer.

Fact #5 : COVID-19 Vaccines Do Not Cause Vaccine Shedding

Shane Macaulay suspects his seizure may be related to the COVID-19 vaccine, even though he was not vaccinated, because of something called “vaccine shedding”.

However that’s not possible, because vaccine / viral shedding is only possible with live, attenuated virus vaccines, which use a weakened form of the virus that can “multiply” and “shed” inside and outside the body.

Vaccine / viral shedding is not possible with current COVID-19 vaccines, because none of them use live, attenuated SARS-CoV-2 viruses! So it is simply impossible for any COVID-19 vaccine currently approved to shed viruses or spike proteins.

Recommended : Did FDA Admit Pfizer Vaccine Causes Blood Clots?!

Fact #6 : Claims Of COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries Often Proven False

Most claims of sudden deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false. Here is the latest dozen of other false sudden death claims!

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Did Media Watch prove Covid patients are just actors?!

Did the Australian TV show, Media Watch, just prove that COVID-19 patients are just crisis actors hired to scare people into getting the vaccine?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Media Watch Proved COVID-19 Patients Are Just Actors!

People are sharing a video clip on WhatsApp and social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok, claiming that crisis actors were paid to scare people into getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The video purportedly shows the Australian TV show, Media Watch, proving that COVID-19 patients are just crisis actors hired to scare people into getting the vaccine!

Stew Peters : Australia used CRISES ACTORS to spread Covid fear and push “vaccinations”.

SF Conservative PATRIOT : They LIED about everything. #CovidActors helped to do their dirty work.

I Stand For Freedom : Those heartbreaking stories you heard on the news early in the pandemic were mostly all LIES! They were paid Crisis/COVID actors who the GOVT & MSM paid to come on your TV & scare the shit out of you so you would inject yourself with a medical experiment. You pissed yet?

Recommended : Did Mossad Just Admit NATO Is Losing Ukraine War?!

 

Truth : Media Watch Proved COVID-19 Patients Were NOT Actors!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and/or promoted by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Video Was From September 2021

While the video clip is going viral in June 2023, it originally went viral several times in the past, starting around October 2021.

That’s because the video clip was originally aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s show, Media Watch, on September 9, 2021.

Fact #2 : Video Was Edited For A Different Conclusion

The video is genuine, but was edited to deliver a completely different conclusion.

In the video, Paul Barry started the segment by discussing rumours that health authorities in New South Wales employed crisis actors to impersonate COVID-19 patients, to push the vaccination campaign.

After showing clips of three Concord Hospital patients in Sydney testifying about their fight with COVID-19, Barry said:

But soon, people on social media were wondering if the New South Wales video was actually a fake.

Yes, all three, including Ramona, were supposedly paid crisis actors, who did not have Covid at all

The video cuts right after it shows a TikTok video in which an “Internet sleuth” called the hospital and found out that Ramona Khoury was not a patient at the hospital.

That’s because like our fact check articles, Paul Barry started by telling his viewers what the fake news was, before debunking it.

What the fake news creator did was cut the video to only show you the first part, and cut out the rest of the segment which shows Paul Barry debunking the claims.

Recommended : Are Nazis From Japan Fighting For Ukraine?!

Fact #3 : Media Watch Proved COVID-19 Patients Were Not Actors

In the full segment of the Media Watch video (watch here), Paul Barry debunked the claims that the three patients in the video were crisis actors.

So is Ramona a crisis actor pretending to have Covid for New South Wales Health? No, of course she’s not.

As New South Wales Health made clear, the patient’s name is not Ramona Khoury, but Ramona El-Nachar who is a pharmacy worker.

[screen shows a photo comparison of Ramona El-Nachar, and Ramona Khoury]

And as you can clearly see, they are two different people, despite the fact that they both are women, and both have dark hair.

And as for [the] two male patients, we are happy to tell you that they are not crisis actors either.

Media Watch then shows one of the male patients, Osama Ahmad, was wrongly identified as actor Mitch Garling, who posted an Instagram video saying that he was not Osama Ahmad:

Turns out that people are using my photo and my StarNow profile saying that I’m an actor sitting in a hospital pretending to have Covid.

Look, I am an actor, but not pretending to have Covid. Not that. It doesn’t even look like me, he has a beard, that’s it.

Fact #4 : Media Watch Called Viral Video “Absurd”

Media Watch executive producer Timothy Latham labelled the edited video clip which keeps going viral on social media as “absurd and deliberately misleading“.

The reason we did the story in the first place was to kill off this idiotic suggestion.

It’s an insult to Concord Hospital and the brave patients who spoke out about the reality of contracting Covid-19.

Recommended : Did Russia Destroy NATO Jets, Helicopters In Ukraine?!

Fact #5 : This Is Just Anti-Vaccine Fact News

This is just another example of fake news created and/or spread by anti-vaccination activists to scare people. Here are other recent examples:

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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How This Doctor Pulled USB Cable Out Of Man’s Ear!

How did a doctor pull out a long USB cable out of this man’s ear?!

Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Doctor Pulled Out USB Cable Out Of Man’s Ear!

People are sharing a TikTok video which purportedly shows how a doctor pulled out a long USB cable out of a man’s ear! Here is a transcript of the viral video:

Doctor : Okay, we are going to get this out as quickly as possible. Nurse, can we get a bit of Lidocaine in there?

Nurse : Why yes, doctor, yes, right here.

Doctor : I can’t believe the patient got a phone charger stuck in their ear. Can you just dab that with the gauze, we are going to start pulling this right out. Okay, let’s give it a tug. Omigosh, look at that.

Nurse : Oh, wow, doctor, does this happen often?

It’s also being shared on WhatsApp, with messages like this:

Deft surgical extrication no doubt: but how in heavens did it find its way there in the first place 😱😱😱😱

Recommended : Did King Charles just expel Meghan from Royal Family?!

 

Truth : No Doctor Pulled Out Any USB Cable From Man’s Ear!

This is yet another FAKE VIDEO created by TikTok “content creators” to generate views, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : USB Cable In Ear Video Is Fake

First, let me just point out that the viral video showing a doctor pulling a USB cable out of a man’s ear is fake.

The way the doctor talks should tell anyone that he’s fake, especially when he refers to a pair of forceps as his “precision tool”, and uses a dentist’s mirror to look into the ear canal!

The video was recorded using a silicone head mask. At around 1:50 in the video, you can clearly see the thick translucent silicone being lifted up by the cable through the ear canal.

Fact #2 : Ear Canal Is Too Small To Fit USB Cable

It is anatomically impossible for any person to fit any USB cable in their ear canals, as the ear canal is only 2.5 cm deep, with a diameter of just 5-7 mm.

Fact #3 : Original Video Was Posted On TikTok

I traced the original video to a TikTok video that was posted by @hwoecbavix0, who posted it on 19 April 2023 without any title or description, probably to trigger controversy and go viral.

@hwoecbavix0 does not appear to be a medical-related TikTok channel. Instead, the channel posts random food and prank videos.

Fact #4 : Original TikTok Video Is Almost 6.5 Minutes Long

The original video was 6 minutes and 28 seconds long, while the video that went viral on WhatsApp and other social media platforms was much shorter at 2 minutes and 39 seconds.

Whoever cut the video to send it on WhatsApp likely wanted the video to end at the dramatic “How many phones does one man need?

Fact #5 : This Is Just TikTok Fake News

This appears to be yet another example of fake news posted on TikTok to drive traffic. Here are some other examples I look into recently:

Everything Music Mundial posts should be considered as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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