Lead Stories is reporting that several pieces of disinformation have circulated recently, including a fake video purporting to show an F-16 causing Nepal floods. It said this video has been online since May 2026 with an AI watermark, predating the August 2026 flash flood in Nepal. The outlet also debunked an AI-generated image depicting Spider-Man punching Jake Lang at a Minneapolis protest, noting that while an altercation occurred, the specific image was created with OpenAI tools and contained a SynthID watermark. Additionally, Lead Stories identified a story claiming Sen. Marco Rubio refused to protect Tom Hanks from a Greek 'impropriety' investigation as entirely fictitious satire from a network of self-described satire websites.
Lead Stories announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration among American fact-checking organizations to monitor the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. It said this joint effort will produce a weekly newsletter for media professionals, content creators and election observers, highlighting common findings and information trends. The International Fact-Checking Network's director, Angie Drobnic Holan, stated that the collaboration serves as a "bulwark against inaccurate and false information" amid rising fakery and public mistrust. Participating organizations include Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, PolitiFact, AFP Factcheck and Factchequeado. All five are verified signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles.