Through the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), the EU supports a European network of fact-checkers, including TheJournal in Ireland. For a monthly roundup of European fact-checks, visit the main EDMO website. Here, we highlight recent fact-checks by TheJournal FactCheck team.
Debunked: Pictures of Ursula von der Leyen with Jeffrey Epstein are AI-generated
Published: 4 September – by Shane Raymond
<p>Images shared across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X falsely depict European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaking with Jeffrey Epstein at a formal event. Fact-checkers confirmed the pictures are fabricated, noting that a digital watermark called a SynthID, generated by OpenAI tools, was detected on the image. One version of the fake photo posted on X accumulated over 244,000 views.</p>
Debunked: Letter from Andy Burnham ordering British troops to be deployed to Ukraine is a hoax
Published: 7 September – by Stephen McDermott
A viral image of a letter ordering British veterans to deploy to Ukraine is a hoax. The document is signed by Andy Burnham, who is not the country’s Defence Secretary. It even instructs recipients to prepare for conflict by watching Saving Private Ryan and playing Call of Duty.
Debunked: Video of troops on O’Connell Street is taken from a parade, not after a stabbing
Published: 7 September – by Stephen McDermott
Social media posts claimed that members of the Defence Forces were deployed to patrol Dublin’s O’Connell Street following a stabbing on Saturday 6 September 2026. A spokesperson for the Defence Forces confirmed to The Journal that the footage actually shows troops participating in the annual National Services Day Parade. Naval personnel walking alongside an inflatable boat are visible at the end of the video.