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: Videos of Zuckerberg saying humanity’s water is almost depleted are deepfake scams
Published: 14 September – by Shane Raymond
Viral videos shared on Facebook and Instagram falsely depict Meta head Mark Zuckerberg claiming that humanity has only a year of water left. The footage uses deepfake technology and altered audio to promote a cryptocurrency named the World Water Reserve. A transcript of the real meeting between tech leaders and US president Donald Trump shows that the term water was never used.
FactCheck: Four claims made by Donald Trump during his trip to Ireland
Published: 14 September – by Stephen McDermott
Donald Trump made several claims during his visit to Ireland about trade, investment, fuel shortages and US spending. Fact-checking found that some claims contained elements of truth but were misleading or lacked important context. Overall, the evidence did not support several of his broader statements.
Debunked: The media publishes news about sexual assaults, reporting is not banned by ‘new laws’
Published: 17 September – by Shane Raymond
No, the public is not being left in the dark about rapes and sexual assaults because the government has created new laws. Claims about “media blackouts” have spread online, despite there being no new laws restricting the reporting of these crimes. In fact, Irish media cannot identify suspects accused of rape before a conviction since 1981.