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PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Politics & government fact checks

Explore claims publishers have checked about politics & government. Read their original ratings and follow the evidence.

12,754 published reviews in this topic

FACTLYPolitics & government

Visuals of rehearsals by the protesting farmers for the upcoming Republic Day tractor parade in New Delhi

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

The claim concerned a photo and video circulating as footage of protesting farmers rehearsing for their Republic Day tractor parade in New Delhi. FACTLY examined the two visuals separately and concluded that neither showed those rehearsals: its account says the photo was linked to a tractor competition, while the video had already been circulating online in 2019. For the photo, the review reports using Google Reverse Image Search. That search located the same image in a Facebook video uploaded in July 2020 and as the thumbnail of a video uploaded in March 2019. The March video showed drivers in the same clothes and tractors competing, and its title identified the event as a “tractor tochan” competition. This earlier appearance and different setting contradict the photo’s presentation as a rehearsal for the 2021 parade. For the video, FACTLY found the same footage in an India.com article from August 2019. The review says it could not establish the video’s exact details, but its presence online by that date means it could not depict preparation for the upcoming 2021 parade. The conclusion is specifically about these visuals; the review also notes that farmers did conduct rehearsals, so the debunk does not establish that no rehearsals took place.

Fact CrescendoPolitics & government

പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി നരേന്ദ്ര മോദിയുടെ അഭിവാദ്യങ്ങള്‍ സ്വീകരിച്ച് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് നന്ദി പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ച ജോ ബൈഡന്‍ പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി മോദിയെ വേള്‍ഡ് ലീഡര്‍ അതായത് ലോകനേതാവ് എന്ന തരത്തില്‍ സംബോധന ചെയ്തു

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

Fact CrescendoPolitics & government

Claim: OPS not tweeted in support of VK Sasikala

Publisher’s rating: Fact Crescendo Rating: False

The claim concerned a screenshot shared as a tweet by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS), welcoming V.K. Sasikala and anticipating her return to party and government leadership. The review says the screenshot circulated as Sasikala was expected to be released from a Karnataka prison on January 27, 2021, and was later hospitalized in Bengaluru. It reports that OPS’s side confirmed the purported tweet was fake: “குறிப்பிட்ட ட்வீட் போலியானது என்று கூறி ஓபிஎஸ் தரப்பில் உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.” The review describes checking the account named in the screenshot against OPS’s official account. The screenshot used “@officeof_ops,” while the review identifies the official handle as “@OfficeOfOPS.” It also says the account shown in the screenshot had been suspended for violating Twitter rules: “அந்த ஐடி, ட்விட்டர் விதிமுறைகளை மீறி செயல்பட்டதால் முடக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக, விவரம் தெரியவந்தது.” The review additionally points to spelling errors in the screenshot, including misspellings of “Chinnamma” and “sikki,” and concludes that the purported tweet was fabricated. Its finding applies to the screenshot and account it examined; the excerpt does not describe independent verification of the social-media posts or linked tweets beyond the checks it reports. The article’s result is “False.”

Fact CrescendoPolitics & government

Claim: Rajendra Balaji not commented as Brahmins only eligible to rule Tamil Nadu

Publisher’s rating: False

The claim concerned a screenshot presented as a News 7 Tamil report saying that minister Rajendra Balaji had asserted Brahmins were particularly qualified to govern Tamil Nadu. It was circulated alongside a photograph of Balaji with actor and former MLA S. V. Shekhar. The review traced one Facebook share to January 11, 2021, and noted that people were reposting the same screenshot. It also explained why some readers found the allegation plausible: Balaji had made politically provocative remarks before. The review treated that background as insufficient evidence that he made this particular statement. To check the screenshot, Fact Crescendo searched News 7 Tamil’s website and found no such report. It also searched for evidence that Balaji had given an interview after meeting Shekhar, and found none. The review then checked the men’s social media accounts: Shekhar had posted the photograph on January 9, describing the encounter as unexpected, but the review found no accompanying evidence of the alleged interview or statement. These searches do not establish that no conversation occurred; they do show that the viral screenshot was not corroborated by the checks described. The decisive evidence was a direct inquiry to Sugitha, identified in the review as a News 7 Tamil digital division administrator. She told Fact Crescendo that the outlet had not published the item and that it was fake. On that basis, the review concluded that the screenshot was fabricated, not an authentic News 7 Tamil report establishing that Balaji made the quoted remark. The finding addresses the specific attributed statement and purported news item, rather than a general assessment of Balaji’s political views.

Deutsche Presse-AgenturPolitics & government

Am 20. Januar 2021 ist mit der Amtseinführung von Joe Biden die US-Präsidentschaft von Donald Trump zu Ende gegangen - nachdem zwei Wochen zuvor noch Trump-Anhänger gewaltsam das Kapitol gestürmt hatten, um sich gegen das Ende der Amtszeit Trumps einzusetzen. Trotz der abgeschlossenen Wahl von Joe Biden wird in einem Text kurz vor der Amtseinführung behauptet, die «Einweihung» von Biden sei abgesagt und Donald Trump bleibe im Amt (hier archiviert). In dem Artikel wird ein angebliches Zitat von Trump genannt, wonach er ein Aufstandsgesetz («Insurrection Act») ausgerufen habe, um mit dem Militär gegen einen «verräterischen Aufstand» vorzugehen. Trump wird in den Mund gelegt, er «werde auf unbestimmte Zeit Präsident bleiben, bis alle inländischen Feinde verhaftet sind». Kann das sein?

Publisher’s rating: Donald Trump hat die Amtseinführung von Joe Biden anerkannt und am 20. Januar 2021 das Weiße Haus verlassen. Joe Biden ist neuer Präsident der USA.

The claim concerned a text circulated shortly before Joe Biden’s inauguration alleging that the ceremony had been canceled, Donald Trump would stay in office, and he had invoked the Insurrection Act to use the military against a supposed uprising. The review says the purported statement also attributed to Trump a promise to remain president until domestic enemies were arrested. It found no substantiation for that account and reports that the alleged quotations were attributed to January 14 without identifying where or why Trump supposedly said them. The review sets out a contrary chronology: Trump publicly acknowledged on January 7 that the transfer of power would take place on January 20, and said he would not attend the ceremony. On January 20, he left the White House as planned, and Biden was sworn in that day as the 46th U.S. president. These events directly address the claims that the inauguration was canceled and Trump remained in office. On the alleged use of emergency powers, the review says the White House did not issue an Insurrection Act proclamation between the supposed announcement and the end of Trump’s term. It points to the White House record of presidential actions and reports that the false claim spread on social media, including through a fake “@TeamTrumpNews” account not associated with Trump or his staff. The review also notes that it found no evidence Trump discussed arrests of the alleged insurgents.