Daily Fact Checks

Real claims.
Real findings.
Every day.

I select claims currently circulating in the news and on social media and run them through SPEAC's fact-checking engine. Here's what we found.

These findings reflect claims selected for their relevance and current circulation — not aggregated data from beta users. Every finding is sourced and transparent. Published regularly. We encourage you to follow the sources and reach your own conclusions.
April 29, 2026
"If screens are replacing sleep, play, movement, learning, or time with family and friends, it may be time to reset routines."
✓ VERIFIED

Broad peer-reviewed consensus, including Nature and PubMed studies, confirms screens displace sleep, physical activity, learning, and social interaction. AAP guidance supports routine resets when this displacement occurs.

"You can be protected from bullets if you are underwater."
⚖ CONTESTED

Water can slow and stop most bullets at sufficient depth and angle, but protection is highly conditional — depth, bullet type, and shot angle are all critical variables.

"Changes are coming to auto insurance in Ontario."
✓ VERIFIED

Confirmed by Ontario's FSRA and Insurance Bureau of Canada: major auto insurance reforms take effect July 1, 2026, shifting many mandatory accident benefits to optional coverage.

April 28, 2026
"Canada's Spring Economic Update is going to increase the deficit over the next five years."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. Canada's 2026 Spring Economic Update projects deficits declining over five years — from $66.9B in 2025–26 to $53.2B by 2030–31 — not increasing.

"Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted again on Tuesday for arranging seashells on the beach."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. Former FBI Director Comey was indicted Tuesday, but the charge is not 'arranging seashells' — he is charged with threatening President Trump by posting a photo of seashells arranged as '86 47' on Instagram.

"My daughter is strong in STEM and super creative so she is one of those rare individuals who leverages both sides of her brain."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. The left/right brain personality framework is a debunked neuromyth — peer-reviewed neuroimaging of 1,000+ individuals found no evidence people are globally left- or right-brained.

April 27, 2026
"King Charles decides what countries and leaders he visits."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. King Charles III travels on the advice of his government, not his own decision. The UK Royal Visits Committee recommends visits; Prime Minister Starmer formally advises the monarch.

"The Godfather is by far the best movie ever made."
💬 OPINION

This reads as personal opinion, not a factual claim. "Best movie ever made" is a subjective judgment — critical consensus ranks The Godfather among the greatest films, but no objective measure can definitively crown any single film the best.

"I use vinegar as part of my spring cleaning ritual because it cleans everything."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. Vinegar is effective on many surfaces but cannot clean everything — it damages stone, wood, grout, and chrome, and is not an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against all pathogens.

April 26, 2026
"Someone shot Donald Trump at the Correspondents' Dinner yesterday."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. A shooting occurred outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner on April 25, 2026, but President Trump was not shot — he was evacuated uninjured. One officer was struck but protected by a vest.

"The U.S. is bringing back executions by firing squad."
✓ VERIFIED

On April 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice officially expanded federal execution protocols to include firing squads, confirmed by a primary Justice Department press release.

"It must be so cool to float in space with no gravity to pull you down."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. Astronauts float due to continuous free fall (microgravity), not an absence of gravity — gravity at ISS altitude is still approximately 90% of Earth's surface gravity.

April 23, 2026
"Imagine what more we could achieve if we just tapped into that additional 10 percent of our brains!"
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. The 10% brain myth is scientifically false — neuroscience, confirmed by fMRI and PET imaging, shows virtually all brain regions are active across tasks. There is no unused 90% to tap.

"Washington is behind 10 missing and deceased scientists involved in sensitive nuclear and aerospace research."
⚖ CONTESTED

At least 10 US scientists tied to nuclear and aerospace programs have died or disappeared since 2022, and the FBI and House Oversight Committee are investigating. However, authorities have found no confirmed link between the cases.

"The Shroud of Turin must be a fake."
⚖ CONTESTED

Credible peer-reviewed evidence exists on both sides. 1988 radiocarbon dating suggested medieval origins, while 2025–2026 studies on DNA, image formation, and medieval texts continue to divide scientific experts.

April 22, 2026
"Washington is demanding an entry fee from Ottawa before trade talks."
✓ VERIFIED

Multiple credible sources confirm the Trump administration is demanding an "entry fee" — upfront concessions — from Canada before CUSMA trade talks begin, per four Radio-Canada sources corroborated by The Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press.

"Modern art can't compare to Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, which were originally pure white marble."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. The claim that ancient Greek and Roman sculptures were originally pure white marble is false — scholarly and scientific consensus confirms they were originally painted in vivid polychrome colours.

"It's crazy to think that Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling while lying on his back."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling standing on custom scaffolding, not lying on his back — a myth popularized by the 1965 film The Agony and the Ecstasy.

April 21, 2026
"I'm looking for a phone with more megapixels because I really want to share the best pictures with my followers."
⚠ DISPUTED

SPEAC flagged this as inaccurate before it went live. More megapixels do not equal better social media photos — platforms aggressively compress uploads, and sensor size, lens quality, and AI processing matter far more for shared image quality.

"Inflation is just going to keep rising globally in light of the current global context."
⚖ CONTESTED

The IMF's April 2026 World Economic Outlook projects global headline inflation rising modestly to 4.4% in 2026 due to the Middle East conflict, but forecasts a decline in 2027. Regional outcomes vary sharply — the claim of unending global inflation rise is contradicted by the IMF's own disinflation path projection.

🔗 imf.org
"Honestly, walking is the best form of exercise so I try to get my steps in every day."
💬 OPINION

Walking has extensive evidence-backed health benefits, but calling it the 'best' form of exercise is a subjective judgment — experts note that strength training and HIIT offer distinct, complementary benefits that walking alone cannot replicate.