Soofia Tariq

Marles quote about arms exports to Israel is a fake A fictitious announcement, supposedly made by Australia's defence minister and shared widely on social media, labels Israel a

A fictitious announcement, supposedly made by Australia's defence minister and shared widely on social media, labels Israel a "regime that incinerates babies with white phosphorus".

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/ma...

Vaccines directly responsible for rapid decline in paralytic polio, despite online claims A Joe Rogan podcast guest claims that changes to the definition and diagnosis of paralytic polio are responsible for the fall in cases, but experts say the medical success story is down to vaccines.

A Joe Rogan podcast guest claims that changes to the definition and diagnosis of paralytic polio are responsible for the fall in cases, but experts say the medical success story is down to vaccines.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/va...

Claim WHO controls Australian health policy not accurate: experts A former politician claims the government has handed control of health policy to the World Health Organization, but experts say Australia retains its sovereign right to determine health policies.

A former politician claims the government has handed control of health policy to the World Health Organization, but experts say Australia retains its sovereign right to determine health policies.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/cl...

Dandelion tea cancer cure claims blown away Experts say claims about dandelion tea on leukaemia are misleading, as no studies have been conducted on human patients.

Experts say claims about dandelion tea on leukaemia are misleading, as no studies have been conducted on human patients.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/da...

No, BlackRock doesn't 'own' Australia's big four banks A social media post falsely claims investment firm BlackRock owns all four of Australia's major banks.

A social media post falsely claims investment firm BlackRock owns all four of Australia's major banks.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/no...

US sanctions UN expert on Palestine, not Australian PM Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appears to have been confused with a top UN expert on Palestine in social media claims about a US entry ban.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appears to have been confused with a top UN expert on Palestine in social media claims about a US entry ban.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/us...

Fake 'breaking news' story claims Trump legalised driving without a licence Fake TV news stories, including that the US president has made it legal to drive without a licence, are being shared on social media.

Fake TV news stories, including that the US president has made it legal to drive without a licence, are being shared on social media.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/fa...

Aust minister has not 'approved' Bobby Vylan visa after IDF chant at Glastonbury Online posts falsely claim that Immigration Minister Tony Burke has granted the Bob Vylan frontman's visa to Australia in the wake of an on-stage protest against the Israel Defense Forces.

Online posts falsely claim that Immigration Minister Tony Burke has granted the Bob Vylan frontman's visa to Australia in the wake of an on-stage protest against the Israel Defense Forces.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/au...

Google ends fact-checking funding in Australia after letting AAP FactCheck deal expire While the US search giant is signing new deals with Australian publishers, it will not renew its fact-checking contract with Australian Associated Press amid a global backlash on fact-checking.

Google will no longer fund fact-checking in Australia by letting its existing deal with an Australian publisher's team lapse, mirroring Meta's retreat amid a global backlash against fact-checkers.

www.crikey.com.au/20...

Injured Ex-Greens candidate falsely accused of faking eye wound Users have misinterpreted images of Hannah Thomas's injuries amid a protest to imply she is lying about the incident with NSW police.

Users have misinterpreted images of Hannah Thomas's injuries amid a protest to imply she is lying about the incident with NSW police.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/in...

No, not all politicians, Aboriginal people and churches exempt from Labor's super tax A social media post falsely claims the federal government's 30 per cent superannuation tax has exemptions for all politicians, Aboriginal people and churches.

A social media post falsely claims the federal government's 30 per cent superannuation tax has exemptions for all politicians, Aboriginal people and churches.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/no...

US strikes on Iran spark fresh wave of disinformation A barrage of AI-generated videos appeared on social media following the US strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming to show the bombings.

A barrage of AI-generated videos appeared on social media following US strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming to show the bombings.

aap.com.au/factcheck/us-strikes-on-iran-spark-fresh-wave-of-disinformation/

No, Canada is not legalising euthanasia for children Social media posts rely on a wrongly labelled anti-assisted-dying pamphlet as being distributed by the Canadian government.

Social media posts rely on a wrongly labelled anti-assisted-dying pamphlet as being distributed by the Canadian government.
www.aap.com.au/factcheck/no...

IDF statement wishing Greta Thunberg an 'enjoyable visit' to Gaza is fake Greta Thunberg was stopped from entering Gaza by Israeli naval forces, not allowed free passage at her own risk, as claimed in a fake statement.

Greta Thunberg was stopped from entering Gaza by Israeli naval forces, not allowed free passage at her own risk, as claimed in a fake statement. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/id...

Claim man arrested for cash withdrawal attempt short-changes truth A video of a man being arrested at an Australian bank is being misrepresented in claims he was taken into custody for merely trying to withdraw cash.

A video of a man being arrested at an Australian bank is being misrepresented in claims he was taken into custody for merely trying to withdraw cash. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/cl...

Tax office lashes 'dodgy websites' over false superannuation claims Social media outrage has erupted over false claims about coming changes that will make Australians wait longer to access their superannuation savings.

Social media outrage has erupted over false claims about coming changes that will make Australians wait longer to access their superannuation savings. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/ta...

Vote counting procedure misrepresented in baseless corruption claims False online claims about corruption involving federal election officials counting votes in Adelaide are based on a misunderstanding of Australia's preferential voting process.

False online claims about corruption involving federal election officials counting votes in Adelaide are based on a misunderstanding of Australia's preferential voting process. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/vo...

False claim misrepresents vote count in Dutton's lost seat Incorrect claims about the vote count in outgoing Liberal leader Peter Dutton's former seat of Dickson are based on misrepresented electoral figures.

Incorrect claims about the vote count in outgoing Liberal leader Peter Dutton's former seat of Dickson are based on misrepresented electoral figures.

www.aap.com.au/factcheck/fa...

False election fraud claim confuses uncounted votes with missing ballots The Australian Electoral Commission says claims on social media that six million ballots cast in the federal election are missing are

The Australian Electoral Commission has dismissed claims that six million ballots have gone missing as "wildly inaccurate".

AI-generated Joe Rogan voice attacking Foreign Minister Penny Wong shared online A fake audio recording of Joe Rogan's voice calling Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong a

An audio recording of podcaster Joe Rogan labelling foreign minister Penny Wong a "swamp creature" and "cunning" is circulating online, despite being generated using artificial intelligence.

Labor minister wrong about Muslim group's preferences in his seat A veteran Labor minister's claim that a Muslim political group has preferenced him below a centre-right candidate in his southwest Sydney seat is false.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's claim that a Muslim political group has preferenced him below Clive Palmer's Trumpet of Patriots party is false.

Muslim Votes Matter's how-to-vote cards list Burke fifth and the Trumpet of Patriots candidate seventh.

Labor minister wrongly claims Liberals didn't support $300 power rebate Education Minister Jason Clare falsely accused Peter Dutton of opposing Labor's 2024 budget measure to provide households with $300 power bill rebates, despite the Opposition leader supporting it.

In an appearance on Sky News, Education Minister Jason Clare falsely claimed the Liberal Party voted against Labor's energy bill relief scheme in 2024. Parliamentary records show the rebate passed without objection.

NSW abortion bill would not force shutdown of all Christian hospitals Experts say proposed NSW laws aimed at making abortion more accessible will not force the closure of all Christian and Catholic hospitals if they don't perform terminations.

Proposed reforms to expand abortion access in NSW will not result in the closure of Christian and Catholic hospitals that refuse to perform abortion procedures. The bill only applies to public institutions and contains no mechanism to enforce compliance.

NSW abortion bill would not force shutdown of all Christian hospitals Experts say proposed NSW laws aimed at making abortion more accessible will not force the closure of all Christian and Catholic hospitals if they don't perform terminations.

Social media posts by anti-abortion activist Dr Joanna Howe inaccurately claim the NSW Greens abortion bill will shut down all Christian and Catholic hospitals unless they perform terminations. www.aap.com.au/factcheck/ns...

Coalition's claim on Australia's electricity bills isn't the full picture

The Coalition says that Australian energy bills are "among the most expensive in the world". Is this true? @soofiatariq.bsky.social investigates.

Emissions figures give ‘incomplete’ picture: experts Labor has claimed a 28.2 per cent drop in emissions below 2005 levels, but is it really the environmental success story it appears?

The Labor government claims emissions have fallen to "28.2 per cent below 2005 levels”. Experts say this reporting doesn't present a full picture of decarbonisation, with one likening it to “an accounting trick”.

Claims of a ‘new’ Australian Muslim Party ahead of the 2025 election are misleading An old image of a once aspiring political leader has recirculated on Facebook, misleading voters about the upcoming federal election.

Months out from the federal election, claims have emerged about the launch of a new Australian Muslim Party. However, no such party has been registered.

Indigenous people did not wipe out pygmy population in Australia Social media users are recycling a discredited claim that Australia's Indigenous people wiped out a pygmy population that preceded them.

Contrary to claims circulating online, First Nations peoples did not "wipe out" a pygmy population. Genetic sequencing confirms First Nations peoples as the earliest inhabitants of Australia.