MBFC's Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 10/24/2026 (Weekend Edition)

Media Bias Fact Check selects and publishes fact checks from around the world. We only utilize fact-checkers that are either a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) or have been verified as credible by MBFC. Further, we review each fact check for accuracy before publishing. We fact-check the fact-checkers and let you know their bias. When appropriate, we explain the rating and/or offer our own rating if we disagree with the fact-checker. (D. Van Zandt)

Claim Codes: Red = Fact Check on a Right Claim, Blue = Fact Check on a Left Claim, Black = Not Political/Conspiracy/Pseudoscience/Other

Fact Checker bias rating Codes: Red = Right-Leaning, Green = Least Biased, Blue = Left-Leaning, Black = Unrated by MBFC

FALSE	Claim via Social Media: Maricopa County election workers were caught improperly inserting flash drives into ballot-counting computers during an active election, suggesting unauthorized election activity. AFP Fact Check rating: False (Maricopa County officials said the employees were performing authorized software updates on the ballot-duplication system, not vote-counting tabulators or the Election Management System. Officials said USB drives are routinely used because the machines are not connected to the internet.) Misinformation targets Maricopa County ahead of 2026 midterms
TRUE	Claim via Social Media: JD Vance said: “You don’t turn the Titanic around overnight. It takes time to fix what was broken,” referring to the U.S. economy. Snopes rating: True (Vance made the statement during a Jan. 22, 2026, speech in Toledo, Ohio, while discussing economic problems he blamed on the Biden administration. Some social media posts misleadingly presented the quote as if it were recent.) Did JD Vance compare US economy to Titanic?
BLATANT LIE	Claim via Social Media: A video shows a former student of Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico accusing him of sexual assault while Talarico was his middle-school teacher. AFP Fact Check rating: False (The real former student, Zyon Lewis, said the man in the video was not him and that Talarico never sexually abused him. Researchers found signs the video was AI-altered and attributed its distribution with high confidence to the Russian-linked Storm-1516 disinformation operation.) Russian disinformation targets James Talarico with unfounded sexual assault claim
FALSE	(International: Philippines): Hordes of people are panic-buying water drums at a local warehouse after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. advised the public to store water in preparation for the anticipated Super El Niño. Rappler rating: False FACT CHECK: Video of people panic-buying water drums for Super El Niño is AI-generated

Disclaimer: We are providing links to fact-checks by third-party fact-checkers. If you do not agree with a fact check, please directly contact the source of that fact check.

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