BBC Verify Live: Uncovering the Truth Behind Viral Content
The Battle Against Misinformation
- UK's Economic Growth: A Mixed Picture
The UK's economic growth is a hot topic, with the government aiming high. In the third quarter of 2025, the economy grew by a modest 0.1%, a decrease from the previous quarter's 0.3%. But here's where it gets controversial: the government's 'Plan for Change' set specific milestones, and the growth figures didn't quite hit the mark.
The targets were linked to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head, Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per head, and Regional GDP per head. However, the latest GDP per head statistics show no growth in the third quarter, although it's up 0.8% compared to the same period last year. The government aims for a higher figure by 2029.
RHDI per head has yet to be updated for the third quarter, but it did increase by 0.2% between April and June. Regional GDP per head is also a focus, but the latest figures only cover up to 2023.
- AI-Generated Video of Delhi Blast: Fact or Fiction?
An AI-generated video claiming to depict the Delhi blast near the Red Fort has gone viral. Our senior journalist, Shruti Menon, has been on the case, reviewing multiple videos and images. She identified AI-generated and older images being circulated as the explosion. One Instagram reel, in particular, claims to show the blast moment, complete with a text overlay in Hindi.
But here's the twist: Google's Synth ID, an AI-detection tool, revealed AI generation in both video and audio. The video also bears a Veo watermark, Google's AI-generation tool. It combines authentic footage with added explosions, flames, people, and sounds, making it misleading.
Indian fact-checkers and Delhi police have also debunked the video's authenticity, urging users not to circulate unverified content.
- NHS Waiting Lists: A Work in Progress
The NHS waiting list for planned treatment in England saw a slight decrease in September, falling to 7.39 million procedures. While this ended a streak of monthly rises, the percentage of patients waiting fewer than 18 weeks remains below the NHS target of 92% and the government's interim goal of 65% by March 2026.
Every NHS trust in England has a unique target for March 2026, aiming to see 60% of patients within 18 weeks or improve on their November 2024 figures. As of September, the halfway point, 98 trusts had improved, 36 were stagnant or worse, and one did not submit data.
- Verified Footage of Debris Falling on Oryol, Russia
BBC Verify has checked and verified videos showing a city in western Russia, Oryol, being showered with what appears to be drone or missile debris during a Ukrainian attack. Click play to witness the dramatic scene of flaming shards falling in a residential area.
- Old Footage Misused in Thailand-Cambodia Border Tensions
Screenshots from old night-vision drone videos have been circulating, falsely claiming to show Thai soldiers near the Cambodian border. A reverse image search traced the pictures to a Facebook post claiming to show Thai troops planting bombs. However, further analysis revealed the images were not recent, with one from Israel in 2019 and the other from an unknown location in 2021.
This misinformation comes amid rising tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, with both sides reporting incidents. The misleading posts highlight the importance of fact-checking during sensitive times.
- BBC Verify: Your Questions, Our Investigations
We want to hear from you! BBC Verify is keen to investigate claims you've seen online, especially those involving AI-generated images spreading disinformation. We're also here to answer your questions about our video verification process and satellite imagery work.
- Satellite Data Reveals Gaza's Devastation
BBC Verify's data scientist, Barbara Metzler, explains how we used satellite data to analyze the destruction in Gaza. Click play to watch her demonstrate our pixel-wise T-tests methodology, revealing over 1,500 buildings destroyed in areas under Israel's control since the ceasefire with Hamas.
- Russian City Oryol Under Attack: Verified Footage
BBC Verify and BBC Monitoring have been verifying a video claiming to show Russian air defenses engaging a Ukrainian attack in Oryol. The footage shows burning debris falling around buildings, with car alarms and sirens blaring. We've geolocated the clip to Oryol's western edge, matching it with satellite imagery on Yandex.
Oryol's regional governor, Andrey Klychkov, warned residents of 'missile' threats and later confirmed that Russian air defenses destroyed several objects, resulting in fragments falling in a residential area. This incident follows previous Ukrainian attacks on Oryol, including a verified video from October showing explosions near its power station.
- Welcome to BBC Verify Live: Fact-Checking in Action
Join us as we fact-check and debunk viral content. We're verifying videos of burning debris over Oryol, Russia, and investigating an AI-generated video of the Delhi blast. Plus, we're analyzing official data on NHS performance in England and providing an interactive tool to track your local health trust's progress.
And this is the part most people miss: the power of fact-checking in today's digital world. With misinformation spreading faster than ever, BBC Verify is here to provide clarity and context. But we want to hear from you: what are your thoughts on the role of fact-checking in the media? Do you think it's essential, or is it an unnecessary filter? Let us know in the comments, and join the conversation!
