FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Justin Timberlake During Sobriety Test?

Joseph Casieri | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on social media purportedly shows footage of singer Justin Timberlake during a recent traffic stop.

Verdict: False

The video appears to have been recorded from a dashcam in 2006 but has circulated online since 2009.

Fact Check:

Singer Billy Joel was at the same event in Sag Harbor Hotel that Timberlake was just before he was arrested, but does not wish to judge Timberlake, The New York Post reported. Timberlake was pulled over Tuesday and reportedly declined a Breathalyzer test, according to the outlet.

A post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, claims to show Justin Timberlake falling over during a field sobriety test recently in New York. The video shows a police officer attempting to place tape on the ground with another man as the latter falls after bending over. Timberlake’s “SexyBack” plays over the video.

The caption reads, “Justin Timberlake’s sobriety test.”

The claim is inaccurate. The video appears to date back to 2006. The video was uploaded on YouTube in 2009, but the footage shows a timestamp in the top of the screen. It was also reposted in 2016 showing the Sky 2 logo in the top corner. (RELATED: Is This Video Of Fences Around The Supreme Court Recent?)

Surveillance footage shows Timberlake driving just before he was pulled over and the officer said Timberlake smelled of alcohol, according to People. TODAY reported Timberlake did perform a field sobriety test, but police say “he performed poorly.”

This is not the first time misinformation has been shared online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim The Economist published a cover featuring a crosshair on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Joseph Casieri

Fact Check Reporter

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