On Thursday the 18th, an article concerning a dog named Maggie
rescuing a 6-year-old child was posted on The Morton Report under the guise of
being a real story. The validity of the article was not initially
questioned as it was posted under the name of one our respected
columnists.
As it turns out, the article was
the work of internet mischief maker David Thorne who gained access to
the columnist's account and posted it under her name without her
knowledge. The article, which ended with the dog having cancer, garnered
over 40,000 hits within a 24 hour period and resulted in many readers
expressing how upset they were by the dog's medical condition. Many said
they were 'deeply touched' by the article and felt they had been lifted
up with a story of love and hope only to be hit with the heart-breaking
ending paragraph. Messages of hope were left for the 'parents' featured
in the article.
The Morton Report has a strong
stance on unsourced material and does not condone the posting of this
fabricated article. Our columnists are highly respected professionals and
experts in their fields and all material is sourced from reputable and
established references. As such, The Morton Report has taken steps to
ensure this situation does not happen again.
Speaking
to Thorne via email, he stated "Readers received a Hallmark moment for
free. Those upset by Maggie's condition should take solace in the fact
that she doesn't actually have cancer."
It may not be the first time readers have been 'trolled' by his juvenile antics, but it will be the last time it happens via an article on the Morton Report.
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