The publication has landed in hot water after sharing a fake headline tweet which directs followers to a page encouraging people to register to vote.
- Oct 19, 2018
AceShowbiz - ELLE magazine caused outrage on social media after the publication attempted to copy a viral meme meant to encourage voter registration. The company shared a fake headline tweet claiming Kim Kardashian and Kanye West which actually directed followers to a page encouraging people to register to vote. There is no actual story about the power couple's breakup on its website.
Considering that the one who posted the tweet was a major publication news, the misleading tweet was quickly slammed by a lot of Twitter users with many calling the tweet "trash" and "click bait." Many journalists have also joined in the backlash, expressing their disappointment at the magazine. Yashar Ali, for instance, tweeted, "When a random tweeter did this it was clever but now you're just stealing their tweet and also spreading fake news."
When a random tweeter did this it was clever but now you’re just stealing their tweet and also spreading fake news. https://t.co/RDZg4bQsMc
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) October 18, 2018
"Kim and Kanye are not splitting up, and Elle is cruelly spreading fake news about someone else's marriage to try to get people to vote. This is sick," Amber Athey, an editor of Daily Carter, commented. "It's one thing for random twitter users to do this, but Elle is a verified account purporting to share 'news.' Knowingly spreading fake content is unacceptable."
Kim and Kanye are not splitting up, and Elle is cruelly spreading fake news about someone else's marriage to try to get people to vote. This is sick. https://t.co/ng9cjXBlqU
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) October 18, 2018
It’s one thing for random twitter users to do this, but Elle is a verified account purporting to share “news.” Knowingly spreading fake content is unacceptable.
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) October 18, 2018
Meanwhile, comedy writer Brittany Van Home noted what ELLE did only made people decide not to vote because "they got tricked into it." She said, "You are an actual publication that people look to report truth. This isn't helping." CBS reporter Britney Hopper simply wrote, "You give journalists a bad name. This is horrible. So unethical."
can we not do this? besides the fact that you directly ripped this idea from an individual twitter user — you are an actual publication that people look to to report truth. this isn't helping. and by the way, nobody's going to vote because they got tricked into it.
— Brittany Van Horne (@_brittanyv) October 18, 2018
You give journalists a bad name. This is horrible. So unethical.
— Brittney Hopper (@brittneytv) October 18, 2018
Following the backlash, ELLE has taken to its Twitter account to issue an apology for its controversial tweet. "We made a bad joke," so the message read. "Our passion for voter registration clouded our judgement and we are sincerely sorry."
We made a bad joke. Our passion for voter registration clouded our judgement and we are sincerely sorry. https://t.co/cYGGrpfBCz
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) October 18, 2018
Despite the apology, the news outlet is still receiving backlash until now.
