Facebook user fools the NY Post

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Chalk up another media misstep in the coverage of the Newtown shootings. This time it's the NY Post. Though it was repeated many other places, including Yahoo.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ryan-lanza-facebook-181924426.html

"I am a victim," Ryan Lanza told the New York Post via Facebook on Saturday. "I [lost] my mom and brother." ... But on Sunday, a spokesman for the Lanza family told the Post that "an imposter is behind Ryan Lanza's Facebook page and that Ryan did not post the messages" published in its original story.

It's been said many times, many ways: Don't use this kind of **** for the basis of a story without verification.

 

[slappy4428]

Newtown.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Yahoo News picked up the story and ran with it before it was revealed to be a hoax.

The story linked in this thread was substantially changed from its original form.

But yes, social media does not remove the need to be a reporter.