The Guardian Apologizes over Fabricated Egypt Stories

UK daily newspaper, the Guardian, has apologized to its readers after fact-checking the stories by freelance writer Joseph Mayton, who fabricated some of his opinion stories that he has been sending from Egypt from 2009 to 2010 and later on after moving to California.

The journalist was accused of making up quotes in some stories and filing interviews with people who later said they had never spoken to him. Consequently, the Brits decided to take down 13 of his stories, including an item about animal rights in the Middle East and Egypt.

Mayton’s fabricated stories were not only related to Egypt, but have also covered wildfires, marijuana farms, urban vineyards and whale deaths on US coasts.

Of all the investigated 64 Mayton articles, 14 stories were about Egypt and one of which was entirely removed, while the other 13 have been modified by the Guardian, including an interview with Islamist politician Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh in 2009 when he was still a Muslim Brotherhood member.

Other quotes and info that could not be verified by the Guardian’s hired independent fact-checker were removed, after discovering articles that contained “likely or confirmed fabrication.” On the other hand, Mayton dismissed the accusations and claimed that he has “provided evidence showing that many sources had in fact spoken with me and either did not remember or refused to be truthful.”

WE SAID THIS: Don’t believe anything you read…unless it’s on here.