Executives at the Times of London expressed concerns about the paper’s reputation following a botched interview in which a reporter was misled by a man impersonating former New York mayor Bill de Blasio. Deputy editor Ian Brunskill shared a critical email, labeling the incident “humiliating” and noting that it, alongside another hoax involving an AI-generated case study, harmed the paper’s credibility. The fake de Blasio provided comments on a political campaign and even used ChatGPT for responses, leading to a published quote that de Blasio later disputed as “false and fabricated.”
The Times apologized and retracted the article after realizing the deception. Brunskill emphasized the need for better practices and due diligence to prevent such errors, highlighting red flags that were ignored. He criticized the reliance on unverified sources and stressed the importance of adhering to journalistic standards. The recent incidents prompted calls for deeper scrutiny of journalistic integrity, as they clearly damaged the Times’ reputation.
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