Rolling Stone was duped by a fake trailer for the new Star Wars movie Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens.
Rolling Stone’s Nov. 28 article on the trailer didn’t report on the real trailer but instead a fake trailer from YouTube. Rolling Stone’s “uncredited writer describes a trailer that bares no resemblance to the space, 90-second clip released to the public. Instead, the article appears to recount an impressive fake posted to YouTube by someone named Romeo Lux last week,” Mediaite explained.
When iMediaEthics viewed Romeo Lux’s YouTube Nov. 24 post on Nov. 30, the caption stated: “Awesome! Great tone to this trailer! Now I just can’t wait for the real thing!”
That fake trailer, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens International Teaser Trailer,” consists of “almost all clips from the previous Star Wars films, including a young Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and shots of C-3PO, R2-D2 and other classic characters,” according to Mediaite.
Rolling Stone didn’t fess up to readers about being duped though, instead covering up its error by re-writing its post and publishing a clip of the real trailer, Mediaite pointed out. (See below the real trailer)
Readers called Rolling Stone out on Facebook for the error, commenting on Rolling Stone’s post writing:
- “way to drop the ball and write an article about the fake fan made trailer…here’s the real one by the way,”
- “LMAO you posted and reviewed a fan trailer RS…wow…just…wow”
- “Great research over there at Rolling Stones I see”
- “Total fail by rolling stone. And you guys are meant to be journalists??”
- “Not only did they post the fake, but they reviewed it like it was the real one. Nice fact checking guys.”
iMediaEthics has written to Rolling Stone for comment and for a transparent correction. We’ll update with any response.