WaPo: Some Say Atlantic Story ‘Felt Misleading’ Once They Learned It Was Made Up

That's one way for the fake news reporters at The Washington Post to put it. We're amazed to see The Post call out The Atlantic, as subtly as they could.

Elizabeth Bruenig’s account of a mother’s experience learning her child will die of measles has remained one of the Atlantic’s most read stories since it was published.

But some say the story felt misleading once they learned it was reported fiction. https://t.co/1hf3Svinmy
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 19, 2026

"Some say …." Where's intrepid fact-checker Glenn Kessler when you need him?

Scott Nover reports:

When Kelly McBride read Elizabeth Bruenig’s essay in the Atlantic about a child’s death from measles complications, she was moved and quickly shared the story on her Facebook account. She hadn’t realized that Bruenig’s family had been ravaged by virus and the well-known journalist had lost a child.
McBride, a media ethicist and senior vice president at the Poynter Institute, also didn’t realize the story was a hypothetical scenario — and the child a composite character based on the author’s research — until a friend alerted her to an editor’s note at the bottom of the story. Then, McBride felt duped.

A composite character … like Barack Obama's composite girlfriend.

Why would people ever feel misled by a fictional story meant to emotionally manipulate them, that didn't tell them it had been fictionalized until the editor's note at the end?
— XcentricXennial (@XcentricXennial) February 19, 2026

It's not an account, it is a work of fiction
— Gary in DFW (@LakerGMC_) February 19, 2026

People found fiction misleading? That's what you're going with? I think some more layoffs would help you guys out.
— Kyle (@KylePostingOnX) February 19, 2026

WaPo: Some Say Atlantic Story ‘Felt Misleading’ Once They Learned It Was Made Up

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