When Journalism Pretends: The Atlantic’s Measles Controversy

By Tiffany Arnold

This week, The Atlantic made headlines for publishing a story about an unvaccinated child who died from measles. The twist? The story wasn’t real. It was, as the author described, “a hypothetical account of a very real phenomenon based on careful reporting.”

Unfortunately, many readers—including the World Health Organization’s communications director, as The Washington Post reports—missed the disclaimer at the bottom stating the story was fiction, based on interviews with physicians.

The backlash was swift and understandable. In an era where distrust in the media is at an all-time high, the decision to blur the lines between fact and fiction feels risky, if not damaging. People are already questioning whether news is a product worth paying for, and this kind of storytelling only deepens skepticism.

As someone who transitioned from journalism to freelance editing, I find this approach troubling. Journalism’s core value is truth—finding real stories, real people, and sharing their experiences. Surely, there are families affected by measles who would be willing to talk. Why not do the work of journalism and tell their stories?

Fiction writers often conduct extensive research, but they are upfront about their work’s nature. If the goal was to explore a real issue through fiction, why not clearly state that from the beginning? Labeling the piece as fiction at the onset, rather than placing it at the end, would have been more honest and less damaging.

Ultimately, this episode is a reminder: In a time when trust is fragile, journalists must be transparent and diligent. News media needs to recommit to the work of journalism—telling real stories, with real people, for a real audience.

Read more:

• This is How a Child Dies of Measles (The Atlantic, paywalled)

• The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig on her “hypothetical,” heavily reported measles essay (Nieman Lab)

• The Atlantic’s essay about measles was gut-wrenching. Some readers feel deceived. (Washington Post, gift link)