The Daily Mail is facing intense criticism after secretly tailing and photographing a private citizen in Detroit, whom the tabloid falsely accused of being former White Stripes drummer Meg White. Even after the woman informed the newspaper that it had mistaken her identity, the outlet published the photographs and story before quietly retracting them last week without a correction or apology.
The original article, written by senior reporter Joe Hutchison and published on August 6, boasted that the paper had tracked down the "reclusive female music megastar" to reveal her "secret new life." The feature promised to showcase the first public images of White in 17 years. However, sources close to the situation have confirmed that the tabloid actually followed and photographed a completely different woman who is simply a friend of White.
The tabloid published more than a dozen photos of the unsuspecting woman getting out of a vehicle and socializing outside a Detroit restaurant. According to the paper's own reporting, when a journalist finally approached the woman and accused her of being the famous drummer, she laughed and stated that they were mistaken. Despite this explicit denial, Hutchison wrote that the paper concluded she was indeed White because she politely replied "thank you" when the reporter complimented the music of The White Stripes.
"That tells the reader and the journalist exactly nothing," said Dan Axelrod, chair of the ethics committee at the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). "The person being photographed could’ve been toying with the reporter or may not have heard the question properly and was saying ‘thanks’ to be politely dismissive." Axelrod added that the woman "didn’t deserve to be chased around by the Daily Mail, ogled, photographed, and chronicled like a circus bear." He noted that while tabloid reporting "can be ethical and substantive – just look at how just look at how the National Enquirer exposed John Edwards’ extramarital affair," the Mail "followed none of the most basic principles of journalism" in this instance.
A music label executive close to both White and the photographed woman, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that neither woman was aware they were being followed. "Neither Meg nor the friend that was pictured had any idea they were being stalked and, if they had, they for sure would not have voluntarily chosen to be featured in anything having to do with the Daily Mail," the executive said. "I can also assure you that Meg is well and is living the private life she chooses and deserves in Detroit."
Singer-songwriter Karen Elson, the former spouse of White’s former bandmate Jack White, also condemned the tabloid's actions in a deleted social media post. "What’s so disheartening is the great lengths they took to try and hunt her down and how reckless and cruel it was to post images of another woman all over the internet," Elson wrote, adding that the victim is a friend "who we also love tremendously." A member of a Detroit-area band who knows both White and the photographed woman also confirmed the identity error.
Erin Meyers, a professor of communication at Oakland University in metro Detroit who studies celebrity media, noted that tabloids often treat celebrity status as a license to violate privacy "under the guise of ‘they are public figures so they have to expect this and/or even are asking for it.’" Meyers added, "The fact that a private citizen got caught up in all of this should merit at the very least a correction, if not a full apology. But I don’t think that fits in with their bulldog sort of approach to reporting, so instead they just bury it."
The Daily Mail’s own editorial code states that "a significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence," and the paper boasts on its website that "We take great pride in the quality of our journalism." However, the paper quietly deleted the article and images without leaving an editor's note or correction. The Daily Mail and Hutchison did not respond to requests for comment, and representatives for White also did not reply.
Meg White has lived a quiet, private life in Detroit since The White Stripes disbanded in 2011, avoiding public appearances and media interviews. In 2016, Rolling Stone named her one of the 100 greatest drummers of all time. When the acclaimed garage rock duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, White declined to attend, sending a message of gratitude through Jack White instead.
