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Futurism reported on December 5, 2022, that MSN removed several sensational paranormal articles syndicated from Exemplore after the outlet published a report about them. The reporting supports that specific episode; it does not establish that MSN continues to publish comparable false stories today. It also does not show that Microsoft’s own AI wrote the articles. Those distinctions matter when assessing what happened—and what can fairly be said about MSN now.
What happened to the mermaid and Bigfoot articles?
In a December 5, 2022 report, Futurism described several paranormal stories from Exemplore that had been distributed on MSN. The published headlines included “Fishermen Catch Mermaid Creature in Their Nets” and “Woman Films Bigfoot Jumping Out of a Tree in California,” alongside stories about a UFO, a supposed “dark beast” on Mars, and an angel over Los Angeles.
Futurism said the stories relied on grainy video footage and characterized them as bogus or not credible. It reported that MSN removed the articles after the report appeared, without adding a retraction note or other documentation. Those are Futurism’s descriptions of the stories and removal; they are not a Microsoft explanation or an independent scientific assessment of the footage.
Who created the stories—and what does “MSN published” mean?
The episode involved third-party publisher Exemplore content distributed by MSN. Microsoft’s MSN feedback FAQ says stories, galleries, and videos on the service are created by publishing brands, and that content is usually not changed by MSN’s content teams or algorithms. Microsoft identifies a story’s creator through the publisher logo above its headline.
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That general description does not establish the precise workflow behind the 2022 Exemplore articles. In particular, the cited reporting does not prove that Microsoft’s own AI generated either the mermaid or Bigfoot story. Distribution by MSN and authorship by Microsoft are different claims.
What MSN’s current rules say about false and AI-generated content
Hoaxes, misinformation, and attribution
Microsoft’s MSN partner guidelines prohibit hoaxes, false information, propaganda, deliberate misinformation, misleading clickbait, and sensationalist content. They also require clear, verifiable credits and named sources for facts, quotations, and opinions. These are published standards, not proof of how consistently MSN applied them to any particular story.
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Reviewed AI assistance versus unreviewed AI content
Microsoft’s MSN AI content policy prohibits unreviewed AI-generated content and says partners must contractually guarantee that they will not submit it. The policy allows AI as a drafting or creation tool when material human intervention—including oversight and editing—is involved. It also bars using AI to rephrase published content under another byline or to produce high-volume rewriting that yields thin, unoriginal news.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe policy strongly recommends disclosing AI-assisted content, while stating that disclosure is not currently required. It says suspected unreviewed AI-generated content may be reviewed, demoted, or removed, and partners may face suspension or termination. Thus, the rule is not that every AI-assisted story is forbidden; the policy distinguishes reviewed assistance from unreviewed generation.
Do the rules prove that MSN stopped, or continues, publishing false stories?
No. Written rules show what Microsoft says partners may publish; they do not establish that every item complies or that enforcement is consistent. Likewise, the 2022 removals documented by Futurism establish a reported past episode, not a present pattern. The sources cited here do not independently verify that MSN continues to publish comparable false stories today. Establishing that broader claim would require newer, specific examples and independent checks of their accuracy and publication history.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How MSN says it reviews and ranks content
Microsoft says MSN uses both automated systems and people to review content. Its ranking documentation describes distribution across Microsoft Edge, Windows, MSN.com, and the MSN mobile app. It lists freshness, trends, publisher reputation, and reader dissatisfaction with misleading or low-quality material among ranking considerations; negative signals may lower a story’s ranking. These descriptions explain the stated system, but do not show how a particular Exemplore article was reviewed or ranked.
Quick Recap
How to check an MSN story or report an error
- Identify the publisher. Check the publisher logo above the headline, as Microsoft describes in its feedback FAQ. MSN distribution alone does not identify the original creator.
- Inspect the evidence. Look for named sources, verifiable reporting, and support for the headline’s central claim. A dramatic headline or video is not, by itself, confirmation that an event occurred.
- Report a suspected error. Microsoft says readers can use the feedback tool and include the story’s headline or URL.
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