A Detroit woman was reportedly followed and photographed after being mistaken for former White Stripes drummer Meg White. The woman had reportedly told the reporter they had the wrong person, but images of her were still published in a story claiming to reveal White's private life.
The story appeared on 6 August and included more than a dozen photographs of the woman outside a restaurant. It was later removed from the website without a public correction or explanation, according to reports.
Woman Was Mistaken for Meg White
The woman at the centre of the controversy was reportedly a friend of Meg White, photographed in Detroit. Several people familiar with White and the woman later confirmed that she was not the former White Stripes drummer.
The report had claimed that the woman was White and presented the pictures as rare images of the musician. It also suggested the photographs showed the former rock star's private life after years away from the public eye.
However, the woman reportedly laughed when approached and told the reporter that they had mistaken her for someone else. Despite that response, the story went ahead and still identified her as White.
Reporter Used a 'Thank You' as Evidence
One of the most unusual details in the story was the explanation used to support the woman's identity. After she was complimented on The White Stripes' music, she reportedly replied, 'thank you'. That brief response was treated as a reason to believe she was actually White, despite her earlier statement that the reporter had the wrong person. Media ethics experts later questioned whether such a response could prove someone's identity.
A simple 'thank you' could have meant many things, including that the woman was being polite or trying to end the conversation. It could not, by itself, establish that she was Meg White.
Photos Were Published Despite Identity Dispute
The woman was reportedly photographed while getting out of a vehicle and spending time with two other people outside a restaurant. More than a dozen photographs were then used in the story that claimed to have found the reclusive musician.
They even approached the woman and decided that it was Meg White, when it wasn't.
— I'm Hippolyta F's Fire, Rage & Desire!🔥🖤⚔🗡🏹🛡 (@pamster102) August 23, 2026
And now they have deleted their article without a correction.
The UK press. Putting out false, pieces and then quietly erasing them. https://t.co/981dLFfrOJ pic.twitter.com/U7NG4JjhK3
Sources familiar with the situation said neither White nor her friend knew they were being followed. They also said the two women had no interest in taking part in a story about White's private life.
The photographs were later removed along with the article. No public correction or editor's note was added to explain that the woman shown in the pictures was not Meg White.
Meg White Has Kept a Private Life
Meg White has stayed largely out of the public eye since The White Stripes ended in 2011. The drummer has avoided most interviews, public events and media appearances during that time.
The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, but White did not attend the ceremony. Instead, she sent a message of thanks through her former bandmate Jack White.
Her decision to remain private has made any new images of her highly sought after by fans and the media. The latest incident has raised fresh questions about how far reporters should go when trying to find a celebrity who has chosen to live away from the spotlight.
Karen Elson Condemns the Incident
Singer-songwriter Karen Elson, who was previously married to Jack White, also criticised what happened in a social media post that was later deleted. She described the effort to find the woman as troubling and objected to the publication of photographs of someone who was not Meg White.
Elson also said the woman was a friend of Meg White and someone who was loved by people close to the former couple. Her comments added to growing criticism over the mistaken identity.
The reaction has also highlighted the difference between reporting on a public figure and exposing an ordinary person by mistake. In this case, the woman did not become news because of anything she had done, but because she was wrongly believed to be someone else.
What Happened to the Story?
The article was quietly removed after the identity mistake became known. The photographs were also taken down, leaving no public explanation attached to the original report.
Reports published after the removal said there had been no correction or apology at the time. The lack of a public explanation has added to criticism from people who believe the mistake should have been clearly acknowledged.
The episode has now become less about finding Meg White and more about the risks of getting a person's identity wrong. It also serves as a reminder that searching for an elusive celebrity can have real consequences when an innocent person is caught in the middle.
