Last Wednesday the L.A.Times created an uproar in conservative media when they published a list of “fake news” sites, written and disseminated by a Massachusetts professor. Mainstream, reputable news and opinion sites like Redstate, IJReview and The Blaze were named alongside considerably less reputable groups like Addicting Info.

The outrage was immediate, complaints from conservative consumers poured in and a source at IJReview tells me their legal team was quickly mobilized and ready to push back.

On Thursday the L.A. Times updated their story, saying that Professor Zimdars had pulled her list from public view after what she describes as “threats and harassment.”

UPDATE: Nov. 17, 5:52 p.m.:The professor who created the list has taken down the Google doc. She said it was a safety measure in response to threats and harassment she and her students and colleagues had received. She is continuing to work on it and plans to release it in the future in a format other than a Google doc.

Yes, I’m sure a slander suit feels very threatening. The L.A. Times still owes this website and others an apology for running with that ridiculous list as if it were the truth in the first place. However, this is a good start. When the livelihood of honest, hard-working people is threatened by such thoughtless reporting that is a serious matter and deserves to be addressed.