It was an anonymous posting on a campus gossip forum that led to a nightmare in February 2025 for 19-year-old University of Mississippi freshman Mary Kate Cornett. She was the subject of a fabricated and extremely viral rumor that had her carrying on a sexual affair with her boyfriend’s dad.
“It leaves you so isolated,” Cornett cried during an interview with NBC News.
“Having your life destroyed by individuals who don’t even know who you are is the worst feeling in the world.”
What ensued in the days and weeks that followed that initial posting on YikYak—a site notorious for its anonymous and frequently careless student banter—was a swift and destructive chain reaction. The rumor went viral on social media, particularly on X, where it was picked up by influencers and even found its way on to ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show to thrust a groundless accusation into the national lights.
The gossip had begun on YikYak in the beginning of February with cryptic and salacious allusions to a member of Kappa Delta sorority at Ole Miss sleeping with her boyfriend’s dad. In a matter of hours, Cornett’s photo and name were spreading far and wide on X, turning her into the public face of what she insists is a completely falsified rumor.
“It all happened so fast,” Cornett said. “I was just in shambles. I felt so helpless and so alone because so many people were hating on me for something that I had no idea anything about.”
The point that really put the rumors into high gear, though, was when ESPN commentator and ex-NFL player Pat McAfee alluded to the rumor on the February 26 edition of his television show. McAfee and these guests teased what was alleged to be a “ménage à trois” in Ole Miss in front of a national audience, repeating the unsubstantiated rumor.
“Dad had sex with son’s girlfriend,” McAfee stated, reflecting what he asserted was “reported by everyone on the internet.” He uploaded the clip to his 3.2 million followers on X with the caption “What’s happening at Ole Miss” accompanied by laughing emojis. More than 1.8 million people have viewed the video since.
Although unnamed, the harm to Cornett’s reputation was quick and savage.
What was probably written off as a momentary piece of cyber gossip quickly became an onslaught of harassment she could not shake. Cornett was bombarded with thousands of messages—some containing slurs, some telling her to kill herself. Her phone number was posted on social media. She could not cross campus without being sized up. She eventually stopped going to class.
It escalated to a chilling new level when police who received a hoax call stormed into her mother’s house in Houston in a swatting incident. Swatting—a hoax that sends emergency services to a victim’s address based on fabricated reasons—is a familiar means of harassment on cyberspace. In this instance, it left Cornett’s household traumatized.
“They showed up with guns,” she replied. “My mother had no idea what was going on.” “I was a typical 19-year-old college freshman,” Cornett asserted. “I had a wonderful group of friends. I was contented. And now I feel like that life has been stolen from me.”
Cornett and her family aren’t being quiet. She has said that she intends to sue those she feels helped disseminate and fuel the rumor–including McAfee and ESPN.
Her lawyer, Monica Uddin, calls this an open-and-shut case of defamation and cyber-bullying. “You cannot lie for money,” she stated. “Not naming her isn’t a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card. Putting ‘allegedly’ in front of something doesn’t release you from liability. Those people are responsible for what was done to her.”
Cornett’s dad, Justin, has also made a statement, labeling the viral falsehood as a “defamatory cyber attack.” Speaking in a statement that was both heartbroken and resolute, he said, “You want to protect them.” She’s a beautiful person. She has a tender heart and a kind soul. And now we want justice.”
He also had a few words to say to McAfee: “You’ve got a microphone and an audience. And if this would’ve happened to his daughter, he would not like it.” In support of other people who are similarly attacked online, the Cornett family created a GoFundMe to create a foundation that supports victims of defamation and cyber-bullying. Already the fundraiser has picked up momentum, with it showing people can really connect to the story of Mary Kate.
