When internet hate mobs get a celebrity story wrong, does anyone ever actually apologize?

I recently fell down a rabbit hole reading an old celebrity "cheating timeline" post. After about five minutes of reading, I realized I didn't actually care about the specific gossip, but it did spark a broader question for me about human psychology and internet culture.

When the media spins a narrative, a massive wave of people instantly rushes to social media to attack and shame the public figures involved. But in cases where the public later finds out they were completely wrong—or that the headlines were intentionally manipulated for clicks—what actually happens next?

I’m not super social media savvy, but my guess is that the type of person who spends their free time leaving cruel comments on a stranger's page isn't exactly the type to eagerly own up to a mistake. They likely double down or just never look back.

For those of you who follow internet culture or celebrity gossip closely, I’m curious about the aftermath:

Does anyone ever take accountability?

If not, do they quietly delete old posts they were wrong about?

Do they justify it or just never look back?

Any examples of people owning up, regular people or celebs?

I’d love to know if anyone has ever seen a crowd actually walk it back, or if the internet just completely lacks a rearview mirror?