Sean Penn meets 'El Chapo': Social media reacts

The bizarre news that actor Sean Penn secretly interviewed wanted drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has met anger, mockery and utter bemusement on social media.

Mexican officials indicated that Guzman's recapture was thanks in part to monitoring Penn's movements.

But some of the most indignant voices suggested the Hollywood star should not have been there in the first place.

It was said to be Guzman's first-ever interview outside an interrogation room, making Penn's interview something of a coup.

But many journalists felt deeply uncomfortable about the article.

That wasn't the only concern about his professionalism.

But Rolling Stone and Penn had some defenders.

While describing the granting of copy approval to Guzman as "indefensible", MSNBC host Christopher Hayes said it was naive to say the magazine should not run the interview.

Some took a dig at Penn himself. And his films.

A particular passage caught many commentators' eyes.

Questions were raised whether the media had missed the real story.

Or should Penn have been put to work sooner?