Corrections Policy

Content

Changes to content may require a notification to the reader via an update or correction. Stories that are ongoing with breaking news can be updated with information as it becomes available — by using either subheads with a manual timestamp or the breaking news template with an automatic timestamp to alert the reader to updates.

Deletions

News items should not be deleted for reasons related to their content, or because a subject or stakeholder has asked you to do so. If a technical issue arises — like a duplicate post or an incorrect URL — let the leader know. If a post was published ahead of schedule, remove it from all site promotion and unpublish it. If two people inadvertently created a post on the same subject, both posts should be left on the site.

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If some information in a post is incorrect or obsolete, it is acceptable to delete that information and add a brief correction or update explaining what was removed.

Getting hoaxed should be avoided through diligence and reporting, but if an entire post is incorrect or if it has turned out to be a hoax, 1) append “— Updated” to the end of the headline and note in the deck that the story is false, and 2) add a correction to the top of the post. The rest of the copy may stand as it did originally.

There are two cases in which deletions may be necessary: First, on some distributed platforms, editing content is not an option, in which case content may be deleted and in some cases edited and reposted, with an explanation on that platform in either case. Second, in some countries, the law requires the deletion of content in some cases. In those cases, we will comply with local law.

The deletion process for Community posts differs from editorial standards. For more info contact Hashtag Media through email.

Display Copy

Updating display copy — headlines, decks, and photo captions — for clarity, spelling, or style does not require a correction. Factual errors do require a correction.