Matthew Keys came out with an exclusive report saying that Twitter is working on a new edit feature. The feature will allow minimal edits, such as word change or retraction. However, Twitter is apparently working on an editorial algorithm that would detect whether the major intent of the tweet is being changed. Keys writes that Twitter wants to prevent a tweet from going viral and then being changed to a promotion. However, Twitter does want news organizations to be able to correct incorrect information, even if it goes viral. The algorithm is still being worked on and will be for the next few weeks or months, however when it’s finished it is expected to be rolled out to verified news organizations first. This could prove to be a great help for some news organizations; especially in events like the health care ruling and the Boston Marathon, where speed trumped accuracy.
There have been several instances where politicians and political groups have tried to backtrack on something they tweeted. Most recently, the RNC sent out a tweet thanking Rosa Parks for ending racism, and then apologized and said that the original tweet was incorrect.