How To ... Correct A Blog Entry

This is a big one, because there are a lot of misperceptions about correcting errors on the Web.

The most important thing to remember is as follows ... and I'm bold-facing it — not because I'm yelling, but because it's so important:

• Whatever you've published on the Web, stays on the Web.

In other words, there is no such thing as "unpublishing" a blog entry.

Think of the Internet as a giant piece of paper and your blog entry as a well-inked stamp. Once you publish, you've stamped that entry to the giant piece of paper. "Unpublishing" might make the stamp go away, but it won't erase what's on the giant piece of paper.

To resort to the more technical speak, "unpublishing" an entry might remove that entry from the index of your blog, but that entry is still accessible at the specific Web address assigned to it by Movable Type the second you published.

In other words, while an erroneous, unpublished entry won't show up here:

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/streets/

It will remain visible here:

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/streets/2007/06/this_is_a_mistake.html

As such, it can be searchable under any of the Internet search engines (and that address goes out on your "notification" e-mails, too).

ALSO, if someone's using an RSS reader to read your stuff, "unpublishing" has no effect on that whatsoever.

SO, what to do after a mistake's been made?

There are many ethical and even legal ramifications to this topic, which is my way of saying there's no clear consensus on the best steps to take.

Much like a TV doctor dispensing advice, let me be clear ... I'm speaking generally here about a variety of hypotheticals. If your situation is life-threatening (or, in our case, career-threatening), consult your editor and they'll get the lawyers involved. Do what they tell you to do.

This entry is more related to preserving the credibility of your blog in the greater blogosphere, where ... believe it or not ... the best thing you can do to ensure your credibility is to quickly and honestly own up to mistakes.

Again ... speaking generally ... the best practices depend on the gravity of the mistake:

For small errors, spelling at the like, I don't see a problem with making the correction, as long as you provide a small line at the bottom, such as:

(This entry has been updated to correct spelling and grammatical errors.)

For moderate errors, more factual stuff, let's look at two methods:

1.) Add an additional graph below the original content, clarifying the mistake:



2.) A slightly flashier — and more fun — method is using "strikethrough." This provides a line through the erroneous information, to be followed by corrected info.

It looks like this:



This can require a little more art in the re-write, and while it's an accepted (if not encouraged) practice in the blogosphere at large, it makes more than a few print-based folks way too nervous.

If you want to try it, though, use the following code around the words you want to remove:

<span class=strikethrough></span>

In the following format:

Correct text here. <span class=strikethrough>Stuff to be striked through </span>. Back to regular text.

Note: This has been used successfully by some bloggers to be a little playful, such as:



It's an effective technique in the right hands, but use it this way extremely sparingly.

The choice is yours, but I'd recommend the first, simpler, approach. Especially while you're still learning the medium.

For MAJOR errors (non-litigational division): You will have the urge to just yank it down. Do your best to fight that urge. (And don't get cute with the strikethrough.)

Instead, think about the best way to use an "UPDATE" block ... It's absolutely the best way to clarify/correct the information without looking like you're trying to weasel out of something.

However, there are times when something just has to come down.

In those times — we're talking Defcon 1 here — take everything out of the entry body and replace it with an explanation of what was done and why. Be contrite and specific, like so:



Please be aware, though, that the incorrect information is probably still floating out there in Cyberspace somewhere. That's just a fact of 21st century life.

LASTLY, again, if you think you've made an error involving libel, contact your editor and the lawyers and do exactly what they tell you to.