State Dept. considering two-day social media delay
Real-time updates may be more like two-day old news, if the U.S. State Department decides to change its rules on social media.
The State Department is considering new rules for social media, blogging and speeches, The Washington Post reports, citing the blog Diplopundit.
According to Diplopundit, the State Department plans to rewrite are rule that reportedly covers rules on "public speaking, teaching, writing and media engagement." The watchdog blog posits that the "catch all language" will likely extend to social media services, like Twitter and Facebook.
If the rules are rewritten, the State Department would have two days to review social media posts, five days for blog posts or speeches, 10 days for articles and papers and 30 days for books.
Currently, the State Department's Twitter account tweets remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, press releases and hosts question and answer sessions.
A two-day wait time could throw a wrench in real-time answers for people who want to engage in conversation via Twitter.
State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner tells the Washington Post that the revisions are a work in progress and an attempt to keep up with the current "information environment."
