Reuters completely deleted a wire story concerning the number of children in migrant detention centers after discovering that the author’s figures were from 2015 and do not reflect the current number of children in such centers.

Adding an editor’s note or something of the like was tossed for a complete revocation, which is always last and worst case scenario in the news world. And yet…

Reuters posted:

(Reuters) – A Nov. 18 story headlined “U.S. has world’s highest rate of children in detention -U.N. study” is withdrawn. The United Nations issued a statement on Nov. 19 saying the number was not current but was for the year 2015. No replacement story will be issued.

Wire stores are republished a gazillion times over by various news agencies, including AFP.

AFP is withdrawing this story. The author of the report has clarified that his figures do not represent the number of children currently in migration-related US detention, but the total number of children in migration-related US detention in 2015. We will delete the story. https://t.co/p30UjEWl7u — AFP news agency (@AFP) November 19, 2019

Amazing. Truly.

Amazing that Trump was able to lock up that many kids when Obama was president. Truly the most powerful man of our time. https://t.co/sv2K2LV2Bu — Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) November 19, 2019

Good thing the story has been captured.



