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The Golden Rule: No Erasure

When you make a mistake in a published article, you might be tempted to just edit the article quietly. On PressChain, that’s not how it works - and that’s a feature, not a limitation. Corrections create lineage. They don’t erase the original. When you correct an article, you publish a new Capsule that explicitly points back to the one being corrected. Both remain visible forever. The Explorer shows the full chain. Your correction becomes the authoritative version - but the original is always on record. This protects everyone:
  • Readers know the full history of what was said
  • You demonstrate accountability by correcting clearly
  • The public record is complete, not selectively edited
  • Court proceedings can reference both versions

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Real Scenario: Maya’s Vote Count Error

Maya Chen published her city council story with the vote count as “6-3.” A reader alerts her the next day - she misheard during the live meeting. The actual vote was 7-2.

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What Maya Does NOT Do

She does not open WordPress and edit “6-3” to “7-2” quietly. On a normal site she could, and nobody would know. On PressChain, her original Capsule is permanent - the claim “6-3” is hash-committed with the archived council session as evidence. Editing the post would create a mismatch between the published content and the committed Capsule.

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What Maya Does

  1. Maya writes a correction article explaining the error clearly
  2. In the WordPress SYNC panel, she selects “This is a correction” and enters Capsule ID #247
  3. She attaches new evidence: the official council vote record showing 7-2
  4. She writes the revision reason: “Vote count corrected from 6-3 to 7-2 based on official council vote record”
  5. She clicks Submit - PressKey signs the correction Capsule
  6. The correction Capsule #289 enters a fresh 72-hour acceptance window
  7. It’s accepted - and becomes the authoritative version

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What Readers See

  • Original Capsule #247: “Council Approves Budget 6-3” → labeled Corrected, with a link to #289
  • Correction Capsule #289: “Correction: Council Budget Vote Was 7-2” → labeled Current
  • Explorer shows both with the full revision chain
Maya’s reputation for honesty goes up. Her outlet’s acceptance rate continues to improve. The correction is on record as a governance object, not a silent edit.

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How to Submit a Correction

1

Write the correction clearly

Your correction article should:
  • State what the original said
  • State what the correct information is
  • Briefly explain how the error occurred
  • Not be defensive or vague
“An earlier version of this article stated the council vote was 6-3. The correct vote was 7-2 based on official meeting records. We regret the error.”
2

Attach evidence for the correction

Your correction needs its own evidence - the source that reveals the error and proves the correct information. For Maya: the official council vote record.
3

Submit via Portal or WordPress

In WordPress: SYNC panel → “This is a correction” → Enter original Capsule IDIn Portal: Submit Capsule → Toggle “Correction” → Enter parent Capsule ID
4

Set the revision fields

  • Revision reason: Plain-language explanation of what changed and why
  • Parent Capsule ID: The Capsule being corrected
  • Change summary URI: Optional - link to a detailed changelog
5

Submit and go through acceptance

Your correction Capsule goes through the same 72-hour public acceptance vote. It needs 60% approval and 5% quorum to become the authoritative version.
Corrections must pass acceptance. If the public finds your correction insufficient or misleading, it can be rejected. This is by design - corrections are not unilateral. The public validates them the same way it validates original articles.

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Revision Lineage Explained

Capsule #247 - Original
"Council Approves Budget 6-3"
Status: Corrected  ──────────────────────→ Link to #289

         │
         └── Capsule #289 - Correction 1
             "Correction: Council Budget Vote Was 7-2"
             Parent: #247
             Status: Current (authoritative)
             Revision: 1
If a second correction is ever needed: 
#247 → #289 → #312 (Correction 2)
               └── currentCapsuleId = 312
               └── rootCapsuleId = 247
The rootCapsuleId always points to the original. The currentCapsuleId always points to the most recently accepted authoritative version.

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Author-Initiated Retractions

Sometimes an entire article needs to be retracted - not just corrected:
  1. Submit a Retraction Capsule referencing the original
  2. The original gets the label Retracted by Author
  3. Both remain visible - your retraction is the public record
  4. Your article page can show a prominent retraction notice
Retraction is not deletion. Anyone can still read the original. The retraction is what shows it was pulled and why.

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Correction Fees

Publishing a correction Capsule carries the same 30 PRESS base publish fee as an original. This is intentional - corrections are first-class publishing events. They go through acceptance. They have their own evidence. They are part of the permanent record.

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What Corrections Do for Your Reputation

Quick, clear corrections that pass acceptance are a positive signal on PressChain. The protocol tracks:
  • Time from original publication to correction submission
  • Whether corrections pass acceptance
  • The nature of errors (factual, contextual, etc.)
Outlets that correct promptly and transparently build stronger reputation scores over time. Outlets that avoid corrections or submit inadequate ones face reputation pressure from the public vote.