What’s the White House Policy on Neutralizing Damaging Tweets?

The Obama Administration's social media outreach apparently does not extend to countering market-moving falsified tweets about the White House.

A hacked Associated Press Twitter account informed the public that blasts at the White House had harmed the President. The Dow tumbled for a bit in response. The Homeland Security Department noticed the bogus tweet -- or should have given that DHS admittedly monitors Twitter and other public social media to identify threatening situations.

Yet there was radio silence from the Administration online. Sure, a few minutes of economic insecurity isn’t worth issuing a terrorist alert tweet. But federal agencies are supposed to be scored on social media responsiveness, according to new public engagement guidelines. There were no assurances President Barack Obama was safe on the various White House Twitter accounts or on the White House website. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney took to traditional media, telling reporters at a briefing: "The President is fine. I was just with him."