U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) had to give an explanation about an incoherent tweet after it left many people scratching their heads and incited some panic.
Strategic Command is in charge of the United States' nuclear weapons arsenal throughout the Army, Air Force and Navy.
USSTRATCOM—which is one of eleven unified combat commands in the United States Department of Defense—wrote in the now-deleted tweet on Sunday:
";l;;gmlxzssaw."
@CalebJHull/Twitter
Without a follow-up from the agency responsible for "strategic deterrence, global strike, and operating the Defense Department's Global Information Grid" many feared the mysterious tweet might have been some sort of alarm or a nuclear launch code.
People were justifiably wracking their brains.
Journalist Mikael Thalen filed a freedom of information act request (FOIA) with Strategic Command and received a response after 4 hours and 42 minutes.
Thalen discovered the culprit for the cryptic message was a child who accessed the unattended computer belonging to the Twitter manager for the agency.
"Filed a FOIA request with U.S. Strategic Command to see if I could learn anything about their gibberish tweet yesterday," wrote Thalen.
"Turns out their Twitter manager left his computer unattended, resulting in his 'very young child' commandeering the keyboard."
@MikaelThalen/Twitter
The explanation for the accidental balderdash read as follows:
"The Command's Twitter manager, while in a telework status, momentarily left the Comannd's Twitter account open and unattended."
"His very young child took advantage of the situation and started playing with the keys and unfortunately, and unknowingly, posted the tweet."
@MikaelThalen/Twitter
The agency assured:
"Absolutely nothing nefarious occurred, i.e., no hacking of our Twitter account. The post was discovered and notice to delete it occurred telephonically."
Of course, Twitter being Twitter, users had fun with the gaffe.
As you were, folks.
Nothing to see here.