German Exit Polls Leak Via Twitter:
Data from exit polls in Germany was widely distributed via the online service Twitter Sunday, breaking a confidentiality law and upsetting electoral officials.
The data was embargoed until 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) Sunday when polls closed, but began coursing hours earlier through Twitter, a web service that broadcasts very short personal messages. The originator of the initial message was anonymous.
Survey companies compute the most likely poll outcome about four hours before voting booths close, based on interviews with voters who have just cast their ballots.
