I think the problem is that a link that says “RETRACTED: jessriedel is an axe murderer” has the potential to do more harm on an ongoing basis, both ethically an

I think the problem is that a link that says “RETRACTED: jessriedel is an axe murderer” has the potential to do more harm on an ongoing basis, both ethically and legally (as in, a court might see this as contributing to ongoing damages in a libel suit). The best thing for both parties is to remove the original text and post a retraction notice explaining what used to be there and why it’s now gone.