Editorial Standards

Accuracy and verification

Getting things right comes before getting them out first. Before we publish, we try to confirm the basic facts of a story: what happened, when, where, and who was involved.

• We trace viral claims, images and videos back to the earliest source we can find, and we check whether they are recent, edited, staged or taken out of context.
• When we can't verify something important, we either don't publish it or we say plainly what is and isn't confirmed.
• We keep facts separate from opinion and analysis, and label opinion when we publish it.
• We don't make up quotes, people, statistics or events, and we don't change quotes beyond trimming them for length without changing their meaning.

Sources and attribution

• Stories list their key sources in a Sources section, with links where they are publicly available.
• When we build on someone else's reporting, we say so and link to it.
• We prefer primary sources, such as original documents, research papers, official statements and the people involved, over summaries of summaries.
• We use anonymous sources only when there is a clear reason, and we explain why in the story.

Credit to creators and viral content

Much of what spreads online was made by someone: a photographer, a videographer or an ordinary person who caught a moment. We credit the original creator by name or handle whenever we can identify them. We use their work only when we have permission or a clear legal basis to do so, and we honor requests from creators to change a credit or remove their work.

Images, AI and disclosure

Images shape how a story is understood, so we label them honestly:

• Every image has a credit line naming its source.
• Illustrative images that do not show the actual event or people are labeled as illustrations.
• AI-generated images are labeled as AI-generated wherever they appear on our site. We do not use AI-generated images to depict real news events or real people as if they were photographs.
• AI-edited or composite images, where the changes go beyond routine cropping, color and exposure adjustments, are labeled as such.
• Archival images taken earlier than the events described are labeled with that context.

How we use AI tools

We use AI-assisted tools for parts of our workflow, such as research help, transcription, first drafts, headline options and copy-editing suggestions. Every story is reviewed, edited and approved by a person before publication. Software cannot publish to this site on its own: every new story must be approved by a person first.

AI tools can be confidently wrong, so we check facts, names, numbers and quotes that come from them against original sources. AI output is never itself a source.

Headlines and framing

Headlines should make people want to read a story without misleading them about it. We avoid headlines that promise something the story doesn't deliver, that exaggerate, or that present a claim as fact when it hasn't been confirmed.

Corrections and updates

When we get something wrong, we fix it and we say so.

• Corrections: if a story contained a factual error, we correct it and add a dated note at the end of the story explaining what changed.
• Updates: when a story develops or we add new information, we change the "Updated" date and, where it matters, note what was added.
• Clarifications: when a story was accurate but could be misread, we add context and note it.
• We don't quietly delete stories to hide mistakes. In rare cases, such as legal or safety concerns, we may remove a story, and we will say that we did so where appropriate.

To report an error, use the corrections contact on our Contact page. Please include the story's link and what you believe is wrong.

People, privacy and sensitive subjects

• We think carefully before naming or showing private individuals, especially people who became visible online without choosing to.
• We take extra care with stories involving children, and we avoid identifying minors without a strong reason and appropriate consent.
• We cover tragedy, illness, accidents and death with restraint, and we don't treat them as entertainment.
• We don't publish private information such as home addresses or personal contact details.

Independence, partnerships and conflicts

Our editors decide what we cover. We don't accept payment for news coverage. We don't currently publish sponsored content or affiliate links. If we take on brand partnerships in future, sponsored content will be clearly labeled and kept separate from our editorial reporting, and partners will not approve our journalism.

If a writer has a personal or financial connection to the subject of a story, we disclose it or assign the story to someone else.

Removal and rights requests

If you are the creator of an image or video we've used, or the subject of a story, and you have a concern about credit, consent, privacy or copyright, contact us through the Contact page. We will review every request promptly and in good faith. We correct credits right away, and we remove material when that is the right thing to do.