Credibility
Editorial standards
Trust, not volume, is our competitive advantage. These are the rules every investigation follows.
Case statuses
Every case has an internal status and a separate public status. Nothing is shown publicly until it has been substantiated and approved.
Received · New submission
Not independently assessed. Never displayed as established fact.
In review · Initial screening
We are evaluating relevance, signs of authenticity, safety, and whether the evidence is sufficient.
Investigating · Active case
Reviewers are checking documents, seeking corroboration, and requesting responses where appropriate.
Substantiated · Evidence supports findings
A defined editorial standard has been met, and the evidence and limits of the findings are documented.
Closed / Unsubstantiated · Not published
The case is closed, retained, or deleted according to policy and law. Unsubstantiated does not necessarily mean false.
Before we publish
- Corroboration appropriate to the seriousness of the claim.
- Documented authenticity checks and evidence provenance.
- Clear labels for allegations, corroborated facts, official findings, and unresolved questions.
- A fair opportunity for the affected organization to respond, where appropriate.
- Documented legal and editorial approval by named, accountable humans.
- A conflict-of-interest check for everyone working on the case.
Ethics and law are labeled separately
An unethical act is not automatically illegal. We will never imply a legal violation where we have only documented an ethical concern.
Artificial intelligence
Humans make every determination of credibility, substantiation, and publication. We do not use automated credibility scores, and we never publish anything automatically.
Right of reply and corrections
Organizations we report on can respond, and we publish their responses alongside our findings. Anyone can challenge a factual error. See our corrections policy.
Independence
No organization can buy the removal of a substantiated report, and no one can pay to get an accusation published. See our funding principles.