Effective Date: July 21, 2026 Last Reviewed: July 21, 2026
1. Our Commitment
iShareNews is committed to publishing accurate, fair, and verifiable information. Trust is our most valuable asset, and every article we publish, whether breaking news, analysis, or opinion, is held to the same standard: it must be true, in context, and properly sourced. This policy outlines the standards and processes our editorial team follows to verify facts before and after publication.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all content published under the iShareNews brand, including:
- News articles and breaking news updates
- Investigative and feature reporting
- Opinion, analysis, and commentary pieces (fact-checked for factual claims, though conclusions remain the author’s own)
- Contributed or sponsored content
- Social media posts and newsletters that summarize or link to our reporting
3. Editorial Standards
3.1 Source Verification
- Every factual claim must be traceable to at least one credible, identifiable source.
- Claims involving statistics, quotes, dates, or figures require at least two independent sources where possible, particularly for contested or high-impact stories.
- Anonymous sources may be used only when necessary to protect a person from harm, and only with the approval of a senior editor. The reason for anonymity must be stated in the article.
- Primary sources (official documents, direct interviews, court records, government data) are prioritized over secondary sources (other media reports, aggregators, social media).
3.2 Quotes and Attribution
- Quotes must be recorded or documented and never altered in a way that changes their meaning.
- Paraphrased statements must accurately reflect the speaker’s intent.
- All quotes and data must be attributed clearly, with a name, title, and affiliation where relevant.
3.3 Numbers, Data, and Statistics
- Statistical claims are checked against the original dataset or report, not secondhand summaries, whenever possible.
- Reporters must note the date and source of any data used, since figures can change or be revised.
- Percentages, comparisons, and trends must be checked for mathematical accuracy before publication.
3.4 Images, Video, and Multimedia
- Visual content is checked for authenticity and context using reverse image search and metadata review where relevant.
- Manipulated, AI-generated, or out-of-context media must be clearly labeled as such.
- Stock or illustrative images must be marked “for illustration purposes” when they do not depict the actual subject of a story.
4. The Verification Process
- Drafting — Writers are responsible for verifying their own claims and flagging any information they were unable to independently confirm.
- Editorial Review — A separate editor reviews the draft, checking sourcing, quotes, and data before it moves to the fact-checking stage.
- Fact-Check Pass — A designated fact-checker (or, for smaller stories, a second editor) independently verifies each factual claim against original sources.
- Sign-off — A story is only published after sign-off from an editor and, for sensitive or high-impact stories, a senior editor.
- Post-Publication Monitoring — Published articles are monitored for reader feedback, new developments, or disputed claims that may require follow-up or correction.
5. Handling Breaking News
Speed does not override accuracy. For fast-moving stories:
- Initial reports must clearly state what is confirmed versus what is still developing.
- Unverified information from social media or unofficial sources must be labeled as unconfirmed and attributed to its origin.
- Articles are updated with timestamps as new facts are verified, with a visible note when significant details change.
6. Corrections Policy
We correct errors promptly and transparently.
- Minor corrections (typos, small factual slips that don’t affect the substance of the story) are fixed without a formal note but logged internally.
- Substantive corrections (errors that affect the meaning, facts, or conclusions of a story) are marked with a visible correction notice at the top or bottom of the article, stating what was changed and when.
- Retractions (stories found to be fundamentally false or unsupportable) are removed or replaced with an editor’s note explaining the retraction.
- Readers can report suspected errors via [corrections@isharenews.com] or the “Report an Error” link on every article.
- All correction requests are reviewed within 48 hours.
7. Editorial Independence and Conflicts of Interest
- Fact-checking is conducted independently of advertising, sponsorship, or business relationships. No commercial partner has influence over editorial verification.
- Writers and editors must disclose any personal, financial, or professional conflict of interest related to a story they are covering or checking.
- Sponsored or branded content is clearly labeled as such and is still subject to factual accuracy review, though it may not reflect the editorial team’s independent judgment.
8. Use of AI Tools
- AI tools may be used to assist with research, transcription, or drafting, but never as the sole source of factual verification.
- Any AI-assisted claim must be independently confirmed against a primary or credible secondary source by a human editor before publication.
- AI-generated summaries, images, or content are disclosed to readers where used.
9. Staff Training and Accountability
- All editorial staff receive training on sourcing standards, media literacy, and this policy upon joining and on an annual basis.
- Repeated or serious violations of fact-checking standards are addressed through the newsroom’s internal editorial accountability process, up to and including disciplinary action.
10. Transparency with Readers
- Bylines identify the author(s) of every story.
- Where a story relies heavily on a single source or contains unresolved uncertainty, this is disclosed to the reader.
- This policy is publicly available on isharenews.com and reviewed at least annually to reflect evolving standards and technology.
11. Contact
Questions about this policy, or reports of suspected inaccuracies, can be sent to: info@isharenews.com
iShareNews is committed to earning and keeping the trust of its readers through rigorous, transparent, and independent fact-checking.