Fact-Checking Policy
Every claim, verified before it is published
Accuracy is the foundation of everything publishes. This is how we check facts before a story reaches you — and how we respond when new information emerges.
Fact-checking is not a final formality at ; it runs through the entire life of a story. Reporters verify as they gather, editors test claims before publication, and we keep checking after a piece is live.
Checked before publication
Names, titles, dates, quotations, credits, figures and factual assertions are verified before a story is published. Editors confirm that every significant claim is supported by reliable evidence, and that the reporting fairly represents what the evidence shows.
Reliable, primary sources
We prefer primary sources — official records, direct interviews, first-hand observation and authoritative documentation — over second-hand reports. Where we rely on external material, we assess its credibility before use. How we attribute and, where necessary, protect these sources is set out in our Sources & Attribution Policy.
Human judgement, always
Verification is carried out by people. No claim is published on the strength of an automated tool alone; the limited, disclosed ways we use technology are governed by our AI Usage Policy. A named journalist or editor is always accountable for what we assert as fact.
Checking continues after publication
If an error survives our process, we want to know. When a mistake is confirmed we correct it openly and promptly under our Corrections Policy, with a clear note describing what changed.
Spotted something that may be inaccurate?
Email our editorial desk with the article title and the specific point in question: request a correction or write to us directly.
Editorial Policies
Explore the rest of our editorial standards
Every policy in our editorial suite is public and cross-linked. Read the full framework, or browse each standard individually below.