Fact-Checking Policy

Effective date: August 10, 2025
Publisher: Mirrornews24 (“we,” “us,” “our”)

Our promise is simple: publish information that stands up to scrutiny. This Fact-Checking Policy explains how we verify claims before and after publication across our website, apps, newsletters, and social channels.

1) What we consider a “fact”

• Checkable statements about events, data, people, places, timelines, prices, scores, and outcomes.
• Evidence-backed interpretations (e.g., “unemployment rose to X% in July” with a cited source).
• Not facts: personal opinions, satire, or predictions without verifiable basis.

2) Sourcing standards (strongest to weakest)

1. Primary records (laws, court orders, filings, budgets, audited reports, datasets, transcripts, official releases).
2. Authoritative institutions (statistical offices, regulators, election commissions, WHO, etc.).
3. Subject-matter experts with relevant credentials and no material conflict.
4. Reputable news organizations with transparent corrections and methods.
5. Social media / user content only with independent corroboration.

We attribute sources clearly in text and links. If material is not online (e.g., phone interview, field notes), we state how we obtained it.

3) Pre-publication checklist

Before publishing, reporters and editors confirm that:

• Claims are traced to original sources (no circular citations).
• Names, titles, spellings, dates, ages, places match source documents.
• Numbers are recomputed from the underlying data; units and denominators are disclosed.
• Headlines, decks, images, captions accurately reflect body text (no exaggeration).
• Right of reply offered where allegations or reputational claims are involved.
• Conflicts of interest (financial, familial, political) are disclosed or the reporter is recused.
• Legal risks (defamation, contempt, privacy, minors) are reviewed when applicable.

If any verification fails or material evidence is missing, we hold the story.

4) Special beats & heightened standards

• Health & science: Prefer peer-reviewed research, public-health advisories, trial registries. Flag preprints; avoid single-study sensationalism; quote limitations. No medical advice.
• Automobile & product reviews: Publish test conditions, criteria, and limitations; avoid affiliate or advertiser influence on scores.
• Elections & politics: Verify claims against official rolls, affidavits, ECI releases, Hansard/assembly records. Avoid publishing leaked results or exit polls where restricted by law.
• Crime & courts: Presumption of innocence; avoid identifying sexual-offence survivors; follow applicable legal reporting restrictions.
• Finance/markets: Cite filings and regulator notices; distinguish forward-looking statements from facts.

5) Images, video, and audio verification

• Provenance: Trace to original upload; request raw files when possible.
• Metadata: Examine EXIF where available; note when stripped.
• Geolocation & chronology: Match landmarks, weather, shadows, signage; check event timelines.
• Manipulation checks: Look for artifacts, inconsistent reflections/shadows; compare to known originals.
• Cross-platform search: Use multiple reverse-image/video searches; treat virality as a risk signal, not proof.

Unverifiable visuals are not used—or are labeled clearly as unverified and excluded from headlines.

6) Data journalism standards

• We reproduce key calculations independently; where feasible, we publish method notes and the original dataset (or a cleaned subset) with sources.
• For charts/graphics, we show units, axes, baselines, sample sizes, and methodological caveats.
• Outliers and revisions are disclosed; we avoid misleading axis truncation.

7) Anonymous & confidential sources

• Used sparingly for public-interest reporting where the source faces real risk.
• Requires editor approval and corroboration from documents or second independent source.
• We describe why anonymity was granted (“to discuss an unreleased report,” etc.) without exposing identity.

8) Use of AI and automation

• We may use tools to surface sources, transcribe audio, or check numbers, but humans verify and make all editorial decisions.
• AI-assisted drafts are reviewed line-by-line; AI is never a source.
• Any synthetic images or audio we publish will be clearly labeled as such.

9) Ratings for fact-checks

When we publish dedicated fact-check articles, we assign one of these labels and explain the reasoning:

• True: Supported by strong, direct evidence.
• Mostly True: Accurate with minor missing context.
• Needs Context: Claim is misleading without key details.
• Unsubstantiated: No reliable evidence found.
• False: Contradicted by strong, direct evidence.

We may also use “Changed/No Longer Accurate” when circumstances evolve (e.g., updated official counts).

10) Post-publication audits & corrections

• Readers can request a review at factcheck@mirrornews24.com (include URL, claim, evidence).
• Editors re-verify contested claims against primary sources.
• If we’re wrong, we fix it quickly and transparently under our Corrections Policy (with timestamped notes).
• Significant social posts are edited, labeled, or re-posted with the correction where platform features allow.

11) Independence & advertising

• Editorial decisions are independent of advertisers, sponsors, or affiliate partners.
• Sponsored/partner content is labeled and does not carry our fact-check ratings unless explicitly stated.

12) Training & accountability

• Staff receive periodic refreshers on verification methods, legal risks, and safety.
• We review error trends quarterly to improve checklists, tools, and desk workflows.

13) Your role

Seen something off? Send tips, documents, or corrections to factcheck@mirrornews24.com or our contact page. Please include sources and context—we read every note.

Quick method summary (copy/paste for story footers)

• Sources: Primary documents, official data, expert interviews.
• Verification: Independent calculations, cross-checks, right of reply.
• Visuals: Reverse image/video searches, metadata, geolocation.
• Transparency: Links, method notes, clear labels.
• Accountability: Fast, visible corrections.

Need this as a web page? I can convert it to clean HTML that matches your site’s style and cross-link it to your Corrections and Privacy pages.