Fact-Checking Policy

Fact-checking is the unglamorous work that makes everything else credible. This policy describes the checks we intend to apply to every story. In this launch edition the subject matter is fictional, but the method is real.

The Basic Checks

• Names and titles: spelled and described as the subject describes themselves.
• Dates and sequences: verified against a primary record.
• Quotes: matched to a recording or notes, never reconstructed from memory.
• Claims about money: traced to a document, filing or named source.
• Links and references: opened and read before we rely on them.

Labelling Uncertainty

Words like "reported", "unconfirmed" and "according to people familiar" mean something specific here. They tell the reader that we have not independently confirmed a claim. We use them only when we have a reason to believe the claim is worth sharing, and we say what we do not know.

Handling Numbers

We do not invent statistics, box-office figures, ratings counts or audience sizes. When a number helps explain a concept, we mark it with "for example" and make it obviously hypothetical. A made-up figure presented as fact is the quickest way to lose a reader for good.

Sources We Trust, and How

A source earns trust through track record and access, not volume. We weigh whether someone has firsthand knowledge, whether they have a reason to spin, and whether a second source agrees. One anonymous source is a lead, not a story.

Speed Versus Certainty

Being first matters less than being right. If we cannot meet our checks in time, we wait. Breaking news items are labelled with what is confirmed and what is not.

Spotting Fiction

Everything in this launch edition is invented, and each article says so. Checking a fictional story means checking its internal consistency: names, roles and dates must agree across the site.

When Checks Fail

If an error gets through, we follow Corrections & Updates. If you think we missed something, write to [email protected].