Readers trust us to tell them what happened, accurately and without spin. These are the standards we hold ourselves to.
Accuracy first
We base our reporting on primary material: statements and data released by public agencies, observatories and research institutions, studies published in scientific journals, and official notices such as product recalls or safety warnings. We don't publish rumours, unverified posts from social media or claims we can't trace back to a reliable origin.
Numbers, dates, names and quotations are checked against the original material before publication. When figures differ from one source to another, we say so instead of picking the most striking one.
Fair and clear
We explain; we don't sensationalise. A headline has to match the story beneath it. Scientific results are presented with their limits: a study in mice is not a cure, and a single result is not a settled fact. When a subject is disputed, we make that clear.
Health, safety and money
Stories about health, medicine, public safety and personal finance are held to a stricter standard before they are published. They are written to inform, not to advise. Nothing on Globe Explained replaces the advice of a doctor, a pharmacist or another qualified professional.
Independence
No government, company or advertiser decides what we cover or how we cover it. Advertising is clearly separated from our articles. When we write about an agency, a company or a product, it doesn't mean that they endorse us or that we endorse them.
Pictures
The pictures that accompany our articles illustrate their subject. Unless the caption says otherwise, they are illustrations, not photographs of the events described.
Mistakes
When we get something wrong, we correct it openly. Our corrections policy explains how, and you can reach us at [email protected].