Fact-Checking Policy
Last updated: 10 June 2026
Accuracy is the only product a news site really sells. This page explains exactly how AkronScore verifies information before publishing, what we do when verification is impossible, and how readers can challenge anything we print.
What gets checked
Every article goes through verification before it is published. The non-negotiable checklist:
- Names, titles, and organizations, confirmed against official records or the subject’s own materials
- Numbers, dates, and statistics, checked against the original document, dataset, or filing rather than someone else’s summary of it
- Quotes, verified against the recording, transcript, official release, or original publication
- Claims of fact, traced back to at least one primary or highly credible source
- Headlines, tested against the article itself: if the body does not fully support the headline, the headline changes
The hierarchy of sources
Not all sources are equal. We rank them, and we reach as high up this list as the story allows:
- Primary documents: court filings, regulatory submissions, financial reports, scientific papers, official data releases
- Direct statements: press releases, official announcements, on-record interviews
- Established news organizations with their own corrections practices
- Expert commentary from named, credentialed individuals
- Social media and forums, which we treat as leads to verify, never as proof
How we handle breaking news
Breaking news is where most journalism errors happen, so we apply specific rules:
- We publish what is confirmed and explicitly say what is not yet known
- Unverified claims circulating elsewhere are either excluded or clearly labeled as unverified
- Articles on developing stories carry an update note showing when they were last revised
- Being second and right beats being first and wrong, every time
When we cannot verify something
If a claim cannot be verified, we have three options and we use them in this order: leave it out, attribute it precisely so readers know exactly who is claiming it, or hold the story entirely. What we never do is launder a rumor into news by hedging it with “reportedly.”
Datasets, studies, and statistics
Numbers mislead more smoothly than words, so they get extra care. We read the actual study, not just the press release about it. We note sample sizes and limitations where they matter. We distinguish correlation from causation. And when a single study contradicts an established body of research, we say so rather than treating it as a revolution.
Images and video
Visual material is checked for origin and context before use. We use reverse image search to catch recycled or miscaptioned media, and AI-generated imagery is never presented as a real photograph.
The reader’s role
Our readers are part of our verification system. Every article links its sources precisely so you can check our work, and we want to hear about it when something does not hold up. Challenge anything we publish by emailing support@akronscore.org with “CORRECTION” in the subject line. What happens next is covered in our Corrections Policy.
Accountability
This policy is enforced by the editor, Ethan Caldwell, who is personally responsible for every article that goes live. It is reviewed alongside our Editorial Policy twice a year.
