Editorial Policy & Publishing Standards

1. Fact-Checking and Verification Process

Every article, analysis piece, and breaking news report published on US Policy Brief undergoes multi-tier editorial review. Our reporters verify claims against primary documentation, including:

• Official congressional records, bill texts, committee transcripts, and Roll Call voting databases.
• Judicial opinions, supreme court dockets, and official legal filings.
• Federal agency registers, executive orders, and government inspector general audits.
• Verified statements from named spokespersons, diplomats, and official agencies.

We require at least two independent corroborating sources for unrecorded factual claims before publication.

2. Corrections, Updates, and Transparency

When factual errors occur, we correct them swiftly and transparently:

• Correction Notices: A prominent note will be appended to the top or bottom of the article specifying what was incorrect, the verified fact, and the exact timestamp when the correction was applied.
• Developing Stories: When reporting on live or fast-breaking events, developing updates are marked clearly with timestamps to document how facts evolved.

Readers wishing to flag an inaccuracy are encouraged to contact our fact-checking desk at [email protected].

3. Anonymous Sourcing and Whistleblower Protection

We grant anonymity to sources only when:

• The information is of vital public policy interest.
• The source faces genuine risk of personal retaliation, legal peril, or professional sanction.
• The source's credibility and access to information have been verified directly by senior newsroom editors.

We never use anonymous quotes to launch personal attacks or circulate unsubstantiated speculation.

4. Editorial Independence and Conflicts of Interest

Our newsroom operates independently from outside financial, political, and corporate influence:

• Zero funding is accepted from political parties, PACs, candidates, or state agencies.
• Advertisers have no foreknowledge of, influence over, or input on editorial assignments, reporting, or published conclusions.
• Journalists and contributors must recuse themselves from stories involving any financial or personal conflict of interest.

5. Use of Technology & Artificial Intelligence

Where computational tools, natural language processing, or statistical aggregation models are employed to assist with document indexing or data analysis:

• All reporting, writing, and editorial synthesis are directed and reviewed by human journalists.
• Algorithmic outputs are subjected to the same rigorous fact-checking standards as human-reported leads.
• We do not generate synthetic, deceptive, or deepfake audio/visual media.