Editorial Policy

This policy explains the editorial principles followed by SmartLiveReport when selecting, preparing, publishing, updating, and correcting news and current-affairs content.

Accuracy and fairness

SmartLiveReport aims to publish information that is accurate, fairly presented, and supported by available evidence. Headlines, summaries, photographs, captions, and other presentation elements should not materially misrepresent the substance of a report.

Where important information remains uncertain, disputed, developing, or based on an allegation, the report should make that status clear and avoid presenting the matter as an established fact.

Verification

The level of verification may vary according to the urgency, public importance, sensitivity, and availability of reliable information. Verification may include comparison with official releases, public records, direct statements, recognised news sources, subject-matter material, or multiple independent reports.

The fact that information appears on another website or social-media account does not by itself establish that the information is accurate. User-generated material should be treated cautiously and verified where reasonably possible.

Source and attribution policy

SmartLiveReport may rely on official authorities, public institutions, courts, regulators, companies, event organisers, subject-matter experts, witnesses, news agencies, publishers, publicly accessible records, and other relevant sources.

When information, a quotation, an exclusive finding, a document, or other material is materially derived from an identifiable third party, appropriate attribution should be provided where practical and editorially relevant. Attribution does not transfer ownership of third-party material to SmartLiveReport.

SmartLiveReport does not claim ownership of third-party photographs, videos, graphics, logos, documents, or other protected works merely because they are referenced in a report. Such material should be used only when permission, licence, applicable law, or another valid basis permits its use.

Facts and ideas may be reported in original language and structure, but the distinctive wording or creative presentation of another publisher should not be reproduced without an appropriate legal basis.

Anonymous and confidential sources

Anonymous sources should be used only when the information has sufficient public-interest value and there is a reasonable basis to consider the source credible. Where anonymity is necessary, the report should provide readers with as much context about the source and the reason for anonymity as can safely and lawfully be disclosed.

Right of response

For serious allegations that may materially affect a person or organisation, SmartLiveReport should make reasonable efforts, where circumstances permit, to obtain and fairly reflect a relevant response before publication or in a prompt update.

Independence and conflicts of interest

Editorial decisions should not be improperly influenced by advertisers, sponsors, political interests, personal relationships, gifts, or financial interests. A material conflict that may affect reader understanding should be disclosed or appropriately managed.

Advertising and sponsored material

Paid, sponsored, promotional, affiliate, or partner content should be clearly distinguishable from independent editorial content. Commercial arrangements should not be presented as impartial news reporting.

Sensitive reporting

Reports involving children, victims, private individuals, sexual offences, self-harm, medical information, communal tension, violence, grief, or other sensitive circumstances require additional care. Identifying details should not be published where disclosure would be unlawful, unnecessarily intrusive, or likely to cause avoidable harm.

Artificial-intelligence assistance

AI or automation may assist the production workflow, but it should not be treated as an independent factual source. Material generated or transformed with technological assistance should be evaluated against the same standards of accuracy, originality, attribution, fairness, and correction that apply to other content.

Updates, corrections, and removal

Published reports may be updated when material new information becomes available. Confirmed errors should be corrected in accordance with the Corrections Policy. Content may be restricted or removed where there is a sufficient editorial, legal, safety, privacy, or rights-based reason.

Reader reports

A reader who identifies a possible issue should use the Page Review / Compliance Issue option on the relevant article. The report should include the page URL, the specific statement or material in question, the reason it is believed to be inaccurate or improper, and any supporting evidence.

Last updated: July 20, 2026