The mission of The TechBull is to provide journalism that is accurate, fair, and independent. Our reputation rests on the trust of our audience, our sources, and the subjects of our reporting. This policy outlines the personal, organizational, and corporate standards of behavior expected of every member of The TechBull team.
Our core principle is simple: Our loyalty is to the reader and the truth.
Accuracy and Journalistic Integrity
- Truthfulness: We are committed to the highest standards of accuracy. All factual information must be thoroughly vetted and fact-checked before publication. We do not knowingly publish false or misleading information.
- Sourcing and Attribution: We grant anonymity to sources only when they face a genuine risk of harm and their information is of vital public interest. We always strive to identify our sources and attribute information transparently.
- Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a cardinal sin of journalism. Attributing work, ideas, and words to their original creators is a fundamental requirement. Any act of plagiarism will result in immediate termination.
- Digital Manipulation: We do not alter the content of photographs or videos beyond basic technical adjustments for quality (e.g., cropping, color correction). Any substantive alteration or photo illustration will be clearly labeled as such.
Independence and Conflicts of Interest
To maintain our editorial independence, we must be free from any conflicts of interest—real or perceived. It is the responsibility of every team member to proactively disclose any potential conflicts to their editor.
- Financial Conflicts: Team members may not own stock or hold any equity interest in private companies they cover directly. Investments in broadly diversified mutual funds or index funds are permitted.
- Personal Relationships: You must inform your editor if you are covering a topic, company, or individual with whom you have a close personal, familial, or financial relationship. In most cases, you will be recused from that coverage.
- Gifts, Travel, and Hospitality: Team members may not accept gifts, services, or special treatment from subjects of our coverage. The TechBull pays for its own travel and expenses for reporting trips. Accepting unsolicited items of nominal value (under $25) is permissible but should be disclosed. All review units or products provided for testing are considered company property.
- Outside Work and Affiliations: Any outside employment, freelance work, or paid public speaking engagements must be approved by a senior editor to ensure they do not create a conflict of interest or compromise your impartiality. Team members should not engage in political activism or public advocacy on issues that could compromise their ability to report on those topics fairly.
Professional Conduct
- Interacting with Sources: We treat everyone we interact with during the reporting process with professionalism and respect. We will be honest about who we are and what our intentions are. Deception in reporting is only permissible in rare circumstances where the public interest is overwhelming and all other means of obtaining the story have been exhausted.
- Social Media: Your online activity reflects on The TechBull. Team members should not express partisan opinions or engage in online harassment. Your social media presence should uphold the same standards of fairness, accuracy, and civility as our published work.
- Confidentiality: Journalists have a duty to protect confidential sources and any sensitive, non-public information they receive during their work.
Ethical Use of Technology
- Generative AI: We may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with research, transcription, or brainstorming. However, every word we publish is the ultimate responsibility of a human journalist. AI-generated text will not be published without rigorous human fact-checking, editing, and approval. We will be transparent with our audience about how we use AI in our work.
- Privacy: In our reporting, we weigh the public’s right to know against an individual’s right to privacy. We will show special consideration to individuals who are not public figures.
This ethics policy is a living document. We will review and update it as technology and the media landscape evolve. Ultimately, no policy can cover every situation. We expect every member of The TechBull team to use sound judgment and to always choose the path that best serves our readers and the truth.