Our editorial standards
HFlash publishes journalism for readers in the United Kingdom across eight desks: UK news, sport, entertainment, technology, business, lifestyle, travel and food. This policy sets out how we gather information, how we verify it, how we correct it when we get things wrong, and where the line sits between our journalism and our commercial activity. It applies to everyone who writes for us, whether staff or freelance.
Accuracy and verification
Every factual claim in an HFlash article should be traceable to a source a reader can check. Where a figure, quotation or finding originates with another organisation, we link to that organisation directly rather than to a secondary report of it, so readers can read the primary material themselves. We prefer named sources, and where we grant anonymity we do so only when there is a clear public interest and a real risk to the person speaking, and we explain to readers why the source is unnamed. Claims that cannot be verified are not published, however newsworthy they might be.
Sourcing and attribution
We attribute the origin of information plainly in the body of the article. Official statistics, court documents, company filings, regulatory decisions, published research and on-the-record statements form the backbone of our reporting. When we build on the work of another publication we credit it by name and link to it. We do not reproduce another outlet significant original reporting as if it were our own, and we do not republish material from press releases without independent checking.
Independence from commercial interests
HFlash does not sell editorial coverage, does not accept payment to publish articles, and does not sell links within its journalism. Any content that has been paid for is labelled as sponsored, sits outside our editorial sections, and is written or approved by the commercial team rather than the newsroom. Our reporters have no knowledge of, and no involvement in, advertising sales decisions. Where we mention a product or service that we may earn affiliate revenue from, we say so in the article itself.
Fairness and right of reply
Where our reporting is critical of a named individual or organisation, we approach them before publication and give them a reasonable opportunity to respond. If a response arrives after publication we add it and note that the article has been updated. We do not publish material that is gratuitously intrusive, and we weigh the public interest against the privacy of the people involved in every story that touches on private life.
Artificial intelligence
We use software tools to help with research, transcription, image production and routine copy checks. Editorial judgement, verification and final responsibility always rest with a named human editor. We do not publish articles that have been generated without human reporting behind them, and any illustrative image that has been produced rather than photographed is treated as an illustration, never presented as documentary evidence of an event.
Corrections
When we get something wrong we fix it quickly and say what we changed. Our corrections policy explains the process in detail, including how to raise an issue and what readers can expect in reply.
Questions
Readers who want to discuss any aspect of this policy can reach the editor through our contact page. Details of our commercial rules are on the advertise with us page, and background on the publication is on our about page.