How HFlash handles corrections
Journalism is produced quickly and under pressure, and mistakes happen in every newsroom. What separates a trustworthy publication from an untrustworthy one is what it does next. HFlash corrects errors openly, promptly and in a way that leaves a permanent record, rather than quietly editing a page and hoping nobody noticed.
Reporting an error
Email corrections@hflash.co.uk with the headline of the article, the date it was published, the specific passage you believe is wrong, and, where you can, a source that shows the correct position. You do not need to use formal language or explain why the error matters. A short message identifying the mistake is enough for us to begin checking.
What happens next
We acknowledge correction requests on the working day we receive them. An editor who was not involved in writing the original article checks the disputed passage against the underlying sources. If the article is wrong we amend it, and if it is right we write back explaining what we relied on so that you can judge our reasoning for yourself. Most cases are resolved within two working days, though a request that requires us to go back to an outside body for confirmation can take longer.
How we label changes
Where a correction changes the meaning of an article, we add a dated note at the foot of the piece saying what was originally published and what has been changed. Where a headline was wrong we correct the headline and record the change in the same note. Small fixes that do not alter meaning, such as a misspelled name in a photograph caption or a broken link, are made without a note. We do not delete published articles to make an error disappear, and we do not remove a correction note once it has been added.
Serious inaccuracies
If an error is significant enough to have misled readers about an important matter, the correction note appears at the top of the article rather than the bottom, and we leave it there permanently. In cases where an article was fundamentally unsound we say so plainly and explain what went wrong in our process.
Clarifications and updates
Not every change is a correction. A developing story may be updated many times as new information arrives, and an article that was accurate at the time of writing may need a clarification when the surrounding facts move. We date these updates so that readers can see when the article last changed and what was added.
If you are not satisfied
Readers who believe a correction request has not been handled properly can write directly to the editor through our contact page, setting out what they asked for and what they received. The standards this process is built on are described in our editorial policy.