Editorial Policy

Our Mission

Investigation.blog exists to promote transparency and accountability in the digital marketing, affiliate, and online business industries. We conduct rigorous, data-driven investigations into practices that affect affiliates, advertisers, and consumers.

Editorial Independence

Our editorial decisions are made independently of any commercial interests. We do not accept payment for coverage, and our investigations are not influenced by advertisers, sponsors, or the subjects of our reporting. We maintain strict separation between any business operations and our editorial work.

Standards of Evidence

Before publishing any investigation, we require:

• Multiple sources: We seek to verify claims through multiple independent sources whenever possible.
• Documentary evidence: We prioritize concrete evidence such as screenshots, code analysis, transaction records, and technical logs.
• Technical verification: Claims about technical systems are verified through our own testing and analysis.
• Expert consultation: We consult with industry experts to validate technical findings and ensure accuracy.

Right of Response

Before publishing investigations that make substantive claims about specific companies or individuals, we make good-faith efforts to contact them for comment. We include their responses, or note their decision not to comment, in our published work. Companies and individuals have the opportunity to address our findings before publication.

Source Protection

Protecting our sources is fundamental to our work. We:

• Never reveal source identities without explicit consent
• Use secure, encrypted communication channels for sensitive information
• Strip identifying metadata from documents when necessary
• Allow fully anonymous submissions through our tip system
• Will resist legal pressure to reveal sources to the fullest extent of the law

Corrections Policy

We are committed to accuracy and will promptly correct errors when they occur:

• Minor corrections: Typos, formatting errors, and minor factual corrections are made silently with updated timestamps.
• Significant corrections: Material errors that affect the substance of our reporting are corrected with a visible correction notice explaining what changed.
• Retractions: In the rare event that an investigation is found to be fundamentally flawed, we will publish a retraction and remove or clearly mark the original content.

To report an error, email corrections@investigation.blog.

Tone and Approach

Our reporting is:

• Neutral: We report facts, not opinions. We avoid inflammatory language and let evidence speak for itself.
• Fair: We present multiple perspectives and acknowledge uncertainty where it exists.
• Constructive: We focus on systems and practices, not personal attacks. Our goal is to improve industry standards, not to vilify individuals.
• Transparent: We explain our methodology and acknowledge the limitations of our findings.

Conflicts of Interest

Contributors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to the subjects of their investigations. We will not publish investigations by contributors who have undisclosed financial or personal relationships with the subjects of their reporting.

Updates and Follow-ups

We are committed to following up on our investigations when circumstances change. If a company addresses the issues we've identified, or if new information comes to light, we will update our coverage accordingly.

Questions About Our Editorial Practices

If you have questions about our editorial standards or practices, please contact us at editorial@investigation.blog.