At The Italian Journal, factual information is the basis of all we post. We cover everything from global news and Italian culture to business, sports, travel, and entertainment. With this wide range comes a big responsibility. Our readers count on us to get it right, and we take that responsibility seriously. This page describes in detail how we handle that duty every day.
Why This Is Important to Us
Accuracy is the foundation of journalism. In an age when misinformation travels quicker than the truth, we believe in slowing down, checking, and then publishing. The Italian Journal was founded on the concept that a trusted perspective is worth more than a rapid one. It’s a belief that guides every editorial decision we make.
We don’t do clicks for the sake of clicks. We don’t publish rumors in the name of reporting. And we don’t see speed as more valuable than truth. “If a story isn’t ready to meet our accuracy standards, it doesn’t go live, no matter how timely or competitive the news cycle seems.”
Our Guiding Principle
If we cannot verify it, we do not post it. We don’t report something as fact until a claim is backed by solid proof.
How we fact-check
- We go to the source. Our reporters and editors make sure that every fact we publish comes from an official statement, a government database, a verifiable interview, a court file, a news release, or an institutional report. We do not consider a claim to be validated just because it is published elsewhere, no matter how reputable that publisher may be. Secondary reporting is a beginning, not an end.
- We need more than one source. We look for confirmation from at least two reliable, independent sources for any important fact. This is especially true in news, international affairs, and sports coverage. If there’s just one source but the material is still good enough to publish, we make that clear in the article. This way, our readers know where the information comes from.
- We count numbers and statistics. Figures, percentages, rankings, and data points are checked against source data, official reports, or peer-reviewed publications. We don’t round numbers up for dramatic effect. We don’t put out projections as confirmed data. Where data is an estimate or a forecast, we have identified it as such. We cite the source where possible so the readers can check the information themselves.
- We discern fact from fact. Analysis, commentary, and opinion pieces are clearly marked. This way, readers know they’re seeing a writer’s view, not a confirmed fact. Opinion content is the author’s opinion and does not reflect the editorial viewpoint of The Italian Journal.
- Sensitive claims are examined in more detail. Claims about public figures, legal issues, health, science, economics, or geopolitics will be checked more thoroughly before publication. In these areas, we are especially sensitive to context, complexity, and the space between what is claimed and what is established.
- We do not post unsubstantiated claims as fact. If someone is accused of something, we publish the accusation as an accusation, not as a proved fact. Wherever possible, we allow subjects of serious claims to react before publication.
- We are careful with quotes. Direct quotes are used only if they come from a verifiable source. This includes recorded interviews, official transcripts, validated statements, or credible eyewitness accounts. We do not paraphrase and pass it off as a direct quote, and we do not pull quotes out of context so that their meaning is changed.
- We distinguish between breaking news and verified reporting. We say that when a story is unravelling. We update articles when new information comes in. We also mark when an earlier version of a story had information that has changed. We don’t keep stale content live without context.
Our Standards Section-by-Section
News & World – The highest standards apply. All facts, quotes, and claims about events are verified against primary sources before publication.
Business — Corporate information, economic statistics, and market assertions are verified against official records or reliable financial organizations.
Sports – Results, transfers, injury updates, and statistics are confirmed against official league sources or reputable sports news outlets.
History – Content is checked against scholarly references and primary historical records.
Travel | Fashion | Entertainment | Food | Home & Living | VIP Lifestyles – Factual assertions about places, people, goods, and events are fact-checked. Editorial and experiential content is properly labeled.
Editorial Supervision
Each article is vetted by a human editor before it is published on The Italian Journal. Writers must ensure their sources are accurate, while editors decide what gets published. The criterion applies equally to staff writers, regular contributors, and guest authors.
How to Report an Error
We want to hear from you if you believe something we have written is factually inaccurate. Please contact us via our Contact Page with the article URL, the particular claim, and evidence to substantiate it. We treat every submission with care.
This policy is maintained by the editorial team of The Italian Journal and is reviewed regularly.