Every story at Pulse News Update goes through a check before it is published. This page explains what that check covers and how we label claims so readers can judge them for themselves. We don’t publish an “accuracy score” for ourselves; we would rather show our method than advertise a number.
What gets checked
- Numbers: every figure must have a stated source in the text, such as “according to the developers” or “organizers report”.
- Names and roles: people and organizations are described accurately, and in launch-edition stories they are fictional or unnamed.
- Quotes: attributed to a specific role, and in reported stories confirmed with the speaker or a recording.
- Context: the story must explain what is not yet known, and avoid presenting projections as results.
- Headlines: must not claim more than the story supports.
Labelling claims
We separate three kinds of statement. Established facts are widely documented and uncontroversial. Claims are statements by an interested party, such as a company describing its own product, and are always attributed. Projections are estimates about the future and are labelled as such, often with an explanation of the assumptions behind them. For example, our story on bio-mineralised concrete explains that a headline figure of 100 million tons is an industry ambition, not a measurement.
Launch-edition scenarios
Because launch stories are illustrative, their figures are part of the scenario. We still apply the same discipline: numbers are attributed within the story, caveats are included, and nothing is pinned on a real company, institution or person. This lets readers see how we will handle claims once we report real events.
Images and audio
Images on the launch edition are illustrative and are captioned that way. They are not photographs of the events described. Audio is read aloud by your browser and contains exactly the text of the story.
Second reads
Stories with significant claims, sensitive subjects or potential for harm receive a second read by an editor who did not work on them. That editor looks especially for unsupported numbers, missing caveats and language that overstates certainty.
When something slips through
No process is perfect. If you find an error, write to [email protected]. Our Corrections Policy explains how we review and disclose fixes.