These standards describe how Pulse News Update works. They apply to every story, newsletter and audio briefing we publish, and they are the yardstick readers should hold us to.
Labelling illustrative content
During our launch edition, every story is an illustrative scenario. The projects, organizations and people in those stories are fictional or deliberately unnamed, and each article carries the label “Illustrative · Launch edition”. We never attach invented quotes, figures or claims to real companies, institutions or individuals. When a launch story includes a number, the text says who reports it, and it is part of the scenario rather than a verified fact.
Sourcing
When we publish reported news, we will name our sources whenever possible and explain why when we cannot. We prefer primary documents, data and direct interviews to second-hand summaries. Claims made by organizations about their own products or results are attributed to them and, wherever possible, checked against independent evidence. We distinguish clearly between what is known, what is claimed and what is still uncertain, and every news or feature story includes at least one paragraph on what is not yet known.
Independence
Pulse does not accept payment for coverage, does not publish advertorials, and does not let funders, partners or advertisers review stories before publication. Editors and writers must disclose any personal or financial interest connected to a story they work on, and step aside when that interest is significant.
Use of AI tools
We may use software tools, including AI systems, to help with tasks such as transcription, translation drafts, summarizing documents or checking consistency. A human editor is responsible for every published word. We do not publish AI-generated images as if they were photographs of real events, and we label illustrative imagery as such. Read-aloud audio on our site is produced by your browser’s speech engine and is labelled that way.
Advice and expertise
We explain medical, legal, tax and financial topics, but we don’t give personal advice. Stories in those areas say so clearly and encourage readers to consult qualified professionals.
Corrections and accountability
When we get something wrong, we fix it promptly and transparently. See our Corrections Policy and Fact-Checking Protocol for details, and write to [email protected] if you spot a problem.