1. Our Mission
Our job is to help readers make better decisions with accurate testing, clear methodology, and honest commentary. We prioritize:
- Truth over access
- Repeatable testing over hype
- Audience trust over brand relationships
2. Editorial Independence
We do not charge companies for coverage or positive outcomes.
Editorial decisions — what we cover, how we test, what we conclude — are made by the Editorial Team, not Sales or Business.
Advertisers, sponsors, PR firms, and manufacturers do not see drafts, do not approve scripts, and do not influence conclusions.
3. Conflicts of Interest
To protect trust, we require:
- Staff must disclose any financial interest (employment, consulting, investments, gifts) related to a company or product being covered.
- If a conflict exists, we either recuse the person, add a prominent disclosure, or decline coverage.
- We do not accept “favors” in exchange for coverage, special treatment, or softer language.
4. Review Sample & Loaner Policy
We accept products via:
- Purchased by Salt Data Innovations
- Loaned for review
- Provided by the manufacturer or PR
Rules:
- Companies are not obligated to send samples, and sending a sample does not obligate us to publish anything.
- If a company requires we purchase a unit as a condition of review, that must be disclosed to us before shipping, and we may decline.
- No quid pro quo: providing a sample never earns favorable coverage. Attempts to “buy” influence may be publicly disclosed.
- We disclose sample origin in the content (e.g., “provided by manufacturer,” “loaner,” “purchased”).
- Loan terms (return deadline, condition, accessories) must be written. If a loaner must be returned, we do so on agreed terms.
Gifts & Extras
We do not accept high-value gifts. If unsolicited items arrive, we may return them, donate them, or treat them as a long-term loan — always with disclosure.
5. Testing & Methodology Standards
Our reviews aim to be:
- Repeatable: We document test setups, key settings, and environmental factors when relevant.
- Comparable: We use consistent benchmarks where possible and explain when methodology changes.
- Complete: We separate “measured data” from “opinion,” and label speculation as speculation.
If we change methods mid-series, we will:
- Say what changed
- Say why it changed
- Where feasible, retest or clearly mark comparisons as non-equivalent
6. Embargoes, NDAs, and Pre-Briefings
We may agree to embargoes when they serve readers (e.g., coordinated launch coverage), but embargoes don’t buy praise.
We do not agree to terms that give a company editorial approval, veto power, or control of conclusions.
If a restriction materially affects what we can say, we’ll disclose that limitation or decline participation.
7. Blogging, News & Reporting Standards
Sources & Verification
We distinguish between: confirmed, likely, rumor, and opinion.
We link primary sources when available (docs, filings, official statements).
PR Material
Press releases are treated as a source — not as “truth.” We label them as such and add independent context.
Right of Reply
For investigations or serious criticism, we typically seek comment from the primary subject before publishing when feasible. We define “contact” as requesting comment in advance of publication, with the understanding that any response may be published.
We may limit or delay contact when early notice would reasonably risk:
- Evidence destruction
- Coordinated misinformation
- Other interference with verification
8. Advertising, Sponsorships & Monetization
No Pay-for-Editorial
We do not sell “news coverage” or product coverage to the subject of that coverage.
We do not accept “sponsored reviews” where the sponsor pays for the existence of the review itself (i.e., infomercial-style content).
If We Ever Publish Paid Content
If we ever run a paid segment (rare or never), it will be:
- Clearly labeled PAID / SPONSORED
- Visually distinct from editorial
- Governed by a written rule: sponsor has zero control over conclusions
Affiliate Links
Some articles may include affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission.
Affiliate programs do not influence what we review or the outcome.
We aim to disclose affiliate relationships prominently (page footer + article-level disclosure where relevant).
9. Co-Branded Products & Deep Partnerships
We treat co-branded products (our name or branding on a manufacturer’s product) as a high-risk conflict.
Default policy:
We do not co-brand products with manufacturers whose products we review. If we ever do, we will either:
- Stop reviewing that manufacturer entirely, or
- Create a strict, public firewall and disclose the relationship on every relevant piece of coverage.
10. Corrections, Updates & Accountability
We correct mistakes fast and transparently.
If we update content after publication, we will add a correction note stating what changed and why.
We maintain a corrections and updates log and keep a visible record even if the error is fixed, for historical accountability.
For video or audio, corrections may include: pinned comment, description update, on-screen card, or edited segment — paired with a public note.
Report an error: contact us.
11. Safety Issues & Public Interest
If we discover a credible safety hazard (fire, electrical, structural, etc.), we may:
- Publish a warning
- Escalate testing
- Report to relevant regulators or safety agencies when appropriate
12. Plagiarism, AI & Attribution
We do not plagiarize. We attribute others’ reporting and link sources.
If we use AI tools for editing, transcription, or summarization, humans remain responsible for factual accuracy and final wording.
Any datasets, charts, or images that are not ours will be used with permission or within allowed licensing, with attribution.
13. Community Conduct
We welcome criticism and corrections.
We remove content that is: doxxing, harassment, hate speech, impersonation, or spam.
We may lock threads during active investigations to prevent misinformation piling on.
14. Enforcement
Violations of this policy may result in:
- Retraction or correction
- Public disclosure of the violation
- Internal discipline up to removal from editorial duties