Corrections & Standards

Follow the evidence. Leave room for what remains unknown.

What Our Labels Mean

VERIFIED means the available record strongly supports the specific item being labeled. CORROBORATED means more than one meaningful source supports it. MIXED means credible material conflicts or important uncertainty remains. UNVERIFIED means we do not have enough reliable support to treat it as established. DISPUTED means a material claim is actively contradicted by credible evidence or a relevant party.

A label applies to the item it accompanies. A VERIFIED location does not make an entire story verified.

Source Discipline

We prefer primary records, official filings, direct interviews, original media, and credible reporting. We identify sources and preserve a public receipt ledger when practical. Social posts, anonymous claims, Wikipedia, aggregators, and algorithmic summaries can be discovery leads but should not carry the same weight as primary or independently corroborated material.

Source & Accuracy Limitation

Undercover Jagoff does not independently verify every underlying story or item from third-party sources. We rely in part on those sources to be accurate but cannot and do not guarantee completeness, authenticity, currency, or accuracy. Publication is not certification of truth. When facts remain uncertain, the uncertainty should remain visible.

Corrections, Clarifications and Updates

Material factual errors should be corrected clearly. Significant changes should not erase the fact that the record changed. Case Files can carry a permanent Update / Correction History showing corrections, clarifications, developing updates, and published rights of reply.

Right of Reply

A person or organization materially named or criticized in a Case File may submit a response through the Correction & Right of Reply page. We may verify identity or supporting material before acting. A request does not guarantee publication, removal, or a particular framing, but substantive responses should be reviewed in good faith.

Private People, Doxxing & Minors

Do not publish private addresses, phone numbers, credentials, private account information, or unnecessary identifying data. Apply heightened care to minors and uninvolved private people. Reader speculation is not a license to identify or accuse private individuals.

Automated Publishing Guardrails

Low-risk stories may auto-publish only when configured source thresholds are met. Medium-risk topics require stronger source diversity and a strong/primary source. High-risk topics are Draft Only. Automated updates to high-risk Case Files are blocked for human review.

Humor

Humor and opinion must be clearly separated from evidence. “A note from the desk” is commentary, not additional evidence.