Editorial Policy & Ethics

Last updated: October 7, 2026

Trust is the most important thing a publication has. This Editorial Policy explains the standards the VeryRite editorial team follows when we report, write, edit, review products and correct mistakes. It applies to everything published under the VeryRite name, including articles, reviews, newsletters and social media posts, and to everyone who contributes to VeryRite, including guest contributors.

Our Principles

• Accuracy. We make every reasonable effort to get facts right and to present them in context.
• Independence. Our editorial decisions are made by our editors, free from the influence of advertisers, sponsors, affiliate partners, investors or the companies we cover.
• Fairness. We treat the people and organizations we cover fairly, and we give them a reasonable opportunity to respond to significant allegations.
• Transparency. We are open about how we work, how we make money and when we get things wrong.
• Accountability. We correct errors promptly and listen to reader feedback.

Sourcing

We rely on primary sources wherever possible: original documents, regulatory filings, court records, legislation, peer-reviewed research, official statistics, product documentation and direct interviews. We link to our sources so readers can check them for themselves.

• Press releases, company blog posts and marketing materials are treated as claims to be verified, not as established fact.
• Significant claims, especially those that could damage a person’s or company’s reputation, require confirmation from more than one reliable source or documentary evidence.
• We clearly attribute information to its source and distinguish between what we have verified and what has been claimed.
• We grant anonymity to sources only when there is a compelling reason, such as a risk to their job or safety, and when the information cannot be obtained on the record. At least one editor must know the identity of an anonymous source, and we explain to readers why anonymity was granted.
• We do not pay sources for information.
• When we use information first reported by another publication, we credit and link to it.

Fact-Checking and Editing

Every article is reviewed by an editor before publication. Editors check that facts, figures, names, titles, dates and quotations are accurate and properly sourced; that technical explanations are correct and understandable; and that headlines and images fairly represent the story. Articles that explain laws, financial products or security practices receive additional review against primary sources, such as the legislation or official guidance.

Product reviews are based on hands-on testing wherever practical. We state how long and in what conditions a product was tested, and whether it was purchased, loaned or provided free of charge. We do not allow manufacturers to review or approve our reviews before publication.

Evergreen guides are reviewed periodically and updated when information changes. Each article displays its publication date and, when substantially revised, its last updated date.

Corrections Policy

We correct errors of fact promptly, regardless of who brought them to our attention.

• Minor errors, such as spelling, grammar or formatting mistakes that do not change the meaning of the article, are fixed without a note.
• Factual errors are corrected in the text, and a correction note at the end of the article explains what was wrong and when it was fixed.
• Significant errors that affect the central point of an article may lead to a correction note at the top of the article, an editor’s note or, in rare cases, a retraction, which will be explained to readers.
• Updates, where a story develops after publication, are labelled as updates with the date.

We do not quietly delete articles to hide mistakes. To report a possible error, email [email protected] with the article link, the statement in question and any supporting information. We aim to review correction requests within two business days.

Editorial Independence

VeryRite earns revenue from advertising, sponsored content, affiliate commissions and our merchandise shop. None of these gives anyone influence over our independent journalism.

• Advertisers and sponsors do not choose, review, approve or edit our independent articles.
• Sponsored content is always clearly labelled, identifies the sponsor and is kept distinct from independent journalism, in line with the Competition Bureau of Canada’s guidance on disclosure of material connections.
• Affiliate links are added only after editorial decisions have been made. Affiliate commission rates do not affect which products we recommend or how we rank them, and articles with affiliate links carry a clear disclosure.
• We accept review units on the understanding that we owe the manufacturer nothing in return, including coverage or a positive review. We do not accept payment for reviews.
• Our editorial team does not write promotional coverage of VeryRite’s own shop products.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

We cover artificial intelligence, and we use some AI tools in our own work. We do so carefully and transparently.

• Human responsibility. Every article published on VeryRite is written or substantially shaped, reviewed and approved by a human member of the editorial team, who is accountable for its accuracy.
• Permitted uses. Our team may use AI tools to assist with tasks such as transcribing interviews, summarizing long documents for research, checking grammar and spelling, suggesting headline variations or translating source material. Output from these tools is always verified by a person.
• What we do not do. We do not publish articles generated by AI without substantial human writing, reporting and editing. We do not use AI to fabricate quotations, sources, reviews or test results. We do not present AI-generated images as real photographs.
• Disclosure. Where AI tools have materially contributed to the content of an article, for example generating an illustration or producing a substantial portion of text, we disclose this in the article. AI-generated images are labelled as such.
• Confidentiality. We do not enter confidential source material or readers’ personal information into AI tools that might retain or train on it.

Conflicts of Interest

Members of the VeryRite editorial team and our contributors must avoid conflicts of interest, and the appearance of them, wherever possible. Writers must disclose to an editor any financial interest, employment, advisory role, close personal relationship or other connection with a company or person they cover. Where a conflict exists, the writer will be reassigned or the connection will be disclosed to readers in the article.

Writers may not trade in the securities or digital assets of companies they are actively covering, or act on information gathered through their reporting before it is published. Gifts of more than nominal value are declined or returned.

Guest Contributors

Guest contributors are held to the same standards as our editorial team. They must disclose any affiliations relevant to their article, which we include in their author bio. We do not accept payment for publishing contributed articles, and we do not sell links. See Write for Us.

Feedback

We welcome questions and feedback about our standards. Email [email protected].