Editorial Standards
Last updated August 2026
These standards govern every Real Sim story, whether it is a two-minute brief or a long analysis. They exist to make our reporting traceable, fair and useful.
Accuracy and sourcing
Every normal news story requires at least one primary source. A story without a primary source requires two independent, credible sources and may not be an allegation or rumour. Visible source links are mandatory on every article.
Verification
A verification step separate from drafting checks critical claims before publication. Confidence must clear a high threshold, and a claim ledger exists before a story goes live. If verification cannot be satisfied, the story does not publish.
Independence
Commercial relationships never buy favourable coverage. Sponsored and affiliate material is labelled prominently and can never masquerade as independent testing.
Corrections
Material errors receive a visible correction notice. We never change an original publication time to make a corrected story look new.