Editorial standards

Original work

Every published story must be written for this network. Other reporting can point us toward a subject, but it cannot be copied, lightly rewritten or presented as our own.

Evidence before excitement

Factual claims should be supported by primary research, official information or reputable expert sources. Uncertainty belongs in the article when the evidence is incomplete.

Research-assisted drafts

Tools may help us identify subjects, compare sources and prepare drafts. They do not replace editorial responsibility. Every public article is reviewed against its linked sources before launch; unsupported claims, invented quotations and copied passages are removed. Drafts that have not completed that review stay offline and out of the sitemap.

Depth before volume

We do not write to a fixed word count. A story must answer its headline, explain the evidence and its limits, add useful context and give readers enough information to leave satisfied. Repetitive or thin pages are returned to draft rather than published for search traffic.

Headlines must deliver

A headline can create curiosity, but the article must answer its promise early and completely. We avoid false urgency, fabricated quotes and misleading “you won’t believe” language.

Advertising independence

Advertisements will be visually identified and kept separate from editorial decisions. Payment does not buy favourable coverage. Affiliate relationships, if introduced later, will be disclosed beside the relevant links.

Timely stories and search trends

A search trend can reveal a question people are asking, but it is not evidence and it does not justify a page by itself. We confirm the event through primary or authoritative sources, choose a useful angle that fits one of our publications and publish only when the story adds explanation, context or practical value beyond the headline.

Search optimisation

Search titles, descriptions, links and structured data help readers and search engines understand a finished article. They do not decide the facts or force a fixed word count. We avoid keyword stuffing, misleading curiosity gaps, artificial date changes and mass publication across unrelated subjects.

Images and illustrations

Lead images must be relevant, credited and described with useful alternative text. Illustrations are not presented as documentary evidence. Generated or materially altered visuals receive context when a reader could otherwise mistake them for a real record of an event.

Corrections

Material errors are corrected promptly. When a change affects the meaning of a story, a note will explain what changed and when. Corrections can be sent to hello@curiositydesk.blog.