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Ethics & Corrections Policy

New Democracy is committed to ethical journalism and transparent corrections. This policy describes how we handle sensitive reporting, conflicts of interest, and errors.

1) Core ethics principles

We strive for:

  • Truth and accuracy (verify before publishing)

  • Independence (avoid undue influence)

  • Fairness (context, right of reply, and careful framing)

  • Minimizing harm (especially for vulnerable people)

  • Accountability (corrections and disclosures)

2) Minimizing harm and responsible reporting

We avoid sensationalism and consider safety and dignity:

  • We do not publish unnecessary graphic details.

  • We avoid sharing private details (addresses, phone numbers, identifying details) that could put someone at risk.

  • We may withhold certain details if they do not serve the public interest and could cause harm.

3) Privacy and consent

  • We respect privacy, especially for private individuals not acting in a public capacity.

  • We take extra care with sensitive interviews and seek informed consent where appropriate.

4) Minors

We take special care when reporting on minors:

  • We generally avoid identifying minors in sensitive contexts.

  • We avoid publishing details that could endanger or stigmatize a child.

5) Sexual violence, trauma, and sensitive events

  • We do not name survivors of sexual violence without explicit consent.

  • We avoid victim-blaming language.

  • We use care with images and may include content warnings when appropriate.

6) Hate speech and extremist content

  • We do not amplify hate speech.

  • If hateful statements must be reported for public-interest reasons, we add context and avoid repeating slurs unless strictly necessary.

7) Suicide and self-harm reporting

  • We avoid describing methods in detail.

  • When appropriate, we include help resources relevant to the audience and region.

8) Plagiarism and attribution

  • We do not plagiarize.

  • We credit original reporting, visuals, and data sources.

  • If plagiarism is found, we correct the record and take editorial action.

9) Conflicts of interest and paid influence

  • Staff and contributors must disclose conflicts.

  • We do not accept gifts or benefits that could influence coverage.

  • We do not accept payment for editorial coverage.

10) Corrections, clarifications, and updates

We correct errors promptly and transparently.

What we correct

  • Incorrect facts (names, dates, figures, outcomes)

  • Misquotes or misleading paraphrases

  • Incorrect headlines, captions, photos, or data visualizations

  • Material omissions that change reader understanding

What may be silently fixed

Minor typos or formatting issues that do not change meaning may be corrected without a note.

How we publish corrections

  • Significant corrections include a note labeled Correction at the top or bottom of the article.

  • Correction notes include what changed and the date/time of the change.

  • If a post was shared widely with an error, we may post a correction on social platforms as well.

Standard labels

  • Correction: We previously stated ____. The correct information is ____. (Date/Time)

  • Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify ____.

  • Update: New verified information has been added about ____.

11) Image and headline corrections

  • If a photo or caption is wrong, we replace it and add a correction note when the error is material.

  • If a headline is misleading or wrong, we change it; if the change materially affects meaning, we note it.

12) Removal requests

We generally correct rather than remove content.
We may remove content only in exceptional cases, such as:

  • serious legal obligations,

  • credible safety risks,

  • demonstrably false information that cannot be corrected without causing further harm.

When we remove content, we may leave an editor’s note explaining why (when legally and safely possible).

13) How to request a correction

Email [editorial@newdemocracy.in] with:

  • the article URL,

  • what you believe is wrong,

  • supporting evidence (documents, links, screenshots),

  • and (optionally) how we can reach you.

14) Complaints and accountability

If you believe our work violates this policy, contact at editorial@newdemocracy.in