Investigation Standards

The Same Standard Test

Every investigation starts with the same six questions. The identities or viewpoints involved do not change the test.

Evidence requirements

A published finding should be tied to identifiable evidence. Whenever possible, the public case file will show the original source, capture date, context, exhibit label, and any authenticity or editing note. Evidence that cannot safely or lawfully be displayed may be described and withheld, but it will not be represented as public proof.

Passing an initial automated screen is not described as final approval when later human review, manufacturing, shipment, or another decision stage may still occur. Findings must match what the evidence actually establishes.

Source evaluation

Primary records are preferred: original documents, complete recordings, direct statements, official policies, public records, court filings, complete data sets, or firsthand testing that can be documented. Secondary reporting may provide context or lead to primary material, but headlines, cropped clips, anonymous posts, or summaries are not treated as conclusive proof by themselves.

Each structured source record should identify the title, publisher or organization, URL, publication date when available, date accessed, source type, description, and an archived link when one exists.

Direct evidence versus hearsay

Direct evidence comes from a firsthand observation, original recording, original document, or the person or organization directly involved. Hearsay and secondhand accounts may identify an issue worth reviewing, but they must be labeled and corroborated before supporting a firm finding. Anonymous claims are not converted into verified facts merely because they are widely repeated.

Comparable means genuinely comparable

A double-standard claim requires more than two different outcomes. Investigations compare the decision-maker, wording or conduct, applicable rule, timing, platform, authority, evidence available at the time, consequences, and other material variables. When important facts differ, the case file must say so.

Right of response

Before a substantial preliminary or final finding is published, the subject should normally receive enough information to understand the claim and the questions being asked. The case file records whether contact occurred, the date and method, any deadline, the response status, the response received, and whether it changed the finding.

“Declined to Respond” is used only when the subject actually declined. Silence after a documented request is recorded as “No Response Received,” not as a refusal or admission.

Preliminary versus final findings

A preliminary finding states what the current record supports while evidence collection, response, or verification may continue. A final finding means the investigation has completed its planned review to the extent reasonably possible. Either may be corrected or updated if new evidence changes the record.

Supported, Partially Supported, Unsupported, Misleading, Inconsistent Enforcement, Insufficient Evidence, Inconclusive, Corrected, and Withdrawn are classifications—not accusations of motive. Every finding must include an explanation and a date issued.

Inconsistent treatment versus proven intent

Different outcomes for comparable inputs may support a finding of inconsistent treatment or enforcement. That does not automatically establish why the difference occurred. Intentional discrimination, political motive, bad faith, or deliberate censorship requires additional evidence. The case file must separately state what the evidence supports and what it does not establish.

Corrections and update history

Material claims or findings are not silently replaced. A correction or update records the date, type of change, explanation, whether the finding changed, and previous and new wording when materially relevant. The public history remains part of the permanent case file.

A public correction request creates an internal review item. It does not automatically change the investigation. Editors review the challenged statement and supporting material before accepting, declining, or closing the request.

Conflicts of interest

An editor should disclose a meaningful financial, employment, family, legal, political-campaign, or organizational relationship that could reasonably affect the investigation. A conflicted editor should not be the sole approver of the finding. Relevant conflicts should be disclosed in the case file when they could affect how readers evaluate the work.

Anonymous submissions

People may submit a case using an alias and may omit an email address. Anonymous material is treated as a lead, not automatically as verified evidence. Publication depends on independent verification, lawful possession, relevance, authenticity, and whether disclosure could create avoidable harm.

Privacy protection

Private evidence remains in restricted storage unless an authorized administrator deliberately marks it public. Personal addresses, identification numbers, private medical information, minors’ identifying information, confidential credentials, and unrelated personal data should be redacted or withheld. Evidence may be labeled “Withheld for Privacy” or “Withheld for Legal or Safety Reasons,” with a public explanation when appropriate.

When a case may be withdrawn

A case may be withdrawn when the central evidence is shown to be unreliable, the comparison is materially invalid, publication creates an unjustifiable legal or safety risk, the subject matter was fundamentally misrepresented, or the investigation cannot meet these standards. A published case is not erased through the normal workflow. The page remains accessible when appropriate, clearly marked Withdrawn, with the reason preserved in the update history.

Submission safety

Do not submit illegally obtained records, confidential employer files you are not authorized to share, unredacted identification numbers, private medical information, account passwords, home addresses, threats, or material that could put someone in danger. Publicly available or lawfully obtained evidence is preferred.