Corrections Policy

Accuracy is central to what HeadLines Decoded does. We explain complex subjects so readers can make sense of a noisy information environment, and that only works if you can trust the facts. When we get something wrong, we correct it promptly, say so clearly, and leave a durable record of the change. This policy describes how we handle errors and how you can tell us when something needs fixing.

Our commitment

We aim to verify names, dates, figures, quotes, attributions, and claims before publication. Mistakes still happen. When they do, we do not quietly rewrite history. We fix the error, mark that a correction was made, and keep the record honest.

How we handle changes

• Correction. A factual error is fixed and the article carries a dated note saying what was wrong and what it now says.
• Clarification. The facts were right but could be misread. We sharpen the wording and, where it matters, note that we did.
• Update. A developing story gains new information. We add it and, for significant changes, timestamp the update.
• Minor fixes. A typo or broken link is corrected silently, because nothing about the meaning changed.

What we will not do

We will not delete a story to make an error disappear, swap out facts without acknowledgement, or edit a piece to change its meaning while pretending it always read that way. A newsroom that quietly rewrites its mistakes has a second, larger problem on top of the first.

Editor’s notes and retractions

Not every problem is a simple factual slip. When new information materially changes a story after publication, we add a dated editor’s note explaining what changed and why, rather than silently reworking the piece. In the rare case that a story is so flawed it cannot be repaired by a correction, we retract it: we leave a clearly labelled note in its place explaining that it was retracted and what went wrong, so the record of the mistake stays public. The larger the error, the more prominent the disclosure. A small factual fix carries a note at the foot of the article; an error that changed the meaning of the story is flagged at the top where no reader can miss it.

Where to see our corrections

Every correction we issue is listed on our public Corrections page, so the record is open for anyone to read. This policy explains how the process works; that page is the running log of it.

How to tell us

If you think we got something wrong, please tell us through our Feedback and Complaints page or Contact form. Point us to the specific claim and, where you can, to a source. We review every good-faith report, and if we are wrong we fix it fast and in the open.