Ethics Policy

1. Editorial Independence

STNews maintains an absolute separation between editorial content and business operations. No advertiser, sponsor, investor, or partner may influence, preview, or approve editorial content. Our editorial team reports to the Editor-in-Chief, who has sole authority over all editorial decisions. Business development staff do not participate in editorial meetings. Stories about advertisers or partners receive the same scrutiny as any other coverage.

2. Conflicts of Interest & Financial Holdings

All editorial staff must disclose their cryptocurrency holdings, investments, and financial interests to the Editorial Standards Committee upon hiring and whenever changes occur. Journalists are prohibited from trading any asset within 72 hours before or after publishing coverage of that asset. No staff member may accept gifts, payments, free tokens, airdrops, or other compensation from sources, companies, or protocols they cover. Staff may hold long-term positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum (disclosed in their author bios) but may not actively trade them. Short-selling or leveraged trading is prohibited for all editorial staff.

3. Source Protection & Verification

STNews protects the identity of confidential sources to the fullest extent permitted by law. We offer encrypted communication channels (Signal, SecureDrop) for sensitive tips. All factual claims require verification from at least two independent sources. Anonymous sources are used sparingly and only when the information is of significant public interest and cannot be obtained through other means. When using anonymous sources, we explain to readers why anonymity was granted.

4. Corrections & Accountability

When we make errors, we correct them promptly, clearly, and transparently. All corrections are noted at the top of the affected article with the date and nature of the correction. Significant corrections are noted in our public Corrections Log. We never silently edit published articles. If a story requires retraction, we publish a full explanation. Readers can report errors to corrections@stnews.live.

5. Sponsored Content Disclosure

All paid content is clearly labeled with one of the following designations: "Sponsored" for advertiser-funded articles, "Press Release" for company-issued announcements, or "Partner Content" for co-created pieces. These labels appear prominently at the top of the article and in all social media distribution. Sponsored content is never written by our editorial team — it is produced by our content partnerships team or submitted by the sponsor. Our editorial team may decline to publish sponsored content that contains misleading claims.

6. Affiliate Links & Referrals

Articles containing affiliate links are disclosed with a notice at the top or bottom of the article. The presence of affiliate links never influences editorial decisions or product recommendations. Our editorial team selects products and services to cover based on newsworthiness and reader value, not affiliate potential. Revenue from affiliate programs supports our free journalism.

7. AI & Automated Content

STNews may use AI tools to assist with research, data analysis, and content drafting. However, all published content is reviewed, verified, and approved by a human editor before publication. We do not publish fully AI-generated articles without human oversight. When AI tools play a significant role in content creation, this is disclosed to readers. Our market data feeds and price widgets are automated but sourced from verified data providers.

8. Diversity & Fair Representation

We strive to include diverse voices and perspectives in our coverage. We seek sources from different geographic regions, genders, ethnic backgrounds, and experience levels. We are committed to covering the full spectrum of the crypto ecosystem — not just projects popular in Western markets. We regularly audit our source diversity and coverage patterns.

9. Editorial Standards Committee

Our Editorial Standards Committee is an independent body comprising the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, and two senior journalists elected by the editorial staff. The committee meets monthly to review ethics complaints, discuss edge cases, update this policy, and conduct annual audits of conflict-of-interest disclosures, correction records, and source diversity. Committee decisions are binding on all editorial staff and are documented in internal records.

10. Breaking News Protocol

When covering breaking news events — exchange hacks, flash crashes, major regulatory actions, protocol exploits — our editorial process is compressed but never bypassed. Breaking stories require at least one confirmed source and must be reviewed by a senior editor before publication. Preliminary reports are clearly labeled as "developing" and updated as new information becomes available. We never speculate on market impact, attribute losses without confirmed data, or name suspects without official confirmation or strong documentary evidence.

11. Opinion vs. News Labeling

STNews maintains a strict separation between news reporting and opinion content. News articles present facts without editorial judgment. Opinion and analysis pieces are clearly labeled as "Opinion," "Analysis," or "Commentary" in the article header and metadata. Op-eds by guest contributors are labeled "Guest Opinion" and include a full author bio with disclosed interests. Our editorial team may disagree with published opinion content — we publish diverse viewpoints to encourage informed debate.

12. Social Media Policy

STNews journalists must identify their affiliation in their social media bios. Staff are prohibited from: expressing personal opinions on assets they cover, sharing market predictions outside of published analysis, promoting any token or project, engaging in arguments with sources, or sharing confidential editorial information. Retweets do not constitute endorsements. Staff may not accept paid promotional posts on any social media platform related to crypto or financial products. Violations are reviewed by the Editorial Standards Committee.

13. Photography & Visual Ethics

All images used in STNews articles must be properly licensed, credited, or original. We never digitally alter photos in ways that change their editorial meaning. AI-generated images used for illustration must be labeled as "AI-generated." Stock photos used as article thumbnails must be contextually appropriate and never misleadingly imply endorsement or specific real-world events. Charts and data visualizations must accurately represent the underlying data without misleading scale, axis manipulation, or selective date ranges.

14. Embargo & Exclusivity

STNews honors legitimate press embargoes when agreed to in advance. We will not accept embargo terms that restrict our ability to report independently or that prevent us from covering competitive developments. Breaking an embargo is considered a serious editorial infraction. Exclusive stories obtained through our own reporting are never subject to external review or pre-approval by subjects of the story. We may provide a right-of-reply to individuals or organizations named in investigative reports.

15. Harassment & Intimidation

STNews does not tolerate harassment, threats, or intimidation directed at our journalists, sources, or readers. Attempts to suppress reporting through legal threats, coordinated social media campaigns, or direct intimidation are documented and, where appropriate, reported to law enforcement. We maintain robust legal support for our editorial team and will vigorously defend our journalists' right to report.

16. Reporting Ethics Violations

If you believe a STNews journalist or article has violated this ethics policy, please contact our Editorial Standards Committee at ethics@stnews.live. Reports can also be submitted anonymously via our SecureDrop instance at secure.stnews.live. All complaints are investigated and responded to within 5 business days. The committee publishes an annual transparency report summarizing the number and nature of ethics complaints received and their resolution.