Journalism produced under deadline by human beings will sometimes contain errors. What distinguishes a trustworthy publication is not the absence of mistakes but how openly it deals with them. Our policy is straightforward: we correct errors quickly, we say clearly what was wrong, and we never quietly alter the record.
How to report an error
Write to corrections@isunews.com or use our contact page. To help us act quickly, please include the article title or link, the specific sentence or figure you believe is incorrect, and, if you have one, a source supporting the correction.
You do not need to be an expert or to phrase it formally. Readers regularly catch things our editors missed, and we would rather receive ten reports that turn out to be fine than miss the one that was not.
What happens next
We aim to acknowledge every correction report within one business day. An editor who did not write the article reviews the claim against the original sources. If the report is correct, we amend the article and publish a correction note. If the article was accurate, we reply explaining the sourcing so the reader can assess our reasoning. If the point is one of interpretation rather than fact, we say so and, where the criticism has force, we may add clarifying language.
Our target is resolution within three business days. Complex cases requiring us to re-examine data or contact sources may take longer, and we will keep the person who reported the issue informed.
Categories of change
Typographical and formatting fixes
Spelling, punctuation, broken links, and formatting errors that do not affect meaning are corrected silently. No note is added, because nothing a reader relied on has changed.
Clarifications
Where the original wording was accurate but capable of being misread, we rewrite for clarity and append a clarification note describing what was made clearer. The underlying facts remain unchanged.
Corrections
Where a factual claim was wrong, we fix it and append a dated correction note at the foot of the article stating what the article previously said, what it now says, and when the change was made. The incorrect text is not left in place, but the note ensures the change is on the record. Where the error appeared in a headline, the correction note says so explicitly.
Significant corrections
Where an error affected the central claim of an article, the correction note is placed at the top of the piece rather than the foot, so that no reader can encounter the article without seeing it. If the article was distributed by newsletter or social media, we issue a correction through the same channels, because a correction seen only by people who return to the original page is not a correction at all.
Retractions
If an article’s central premise proves unsupportable, we retract it. The original text is replaced with a retraction notice explaining what was published, why it was wrong, and how the error occurred. We do not delete the page, because removing it would break links and erase the record of our own mistake.
Updates that are not corrections
Stories about ongoing events are sometimes updated with new information. This is not a correction, and we distinguish the two. Substantive updates carry a dated note indicating what was added, so readers returning to a piece can see what changed since they last read it. We do not use the word update to disguise a correction.
What we will not do
We will not remove accurate published material because a subject finds it unwelcome, embarrassing, or commercially inconvenient. Requests to unpublish accurate reporting are declined. We will not alter quotations to soften them after publication, and we will not remove a person’s name from an accurate article except in narrow circumstances involving demonstrable risk to personal safety, minors, or a legal obligation, each assessed individually by a senior editor.
We will not accept payment, advertising commitments, or any other consideration in exchange for a correction, a removal, or an amendment.
Errors in images, data and charts
Charts and data visualisations are corrected on the same basis as text. Where a chart was mislabelled, the axis was misleading, or the underlying figures were wrong, the corrected version replaces it and the correction note describes the change. Where an image was misidentified or its caption inaccurate, we correct both and note it.
Accountability for the policy itself
If you believe we have handled a correction badly, applied this policy inconsistently, or failed to respond, please escalate to editorial@isunews.com. A senior editor will review the handling of the case. Our broader standards are set out in our editorial guidelines.