Editorial Standards

This page outlines the editorial values and governance principles that guide all content published by Tech Icons. We are a lean, AI-assisted media company built on transparency, editorial rigor, and human oversight. While we employ advanced tools to support our newsroom, every article is curated, verified, and approved by real editors before publication.

Here you’ll find a clear explanation of how we commission and fact-check stories, how our Editorial Council maintains ethical standards, and how we handle corrections, advertising, and data privacy. These standards ensure that everything we publish earns the trust of our readers — and reflects our commitment to accuracy, accountability, and editorial independence. If you’d like to get in touch with our team, please reach out here.

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1. Editorial Charter

Tech Icons is an independent business-technology publication based in London. Our mission is to decode how strategy, influence, and capital shape the global tech ecosystem. We combine human journalism with AI-powered research tools to deliver timely, accurate, and actionable insight for senior decision-makers.

2. Governance & Editorial Council

Editor-in-Chief | Final editorial sign-off, standards enforcement | [email protected]
Managing Editor | Daily workflow, commissioning, copy-editing | [email protected]
Standards & Ethics Ed. | Fact-checking, corrections, conflict reviews | [email protected]
Editorial Council | Quarterly review of coverage balance, accuracy, AI-usage audits (4–6 external advisers) | [email protected]

3. Editorial Process

  1. Pitch & Commission – reporters propose ideas, Editor-in-Chief approves.
  2. Research & Draft – primary sourcing, on-record quotes; AI tools may assist but never publish directly.
  3. Human Review – senior editor line-edits; two-stage fact-check.
  4. Ethics & Compliance – conflict screen, legal review for sensitive pieces.
  5. Publication & Post-Publication – article shows author bio, timestamp, AI-Assist tag; feedback via [email protected].

4. AI Assist Disclosure

“This article was researched with AI tools and verified by a Tech Icons editor. All facts, quotes, and data points were independently checked before publication.”

5. Sourcing & Citations

  • Minimum two independent primary sources per news item.
  • Direct links to filings, court docs, or company statements.
  • Charts cite underlying datasets.
  • Anonymous sources require second-source corroboration and Editor-in-Chief approval.

6. Corrections Policy

  • Minor fixes (typos, style) are silent.
  • Material errors (figures, names, quotes) get a “CORRECTION” line within 24 h.
  • Archival versions kept for 5 years.
  • Requests to [email protected].

7. Conflicts of Interest

  • Staff may not hold positions in companies they cover.
  • Gifts over £100 refused or donated.
  • Sponsored content labelled “Promoted by [Brand]” and produced by separate studio.

8. Advertising & Sponsored Content

Ad operations and editorial are fully separated. Ads never influence story selection. All ads comply with Google Publisher Policies, Coalition for Better Ads formats, and carry an “Advertisement” label.

9. Privacy & Data Security

Tech Icons follows UK GDPR and ICO guidelines. Anonymous tip line is end-to-end encrypted (Signal + Proton). User analytics stored 12 months, aggregated, never sold. Cookies respect IAB TCF 2.2 consent strings.

10. Continuous Improvements

  • Quarterly AI-Usage Audit by the Editorial Council.
  • Annual Public Report on Accuracy (error rate, corrections issued).
  • Reader surveys inform coverage priorities.