How we fact-check

What fact-checking is

Fact-checking is testing what a story says against the evidence before it is published: whether the names, numbers, dates and quotes are right, whether each claim is credited to whoever made it, and whether the headline matches what the sources support. It works best as a step kept separate from the writing, so the check looks at the story afresh instead of following the writer's reasoning.

What it means at Tech CEO Daily

For us, a story is fact-checked when, before it is published, its names, numbers, dates and quotes have been checked against its sources at least twice, including whether each claim is credited to whoever made it and whether the headline claims more than the sources support. The checks are kept separate from the writing and are not allowed to change the text. When they find a problem, the story is edited in a separate step and checked again.

How a story is checked

1. Reporting. We start from primary sources whenever they are available, such as company announcements, filings, and regulator or court documents, then at least one other independent source. Only facts read directly in a source go into the reporting notes, each with a note of where it came from. If the main event can't be confirmed, the story is not written. The sources are kept on file with the story for checking; they are not listed on the article page.
2. First check. A separate check, run apart from the writing and not allowed to change the text, goes through the headline, subheading, key points and body. It compares every name, figure, date, job title, quote and claim with the reporting notes (or, for stories from our launch period, which have none, with their listed sources), and tries to open the story's main source, plus further sources where a figure or claim looks doubtful. When a source can't be opened, the check says so and relies on other sources that agree. It also checks that:
   • claims are attributed to whoever made them, and a company's claims are not presented as fact;
   • the story's sources are real and support what the story says;
   • dates are stated explicitly and correctly;
   • the headline is accurate and not overstated;
   • the wording is original, factual, and free of hype and investment advice.
   It then passes the story, flags it for changes, or recommends rejecting it.
3. Second check. If the first check passes the story, a second, skeptical check takes its most important claims (figures, sums of money, dates, names, job titles, who said what, and the headline itself) and goes back to the main source, where it can be opened, and at least one other source to look for mistakes. If it finds a serious problem, the story goes back for changes.
4. Fixes and re-check. A flagged story is edited once to fix the problems found, with the smallest change that does it. Any fact that is changed or added at this stage must be confirmed from a source that was opened or from the reporting notes; if it can't be confirmed, the claim is removed, or softened and attributed. If the main event can't be confirmed, the story is held rather than patched. A separate re-check then checks whether each problem was fixed, reviews the whole story again, checks its most important facts against its sources, and looks for anything the edit broke.
5. Publishing. A story is published automatically only when the checks pass it and report no serious problems. A story that is still flagged after the re-check, or that the checks recommend rejecting, is held for the editor, who decides whether it is fixed, published or dropped.

Stories from our launch period

A set of stories from our launch period, in September 2026, were first published before this process was in place. Each has since been put through the same checks; because no reporting notes were kept for them, the first check worked directly from each story's listed sources. A version that passes replaces the original at the same address. Where an original launch-period version is still shown, it says so on the page.

What the “Fact-checked” label tells you

The label means the version of the story you are reading went through the checks above before it was published: at least two separate checks of its facts, its attribution, its sources and its headline. It does not mean:

• That every check passed. A story the checks still flag is not published automatically, but the editor can decide to publish it.
• That the story cannot contain a mistake. Checks reduce errors; they don't rule them out. When we get something wrong, we correct it.
• That we endorse a company, product or investment. We report what companies do and say. Our stories are not investment advice.
• That a company's claims or forecasts are true. When a story reports a company's plans, forecasts or claims, the check confirms that they were made and that the story says who made them, not that they will come true.
• That analysis is fact. Stories labeled Analysis (see what our labels mean) add context and interpretation. The facts they rest on are checked the same way; the interpretation is ours.

Technology tools and our editor

The research, writing and checks are carried out with our newsroom's technology tools. Each check is a separate step from the writing and is not allowed to change the text. These checks are part of our own newsroom; they are not done by an outside fact-checking organization.

Our editor sets the rules the tools follow, chooses the publishing rules and reviews the stories the checks hold back. Stories that pass are published automatically under those rules; the editor does not have to sign off on each one.

Archive stories

Archive stories are written after the events they cover and show “Added to archive” with the date we added them, next to the date of the events they cover. The date of each event is confirmed from a source before the story is written. They go through the same checks, with their dates checked against the date of the event, and any later developments they report must be dated and come from a source that was opened. More in our editorial standards.

Corrections

If a material error is found after publication, we correct the story, show when it was updated and add a correction note at the end saying what changed. Typos that don't change the meaning are fixed without a note. See our corrections policy.

Report an error

If you think a story gets something wrong, tell the newsroom. Include the link to the story and what you believe is wrong, with a source if you have one. Every story also has a “Report an error” link that fills in the story's address for you.

Who is accountable

Hussein Mukhtar, the owner and editor of Tech CEO Daily, is responsible for this process and for everything we publish.