InformUp's Commitment to Ethical Journalism

InformUp is an organization grounded in the principles and practices of accountable journalism. Our journalists act with integrity, following the truth without influence from friends or favor. We work to remove our own biases so that we can accurately report what we see and hear.

We adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics, which includes four basic tenets: Seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. We hold our reporters to these same standards.

Below is an elaboration of the principles to which we hold ourselves accountable.

Accessibility

Our mission is to inform the communities we cover and represent those communities' preferences to their elected officials. We cannot deliver on this mission if our work is not accessible to every community member. We ensure our work complies with the latest accessibility standards and continuously invest in tools and programs to reach every member within the communities we serve.

Accuracy

Accuracy goes hand-in-hand with clarity. We provide accurate information that is clearly presented, free of jargon, and written in clear, understandable language. Our facts are complete and presented fairly with proper attribution.

Accountability

When we make a mistake, we own it and correct it. This includes correcting errors on social media sites where we shared a story.

Advertorial

Advertorial is content written by someone outside an organization about a donor on behalf of that donor or advertiser. InformUp does not accept advertising, advertorial from donors, or money for survey placement.

Anonymous Sources

We avoid using anonymous sources whenever possible. When we must use them, our top editors must approve their use through a rigorous process, and we clearly state the reason for anonymity in the story.

AI / Generative Artificial Intelligence

Use in researching/reporting

When using Artificial Intelligence tools like Google's Gemini for research, we thoroughly verify any "facts" provided, as AI has been known to fabricate information and even falsify links.

Use in writing

We may use generative AI to help develop headlines, but we improve upon AI-generated ideas with better vocabulary and human judgment. If generative artificial intelligence composes more than 20% of any article, we note this in the byline: By Chris Maury with ChatGPT. The named reporter remains fully responsible for the article's accuracy.

If a meeting transcript is processed through artificial intelligence to generate an article, the AI program receives the credit (By ChatGPT), but the person who set up the program remains responsible for all errors.

The mission of InformUp is to strength civic society through increasing the participation in our readers local community. We can strengthen those ties if there is no human involved. AI is a tool which will always be used in service of humans doing their best work.

Assumptions

We don't assume facts that aren't clear. We're not here to make things up.

Children

We obtain permission from parents or guardians before using photographs or interviews with children. If they don't want a child's name used, we don't use it. In many cases, such as a photo of a child sledding, we simply won't use the photo if we cannot obtain proper consent. (See more under Photography)

Conflicts of Interest

Our reporters avoid writing about matters in which they have a financial interest or about their family members, but when this is unavoidable, we disclose these relationships.

We will also disclose in any reporting any potential conflicts of interest related to the organization as a whole such as issues relating to donors or board members.

Corrections

When we find mistakes, we correct them in the body of the story with a note in italics explaining what was corrected. If an email needs correction, in most cases we will include the correction in the following email newsletter, so as not to spam our readers. For egregious errors we may send a follow up email as soon as thee error is caught and corrected.

Coverage for Advertisers and Donors

Though discouraged, it is sometimes necessary for organizational sustainability. When we provide coverage of an event for an advertiser or donor, we maintain journalistic standards and provide straight news stories or features without promotional language.

Dining Out or Drinking with Sources

Our reporters typically pay their own way when meeting with sources. If a source insists on paying and the situation is becoming uncomfortable, our reporters accept nothing over $20. The company does not reimburse for meals or alcohol.

Eating at Meetings

When meetings feature a buffet for all attendees, our reporters may partake along with other participants.

Fact Checking

Our reporters are responsible for getting the facts right. We fact-check when something sounds questionable.

Gifts, Food, and Awards

When covering events, organizers often offer pens, coffee mugs, or T-shirts. Our reporters may accept them if they're offered to everyone present, but only items worth less than $25. We do not accept gifts, and we never accept money for coverage.

Minimizing Harm

We never intend to embarrass anyone. We're not interested in "gotcha" stories. We consider whether damaging someone's reputation serves the public interest, particularly when covering private citizens.

Names

We use full names in our reporting. In stories about children, even when they're participating in activities, we may use first names and ages only.

Original Writing

Our work is our own. When we use others' work, we provide clear attribution. We don't attribute publicly available facts, such as the date of the Kennedy assassination (11/22/1963) or who appears on the $100 bill (Benjamin Franklin).

Paying for Information

We do not pay sources for information. We pay data providers for generally available information, such as processing fees for public records.

Photography

Candid vs. Staged

We capture events as they occur. While we adjust lighting and colors for better accuracy, we do not remove elements from photos—this means even ugly electrical wires remain. While we strive for photographic accuracy, portraits may be staged when appropriate. A story about a bus driver naturally requires a picture of the driver in a bus, which doesn't require us to chase the bus around for a candid shot.

Captions

All our photos include captions written in complete sentences and present tense to convey immediacy. Whenever possible, photo subjects are listed with their name and neighborhood. Example: Chris Maury of Squirrel Hill eats a bagel.

Children

See the Children section above.

Presenting Survey Results

Our surveys relate to actions about to be taken by legislative bodies. When presenting survey results, the presenter is a constituent of that legislative body. For instance, when presenting survey results to Pittsburgh City Council, the presenter is a city resident or city taxpayer (employed in the city).

Survey results are presented so elected officials understand they represent survey findings, not the presenter's personal views. Our presenters are not there to lobby for a particular point of view.

Libel

Our presenters are not protected against libel. We screen survey comments for libel, and any libelous comments are not spoken during public comment, though they may be included in written reports.

Public Records

We ask for documentation and, if not provided, follow up with Right to Know requests. Agencies have five days to respond and can extend this to 30 days before providing public records. When possible, we request materials informally for timely reporting. For longer-term investigative stories, Right to Know Act requests enhance our reporting.

Sourcing

We report on the record. Off-the-record conversations cannot be used in our reporting. Background information allows us to follow up but also cannot be published. (See Anonymous Sources above.)

Promises to Sources

Our reporters do not promise how or when a story will run. InformUp does not provide story previews. Sources see stories when the public does.

Living in the Community

Our reporters live in the communities they cover—their children attend local schools, their families work local jobs, they pay local taxes. These experiences inform their perspective, but they avoid working for the people they cover or political/civic entanglements that create the appearance of bias. This means our reporters politely decline candidate requests for money and don't sign petitions.