Policies and Standards

NEWSWEEK MISSION STATEMENT

Newsweek speaks to—and listens to—readers across the political and cultural spectrum.

We are committed to journalism that's factual and fair.

We believe good-faith debate is in the public interest, and we welcome diverse views and voices to the search for common ground.

Our editorial policies and standards are set out below.

WHO WE ARE

Newsweek is a premier news magazine and website that has been bringing high-quality journalism to readers around the globe for over 90 years. (About Us)

Global Editor in Chief Nancy Cooper heads the editorial leadership team that directs Newsweek's reporting and publishing of the latest news, in-depth analysis and ideas about international issues, technology, business, culture and politics.

You can get in touch with Newsweek at support@newsweek.com.

OWNERSHIP

Newsweek is a privately held company that is co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, the President and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at Newsweek. You can find further details of ownership here.

ETHICS POLICY

Newsweek is committed to accurate, independent, ethical and responsible journalism. We report fairly; we attribute clearly; we correct mistakes transparently. Our editorial policies and processes are designed to support those values and we are open about them.

All reporters for Newsweek must identify themselves clearly. They must NEVER use deception or pretense to obtain information.

No Newsweek reporter can accept remuneration of any kind in exchange for coverage. Newsweek journalists must not cover any company, industry or issue in which they have a financial interest.

Newsweek journalists must guard their independence. They are allowed to vote, but they must not campaign for a political candidate or political cause - whether that is in person, on social media, by joining rallies or through any other action. Nor should they donate to or raise funds for any political candidates or committees. Staff members who work in the realm of opinion are exempt from these political restrictions but are expected to be transparent about financial conflicts of interest.

Any reporters in situations that could create conflicts of interest or the perception of such should raise this with senior editorial staff.

Newsweek's newsroom operates in service of the audience, with complete editorial independence from the management of the company.

FACT-CHECKING

Newsweek journalists have responsibility for checking the facts of their articles.

They must check every single fact included in an article: dates, spelling of names, titles, timelines, numbers and other statistics. They must also hard-check any superlative—i.e., was this really the first, the worst, the only, the highest?

Examples of sources used for fact-checking include the subjects of articles and what they have said themselves, witnesses to events, competent authorities, officials and official statements, verified reports on other media and social media and background reference materials.

All Newsweek stories are reviewed before publication by at least one editor and possibly more depending on the complexity and sensitivity of the reporting. It is the duty of these editors to double-check facts and to ensure any questions are answered satisfactorily before publication.

BYLINE POLICY

Only on rare occasions, such as when it could put the reporter in danger, would a byline not be used. Such a decision would need approval by senior editorial management.

SOURCING

Newsweek sourcing must always be clear and should be as comprehensive as possible. If there is any doubt over sourcing, a story will not be published.

Newsweek reporters can use anonymous sources in rare cases where the public good is served by the reporting and anonymity is justified—for instance by potential threats to the safety of the source.

When anonymous sources are used, it must be done in consultation with editors—at least one of whom must know the identity of the source and how they know what they know.

Newsweek will always be as specific as possible in describing sources used in an article, the terms on which they were speaking and the reason why anonymity is necessary.

Only credible third-party sources must be used. When reporting a story from another news organization, Newsweek will credit the source or sources high in the article.

With very rare exceptions that are explained to the audience, Newsweek does not take stories from other news organizations that rely on anonymous sources.

If a responsible publication relies on an anonymous source, it may be acceptable for a Newsweek reporter to cite it, but only after discussion with an editor.

FAIRNESS

Comment must be sought from any party whose actions are described in a story. Parties must be given adequate time to respond. The length of time to wait is a judgment call.

Even when a party does not comment, Newsweek will do its best to present that party's perspective.

Context is included neutrally and in a way that will help the reader to understand the article, not in a way that could appear to be aimed at skewing opinions.

Newsweek journalists must be clear with the audience about what they know, what they don't know and what information is open to debate. They must not speculate.

Data and evidence must be weighed impartially. In pursuit of the truth, Newsweek reporters must seek the best information available, including analyses or interpretations that might conflict with their personal views.

Newsweek reporters must be aware of inflected language and avoid editorializing or implying motive without sourcing to support the implications.

Sources or story subjects will be identified by race or ethnicity only when the information is critical to the article. All reporters must beware of using identifiers that could appear to convey an agenda.

CORRECTIONS

Any errors of fact must be corrected promptly and transparently. All corrected stories must be identified as such.

Anyone contacted about a possible error in their story must examine the question fairly, with an open mind.

If Newsweek needs to retract a story so flawed it cannot be corrected, it does so transparently. We do not unpublish or "disappear" problem copy.

We do not remove articles that were correct at the time of publication, but we may update them and would note any update.

A list of errors and corrections is on our website here.

QUESTIONS OF TASTE

In general, we avoid profanity, especially in headlines, and use it only in quotations where it is relevant and necessary.

We do not publish nude photos (or links to them) or grisly, graphic images.

We never spell out the n-word or other profoundly offensive racial epithets.

PLAGIARISM AND FABRICATION

Newsweek has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and fabrication, and violation of this policy will be considered a gross misconduct offense that may result in immediate termination of employment on the first offense.

Fabrication of names, events, or any other information is unacceptable. It is at the manager's discretion to determine how much content is required to constitute plagiarism.

Editorial staff are strictly prohibited from using someone else's work as their own.

It is not acceptable to make minor modifications to another publication's wording or to duplicate its story structure. Writers must produce stories with original phrasing and structure and with additional information and context.

On the rare occasion when we can't confirm a critical fact that another publication has reported, we must credit the fact to that publication. If ever reporters are unsure, they must consult with their manager or the editor-in-chief.

There are instances when it is acceptable to use passages as they appeared in previous Newsweek stories when providing background information. When wording has been re-used from a previous story, a link to that story should be included.

CASUALTY EVENTS

Newsweek is careful in its coverage of mass casualty events, from which information can often be confusing.

Newsweek does not rely on information from social media for breaking news or for details of suspected killers or their motives. It does not identify suspects or cite a number of victims until there is official confirmation.

A Newsweek reporter speaking to anyone involved in a traumatic event must show particular sensitivity.

Newsweek adheres to practices that minimize the possibility of contagion when writing about a suicide. We do not describe the method, give specifics or say how painful or otherwise it was. We do not speculate about a cause.

Newsweek avoids saying a person "committed" suicide—a dated phrase from a time when suicide was a crime. Instead, people "die by suicide."

We do not publish the contents of a suicide note unless the family has purposely made it public and we can identify a clear journalistic purpose for doing so. A senior editor should be consulted.

Because people who are thinking about suicide can often be influenced by stories about suicide, Newsweek always includes this note at the bottom of any story about suicide: "If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org."

Newsweek is careful to be sensitive when covering any deaths, including those of public figures. Coverage must be proportionate and Newsweek reporters must think carefully about any coverage of children and other relatives, including partners or former partners.

SCIENCE/HEALTH STUDIES

In general, Newsweek does not base a story on a single study. There are cases where doing so is a reader service as long as we are careful to present the study in context and with appropriate caveats.

Reporters must be clear about whether what they are writing about is a study, an opinion piece or a review of the literature. They must understand any press release or study themselves and must never parrot quotes they could not explain themselves. It's best to talk directly to the researcher, to ask if the researcher has any financial conflicts of interest, to know who sponsored the study and to confirm that other experts (peer review) recognize the work as legitimate.

Results should not be oversold. Both headlines and stories must be nuanced. Studies must be put into the larger context of previous understanding or studies as well as questions over how many people could be affected. Increases in risk must be put in the perspective of absolute risk.

We must be explicit about the methodology and its implications, being clear about the test subjects, the size of the sample, how researchers measured the results and whether there was a control group.

CRIMINAL CASES AND ALLEGATIONS

When writing about criminal charges or allegations, we must be specific and complete. We must detail the precise charge, if any. We must say whether the accused person pleaded not guilty or whether they or a lawyer otherwise denied any allegations.

If there was a conviction, it must be clear on what count or counts. All details must be double-checked and clearly sourced.

Unless someone has been convicted, all headlines and other text must clearly state that the crime is alleged. We always use language such as "allegedly" or "accused of" or "arrested in connection with". We do not say "arrested for," which could imply guilt.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Newsweek recognizes that social media provides unique opportunities for staff to participate in interactive discussions and share information on particular topics.

Newsweek journalists must be aware that personal social media accounts may portray them as someone with a bias, or with a personal or partisan agenda and that this could raise questions about their—and Newsweek's—impartiality.

Any engagements must be respectful and civil at all times, without profanity or ad hominem attacks.

Newsweek journalists must never post or send anything through social media that includes or could be perceived as ethnic slurs, obscene, sexist or discriminatory comments, threats of violence, or other similar types of remarks.

Nobody at Newsweek should post anything on personal social media channels that they wouldn't say to a large, diverse, unfamiliar crowd of individuals.

It is not Newsweek's intention to constrain public facing staff members from acknowledging their own experiences.

ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK

Newsweek welcomes feedback from readers and the global communities that it covers to shape and enhance its reporting.

We encourage comments on our stories and want to generate open and thoughtful conversations in which readers can share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space.

Anyone can get in touch with us via support@newsweek.com. All submissions will be read and an appropriate response made or other action taken.

All reports of possible errors are investigated with an open mind, in line with our corrections policy. Any errors in published stories are corrected quickly and transparently.

Newsweek editors, journalists and opinion writers frequently engage at public events and through social media.

DIVERSITY

Inclusiveness is at the heart of Newsweek's journalism from around the world. We always seek diverse views. We recognize that backgrounds, identities and experiences can all shape someone's perspectives, but will avoid stereotypes or making assumptions.

We seek diversity in our reporting team and within our management. We are striving to better reflect the global communities that we cover and to be able to demonstrate this improvement.

Newsweek's latest Diversity Report can be found here.

PRIVACY POLICY

Newsweek is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy and we will do our best to ensure that your data is protected.

Our privacy policy describes how we collect, store and use non-sensitive personal data as defined under the General Data Protection Regulation. This privacy policy (together with our terms of use and any other documents referred to in it) describes how we process any personal data which you provide us with, or which we collect from you.

Please read our policy carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it. By visiting any Newsweek website and viewing its content, you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy.

ARTIFICIAL INTELIGENCE

Advances in artificial intelligence promise to have a dramatic impact for all news publishers. That applies particularly to Generative AI, which can produce text, images, audio and other content.

The use of AI also raises questions over ethics and transparency and accuracy, however, and it is crucial for us to earn and maintain the trust of our readers.

Newsweek will evaluate AI-based tools, such as large-language models, that might help reporters do their jobs more effectively, from coming up with ideas to carrying out research to suggesting wording, but those tools will not be writing, editing or publishing articles.

AI is not accountable to Newsweek readers: We are. The burden of ensuring that all stories or other content meets Newsweek standards rests with our writers, editors and producers, always.

Newsweek journalists must take full responsibility for the articles they produce, making sure each story is accurate and fair. Our zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism applies across the board. AI-based tools are already helping to power search engines but reporters must not rely on results without verification. Sourcing must always meet the requirements of Newsweek's sourcing policy.

Newsweek currently uses an AI tool to help generate bullet-point summaries at the top of articles, but these are all reviewed by an editor before publication.

In any case where Newsweek does publish content generated by AI—for instance as a demonstration of its evolving capabilities—the material must be clearly labeled as such.

Newsweek's editors will continue to review all articles before publication to ensure they meet the standards to which the newsroom is committed, and on which readers can rely. Disciplinary action would be taken against any journalist who violates the policy on using AI.

Given the rapid advances in the industry, Newsweek will review its policy on AI as required and share any changes with readers.