Editorial Standards
Primary Sources First
Our reporting starts with researching facts data, quotes, articles, declassified records, official histories, court filings, government releases, and archival collections. Where possible, we cite the specific document and/or page for each factual claim and link to the original at the end of the article.
We also draw on respected secondary sources, such as the National Security Archive, official historians, and published scholarship. When we do, we attribute their conclusions to them rather than presenting them as our own findings.
What the record says and what it doesn’t
Declassified records are often incomplete. We distinguish clearly between:
- what a document states,
- what other researchers or archives have concluded, and
- what remains classified, redacted, or unknown.
When a key passage is withheld, we say so. We do not fill gaps in the record with speculation.
How articles are produced
DeClassified Now uses AI tools to help research and draft articles from primary source documents. Every article is then read and reviewed by our editor, David Paul before publication.
We publish under desk bylines, pen names that each represent a section of the site rather than individual reporters. They’re listed on our About Us Page.
News and Opinion
Our News, Declassified, and Archives sections report on the record. Our Opinion section contains commentary and argument. Opinion pieces are published only in that section, are labelled as opinion, and are marked as opinion content for search engines.
Archives features are historical accounts, not current news. We publish them to give context to today’s declassification stories.
Headlines and Summaries
Headlines and article summaries should reflect what the article actually reports. We do not use headlines that promise more than the underlying documents support.
Images
Featured images on DeClassified Now are illustrations created with AI tools / original illustrations / a mix of original illustrations and archival images. They are not photographs of the events described unless a caption says so. When we reproduce an archival photo or document image, we credit its source.
Independence
No government, agency, political party, or advertiser reviews or approves our content before publication. We disclose any sponsorship, ownership interest, or payment connected to content we publish.
Corrections and Updates
We correct errors promptly. When we correct a factual error, we add a dated note to the end of the article explaining what was changed. We do not quietly rewrite published facts.
When an article is updated with new information, for example after a further document release, we note the update and its date.
To report an error, contact us at info(a)declassifednow.com with the article link and the specific issue.