Potok (Potok.media) is an independent news outlet. Our mission is to provide accurate, reliable information of public importance, help readers understand current events, and distinguish facts from opinions.
These standards outline the principles guiding our news selection, reporting, verification, publication, and correction practices.
1. Editorial Independence
Potok independently determines its coverage priorities, selects information sources, and makes editorial decisions.
Our journalism must remain free from the influence of government institutions, political parties, advertisers, and other external interests.
We recognize the right of a news organization to maintain and express its own editorial position. However, beliefs and opinions must never replace verifiable facts, lead to their distortion, or justify the omission of material information.
2. News Selection and Types of Coverage
When selecting stories, we consider their public significance, potential impact on people's lives, reliability of available information, and the need for additional context.
Most of our coverage consists of timely news reports prepared using external sources. We also publish original editorial content, including articles offering additional analysis and context.
We plan to further develop original journalism, including interviews and investigative reporting.
We distinguish between articles based on reporting by other news organizations and those containing the results of our own journalistic work. Reworking another publication's reporting does not, by itself, constitute an independent investigation or independent verification of the underlying facts.
3. Sources and Verification
We rely on reporting from news organizations and agencies, official documents, publicly available data, statements by people involved in events, and other information sources.
A single reliable source may be sufficient for a routine news report when the origin of the information is clear and there are no substantial reasons to question its accuracy.
However, the fact that information has been published by a reliable source does not necessarily mean that every claim it contains has been independently verified.
We exercise particular caution when covering serious allegations, political persecution, violence, loss of life, and other sensitive subjects.
Depending on the nature of the information, verification may involve comparing independent accounts, reviewing primary documents, and checking dates, figures, names, official titles, and legal terminology.
Multiple reports repeating information from the same original source do not constitute independent corroboration.
When significant information cannot be independently verified, we clearly indicate this and do not present it as an established fact. In cases where the risk of spreading inaccurate information is particularly high, we may withhold publication until additional evidence becomes available.
Whenever possible, we link to original reports and supporting documents, provided that doing so does not create an unjustified risk to anyone's safety.
4. Facts, Opinions, and Editorial Commentary
In news reporting, we strive to distinguish factual information from speculation, predictions, allegations, and statements made by people involved in the events being covered.
Analytical and opinion-based articles may include interpretations, conclusions, and assessments. However, their factual foundations must remain accurate, and readers should be able to distinguish an author's conclusions from established facts.
Maintaining an editorial position does not diminish our responsibility to present material information fairly, including evidence that may challenge our initial assumptions.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Automation
Potok uses automated tools and artificial intelligence to discover, select, analyze, prepare, and translate news content.
Every article undergoes substantive human review before publication. The extent of editorial work may vary depending on the nature of the story, its sources, and the complexity of the events being covered.
AI serves as an editorial support tool and is not treated as an independent source of factual verification.
When preparing articles, we account for the possibility of errors introduced by automated systems, including inaccurate wording, misinterpretation of sources, and the inclusion of unverified information.
The use of AI does not diminish our editorial responsibility for published content.
Despite our review procedures, errors can occur. We strive to identify and correct them in accordance with these standards.
6. Translations and Language Versions
Potok publishes content in Russian and English.
In translation, we strive to preserve factual meaning, context, the level of certainty expressed in the original text, and proper attribution.
Wording and the amount of explanatory context may be adapted to the language and the needs of its readers. Such adaptations must not alter the factual substance of the article.
When a significant error is identified in related language versions, corrections are made to each version affected.
Translating a report into another language does not constitute independent verification of its claims.
7. Authorship, Attribution, and Use of Materials
Articles prepared by our editorial project may carry the collective byline Potok.media Editorial Team (Редакция «Потока»).
This byline identifies the editorial preparation of a publication. It does not imply that all information presented was obtained directly through our own reporting.
When an article relies on reporting by another news organization, we identify the original source. Editorial authorship and the origin of source information are treated as distinct matters.
We comply with applicable copyright laws and the terms governing the use of third-party materials.
Factual information may be used in preparing our own reporting. However, reproducing copyrighted text, photographs, or other protected works requires permission from the rights holder or another valid legal basis.
When using openly licensed materials, we comply with the terms of the applicable licenses.
8. Photography and Illustrations
We distinguish between documentary imagery and artistic illustrations.
Our publications may feature original photographs, appropriately licensed images, and illustrated artwork created with generative artificial intelligence.
Artistic illustrations must not be presented as photographic evidence of actual events.
We do not present AI-generated images as authentic documentary photographs. When an artificial image could reasonably be mistaken for an actual depiction of a real event, its artificial origin must be clearly disclosed.
Our use of generative AI to create illustrated artwork is disclosed in these editorial standards.
When using third-party images, we review the applicable usage rights and comply with rights holders' requirements, including attribution of the creator, source, and license where required.
9. Corrections, Clarifications, and Updates
We recognize that good-faith errors can occur and consider correcting them an essential part of responsible journalism.
Minor corrections. Typographical, punctuation, and stylistic errors that do not affect the meaning of an article may be corrected without a separate notice.
Substantive factual corrections. Errors involving names, dates, figures, circumstances of events, headlines, image captions, or other significant information are corrected with an explanation when they may have affected readers' understanding of the article.
Developing stories. Significant new information may be covered in a separate article or through a clearly identified update to an existing publication.
Retractions. An article may be retracted if it contains fundamentally inaccurate information that cannot be corrected without substantially changing its central meaning.
When retracting an article, we seek to retain a retraction notice at its original URL, along with a brief explanation, whenever consistent with legal requirements and the safety of those involved.
An article's original publication date remains part of its historical record. Substantive changes must not create a misleading impression that the original article was first published at a later date.
When an error appears in both the Russian and English versions of an article, both versions must be corrected.
Potential errors can be reported to [email protected].
10. Anonymous Sources and Personal Safety
We may use anonymous sources when revealing a person's identity could expose them to persecution, violence, dismissal from employment, or other serious consequences.
When working with such information, we strive to assess its origin and reliability, seek independent corroboration where possible, and avoid collecting unnecessary personal data.
We do not disclose the identities of confidential sources in our publications and seek to avoid details that could enable their indirect identification.
We exercise particular care when reporting on minors, survivors of violence, people facing political persecution, and others who could be harmed by the disclosure of personal information.
Public interest does not automatically justify publishing all available personal information. The fact that information is already accessible online does not, by itself, make its republication safe or justified.
We cannot guarantee sources absolute anonymity or protection from every technical or legal risk.
Ordinary email is not a secure channel for transmitting highly sensitive documents or information. Until a separate secure communication channel has been established and verified, we advise against sending such material by email.
11. Right of Reply and Handling Complaints
Individuals and organizations facing serious allegations in our reporting may contact us to present their position.
When preparing original investigative reports, we strive to give affected parties an opportunity to respond to substantive allegations before publication, whenever reasonably possible and provided that doing so does not endanger individuals or compromise journalistic work.
We consider substantiated requests to correct factual errors regardless of the complainant's political views.
When deciding whether to publish a response, issue a correction, or remove content, we consider the accuracy of the information, the public interest, personal safety, and applicable legal requirements.
Threats, pressure, or disagreement with our editorial position do not, by themselves, justify removing accurate information.
12. Funding and Conflicts of Interest
Potok is currently funded through the personal resources of its participants and receives no external funding or advertising revenue.
We strive to prevent personal, political, or commercial interests from improperly influencing editorial decisions.
Material conflicts of interest must be considered when preparing and publishing content. Where appropriate, relevant interests are disclosed to readers to the extent consistent with the safety of those involved in the project.
If advertising, sponsored content, or other commercial arrangements are introduced in the future, they must be clearly distinguished from independent editorial content.
Paid placements must not be presented as independent editorial recommendations.
13. Contact and Feedback
We welcome reports of potential factual errors, additional information, and substantiated comments concerning our coverage.
Editorial contact: [email protected]
We review incoming correspondence, although we may not be able to respond to every message. Decisions about publishing submitted information remain with our editorial team.