Media Outlet Hong Kong Free Press Date of first publication 20/02/2024 Date of Latest Change 20/02/2024
10. Accuracy
10.1. Processes for Ensuring Accuracy
The Media Outlet shall have internal rules with a systematic editorial process to make sure that the content is accurate and the Editorial Guidelines are adhered to. This may include the verification process for the content and the role of editorial oversight.
Do you have internal rules and a systematic editorial process to ensure the accuracy of your content?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Yes - we publish them publicly here: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#accuracy
HKFP has a responsibility to the public to report the facts without deliberate omissions or selective use of material. Headlines and leads (the introductory paragraphs) should match the body of the article, and should not give a false impression of the story. Similarly, photographs and videos should not be staged or edited in a way that misleads viewers. Other multimedia, such as graphics, should be scaled correctly, and sources should be presented transparently.
HKFP must not passively restate material given to us; instead, we will challenge our sources and fact-check their statements. We can accurately quote a person or organisation but should highlight any inaccuracies and contradictions made in their comments.
HKFP must not be influenced by publicity, hype, or promotional material. We will not exaggerate information and should be conservative when using superlatives such as “best,” “worst,” “biggest,” and “smallest.” In turn, we will not downplay information that is inconvenient to our story or readers, nor ignore stories of public interest.
HKFP staff and freelancers must be meticulous in their reporting, including in the use of names and statistics. We have a duty to discern facts from conjecture, to ensure our readers have access to the right information. We will not report rumours or unverified information – such as online chatter – and must verify material to the highest standards.
HKFP has a responsibility to the public to report the facts without deliberate omissions or selective use of material. Headlines and leads (the introductory paragraphs) should match the body of the article, and should not give a false impression of the story. Similarly, photographs and videos should not be staged or edited in a way that misleads viewers. Other multimedia, such as graphics, should be scaled correctly, and sources should be presented transparently.
HKFP must not passively restate material given to us; instead, we will challenge our sources and fact-check their statements. We can accurately quote a person or organisation but should highlight any inaccuracies and contradictions made in their comments.
HKFP must not be influenced by publicity, hype, or promotional material. We will not exaggerate information and should be conservative when using superlatives such as “best,” “worst,” “biggest,” and “smallest.” In turn, we will not downplay information that is inconvenient to our story or readers, nor ignore stories of public interest.
HKFP staff and freelancers must be meticulous in their reporting, including in the use of names and statistics. We have a duty to discern facts from conjecture, to ensure our readers have access to the right information. We will not report rumours or unverified information – such as online chatter – and must verify material to the highest standards.
Do you have internal rules and a systematic editorial process to ensure that the Editorial Guidelines are adhered to?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Yes, no content is published without being seen by at least one editor, who is familiar with our rules on accuracy. Full accuracy guidelines here: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#accuracy We have internal training guides for sourcing too.
Do you have a verification process for content and the role of editorial oversight?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Yes, with a policy published publicly here: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#verification
HKFP is committed to publishing accurate information. We investigate claims with scepticism; present data fairly; question assumptions; challenge conventional wisdom; confirm information with experts; and seek to corroborate what sources tell us by talking with other informed people or consulting documents. We invite readers to contact us if they spot any errors, typos or areas in need of clarification.
To dig out the truth and confirm information, our team may ask sources: How do you know? How can you be sure? Where is the evidence or supporting documents? Who is the source, and how does the source know?
We verify content – such as technical terms or statistics – against source documents, or make clear who is providing the information, linking to the source if-and-where possible.
Relevant components of a story – never the entire story – may be shared with a primary source, or an outside expert, to verify them.
We follow a strict and transparent Corrections Policy and aim to publish corrections as quickly as possible.
HKFP is committed to publishing accurate information. We investigate claims with scepticism; present data fairly; question assumptions; challenge conventional wisdom; confirm information with experts; and seek to corroborate what sources tell us by talking with other informed people or consulting documents. We invite readers to contact us if they spot any errors, typos or areas in need of clarification.
To dig out the truth and confirm information, our team may ask sources: How do you know? How can you be sure? Where is the evidence or supporting documents? Who is the source, and how does the source know?
We verify content – such as technical terms or statistics – against source documents, or make clear who is providing the information, linking to the source if-and-where possible.
Relevant components of a story – never the entire story – may be shared with a primary source, or an outside expert, to verify them.
We follow a strict and transparent Corrections Policy and aim to publish corrections as quickly as possible.
10.2. Process Review
There shall be a mechanism for the periodic review of the editorial processes to ensure that they are in compliance with the Editorial Guidelines and that the accountability processes are effective and being used to support them.
Do you have a mechanism for periodic review of the effectiveness of the implementation of your Editorial Guidelines in your editorial processes?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
The Trust Project carries out audits to ensure we are keeping to our Ethics and Policies. https://hongkongfp.com/why-you-can-trust-hong-kong-free-press/
Furthermore, we regularly update, expand and disclose our publicly-disclosed Ethics Code, particularly as the situation in Hong Kong is rapidly changing: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics We are a small team -- we have no set date/time limit for adding to our guidelines, it is a constantly evolving document that is updated with internal consensus, often following a staff meeting.
Newsguard regularly review our content for journalistic standards: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/03/19/editorial-hkfp-gets-full-marks-newsguard-initiative-meeting-9-credibility-transparency-criteria/ we meet all criteria.
Furthermore, we regularly update, expand and disclose our publicly-disclosed Ethics Code, particularly as the situation in Hong Kong is rapidly changing: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics We are a small team -- we have no set date/time limit for adding to our guidelines, it is a constantly evolving document that is updated with internal consensus, often following a staff meeting.
Newsguard regularly review our content for journalistic standards: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/03/19/editorial-hkfp-gets-full-marks-newsguard-initiative-meeting-9-credibility-transparency-criteria/ we meet all criteria.
Is your accountability mechanism (internal or external) subject to periodic review?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Our rules for accountability are baked into our Ethics & Policy page, which is a publicly-disclosed document. All of it is audited by the Trust Project, and is constantly evolved/updated by HKFP throughout the year.
Newsguard regularly review our content for journalistic standards: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/03/19/editorial-hkfp-gets-full-marks-newsguard-initiative-meeting-9-credibility-transparency-criteria/ we meet all criteria.
Newsguard regularly review our content for journalistic standards: https://hongkongfp.com/2020/03/19/editorial-hkfp-gets-full-marks-newsguard-initiative-meeting-9-credibility-transparency-criteria/ we meet all criteria.
10.3. Statistics and External Content
Statistics and external photographs/video/audio content should be sourced and verified.
Do your Editorial Guidelines require that statistics should be sourced and verified?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Yes, as our public guideline states: "We verify content – such as technical terms or statistics – against source documents, or make clear who is providing the information, linking to the source if-and-where possible." https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#verification
Do your Editorial Guidelines require that external photographs/video/audio content should be sourced and verified?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Multimedia content comes under our accuracy guidelines: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#accuracy and verification guidelines: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#verification and we also provide training, during induction, on how to verify photos/videos etc...
Our ethics code also states that "photographs and videos should not be staged or edited in a way that misleads viewers. Other multimedia, such as graphics, should be scaled correctly, and sources should be presented transparently."
Our ethics code also states that "photographs and videos should not be staged or edited in a way that misleads viewers. Other multimedia, such as graphics, should be scaled correctly, and sources should be presented transparently."
10.4. Identification of Journalists, Agencies
Principle and secondary authors should be identified, or if not, then recorded via publishing mechanisms, so that this information can be accessed if there is a query. This includes any news agency material subscribed to by the Media Outlet. Any details of individuals should be subject to the legal requirements of data protection and security considerations.
Are the Individual Journalists (including external sources) identified, for example through a byline, or recorded in publishing mechanism so that this information can be accessed?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Yes, here is our public policy: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#bylines
In the interests of transparency and accountability, all of our news reports carry the reporter’s name, biography and a headshot – or a joint byline if two journalists were equally involved. If there are uncertainties relating to safety or security, we may obfuscate the reporter’s name with the use of an HKFP staff byline. If a report was a team effort, we will state their names at the top of the article. If a colleague had a minor role in a report, we will add their name at the bottom as “additional reporting.”
All of our on-the-ground reporting is generated in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong is a city-state, and since HKFP has no staff or bureaus elsewhere in the world, we do not include datelines.
Here is our policy on unnamed sources: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#Anonymity
In the interests of transparency and accountability, all of our news reports carry the reporter’s name, biography and a headshot – or a joint byline if two journalists were equally involved. If there are uncertainties relating to safety or security, we may obfuscate the reporter’s name with the use of an HKFP staff byline. If a report was a team effort, we will state their names at the top of the article. If a colleague had a minor role in a report, we will add their name at the bottom as “additional reporting.”
All of our on-the-ground reporting is generated in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong is a city-state, and since HKFP has no staff or bureaus elsewhere in the world, we do not include datelines.
Here is our policy on unnamed sources: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#Anonymity
Is all News Agency material used by the Media Outlet recorded and tracked?
Yes10.5. Location Reporting
In news reporting, it should be clear to any reader or audience where a report is being written from, and if it includes location reporting. Where location reporting is constrained due to the mechanism or conditions of the facilitation this should be identified, e.g. an embed with an official army or independent travel with local militias. This may also include occasions where the reporting has been facilitated by a commercial, NGO or governmental organisation and labelling is necessary for transparency.
Is location reporting identified in your content?
YesDo your Editorial Guidelines ensure that any constraint on location reporting be explained in the report or in the context of its publication?
N/ADo your Editorial Guidelines require transparency where a location report has been facilitated by an external body?
N/A10.6. Automatically Generated Content
News content generated, wholly or partly, automatically by means of algorithmic processes (such as but not limited to text generating systems, bots or artificial intelligence) shall be clearly indicated.
Do you publish any content that is automatically generated?
No10.7. Algorithmic Dissemination and Curation
A Media Outlet shall indicate its policy on the use of algorithms for news content dissemination or curation and its adherence to best practice requirements from regulatory or advisory bodies.
Do you use any algorithms for the dissemination or curation of content?
No10.8. Treatment of Explicit Content
Editorial processes shall ensure the ethically appropriate treatment of violent and explicit content, of content which features children or other vulnerable people, and of live content.
Do your Editorial Guidelines ensure the ethically appropriate treatment of violent and explicit content?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
Publicly-disclosed guidelines on graphic/explicit content: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#Terrorism-and-mass-shootings and incitement: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#hate-speech-and-incitement-to-violence Grief and trauma, and suicide: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#grief-trauma-and-suicide
Do your Editorial Guidelines ensure the ethically appropriate treatment of content which features children or other vulnerable people?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
How we deal with children: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#Children and those experiencing trauma/shock: https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics/#grief-trauma-and-suicide
Do your Editorial Guidelines ensure the ethically appropriate handling of live content?
YesIf you want to publish additional information, please provide it here.
In our ethical codes on graphic imagery, hate speech, incitement to violence and grief/trauma/suicide, we state: "Live broadcasts in which situations arise that are in violation of our ethical guidelines will be immediately terminated." https://hongkongfp.com/hkfp-code-ethics