Editorial standards

These standards guide Lazy Tensor and all member publications of the Bay Area News Network. Our core mission is to strengthen local communities through trustworthy, independent journalism, meaningful neighborhood connections, and opportunities for residents to participate in community life.

1. Accuracy and verification

Factual accuracy is our foremost obligation. We verify facts, figures, quotations, and official records before publication. Information provided by secondary sources, rumors, or unverified social media claims must be independently investigated and verified prior to being reported as fact.

2. Editorial independence

Lazy Tensor operates with complete editorial independence. Newsroom decisions—including story selection, investigatory focus, editorial perspective, and headlines—are made exclusively by our editors and reporters. We do not accept payment, perks, or favored consideration in exchange for editorial coverage. Advertisers, corporate donors, and sponsors have no voice in our newsroom decisions.

3. Fairness, context, and right of reply

We strive to present a complete, nuanced picture of community issues. Whenever our reporting critiques an individual, agency, or business, we provide a reasonable, timely opportunity for them to respond before publication. We do not engage in sensationalism, manufactured outrage, or selective omissions designed to generate conflict or traffic.

4. Corrections and transparency

When factual errors occur, we correct them promptly, completely, and transparently on the original article page. We do not quietly change errors without public acknowledgment. Read our full corrections policy.

5. Attribution and source identification

Reporting clearly distinguishes established facts, attributed claims, analysis, and opinion. We attribute reporting to credible, named sources whenever possible. When information originates from press releases, government notices, or other news organizations, those sources are explicitly credited.

6. Original reporting versus aggregation

We clearly distinguish between original, on-the-ground reporting by our journalists and aggregated public notices or network-syndicated dispatches. Byline credits accurately represent who reported, wrote, or contributed to each piece.

7. Sponsored content and commercial disclosures

All advertising, sponsored articles, and commercial partnerships are labeled with visible disclosures such as “Sponsored” or “Advertisement.” Commercial partners have no say in newsroom assignments, reporting conclusions, or headlines. Read our advertising policy.

8. Conflicts of interest

Staff journalists and contributors must disclose any financial, personal, or civic interests in the subjects they cover. Editorial staff do not cover organizations, campaigns, or businesses with which they have active personal or financial ties.

9. Privacy and personal information

We respect the privacy of private individuals, particularly minors and vulnerable community members. We do not publish sensitive private data without compelling public interest justification. Tipsters may request confidentiality when sharing sensitive information. Read our privacy policy.

10. Community submissions and moderation

Community contributions—including story ideas, letters, photos, and event notices—undergo human editorial review and verification before publication. We do not host unmoderated comment feeds, anonymous abuse, or commercial spam.

11. Responsible use of technology and AI

We use modern automated tools to assist our editorial workflows—including data collection, preliminary drafting, transcription, audio narration, and illustrative concepts. However, technology is never a substitute for verifiable sources, rigorous human reporting, or human editorial review. Automated tools can produce factual errors; all published reporting is reviewed and verified by human editors. Generated illustrations are clearly identified in image credits, and we strictly prohibit fabricating synthetic quotes, events, or authors.