Last Updated: January 2025
Aligned with Google AdSense Publisher Policies & Google News Initiative standards
1. Mission & Scope
IbomFocus.com delivers accurate, independent, and balanced journalism serving the public interest of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. This policy governs all editorial content that appears on pages, AMP versions, videos, podcasts, newsletters, and social posts monetised through Google AdSense or Google Ad Manager.
2. Editorial Independence
- IbomFocus maintains complete independence from advertisers, sponsors, political parties, and any other external interests.
- Advertisers do not influence story selection, placement, wording, or headline tone.
- All editorial decisions are made solely by the editorial desk; the sales desk has no veto power.
3. Prohibited Content (AdSense-Unsafe)
We do not publish, link to, or embed:
- Hate speech or incitement to violence against any group.
- Harassment, doxxing, or threats to private individuals.
- Explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or gore.
- Misleading medical claims, miracle cures, anti-vaccine propaganda.
- Click-bait headlines that misrepresent article facts (“bridge” pages).
- Scraped or auto-generated text without human curation.
- Copyright-infringing material (pirated video, unlicensed images).
4. Accuracy & Verification
- Multi-source verification for all factual claims; primary documents preferred.
- Anonymous sources used only when essential and approved by a senior editor.
- Clear distinction between news, opinion, and sponsored content.
- Breaking-news stories carry a “Developing” label until verified.
5. Corrections & Transparency
- Major factual errors are corrected within 24 hrs with a visible, time-stamped label and schema.org CorrectionComment markup.
- Corrections are applied to AMP, Google News feed, and YouTube videos monetised via AdSense.
- A public corrections log is maintained at ibomfocus.com/corrections (no ads on the log page). See “Correction Policy“
6. Headlines & Thumbnails (AdSense Compliance)
- Headlines accurately reflect article content; no sensational “click-bait.”
- Thumbnails are original or properly licensed; no shocking or misleading imagery.
- Capitalisation and punctuation follow Google News style guidelines.
7. Sponsored & Branded Content
- Clearly labelled “Advertisement,” “Sponsored,” or “Partner Content” at the top and in by-line.
- Sponsored pieces held to the same factual-accuracy standards; no misleading medical or financial claims.
- Sponsor has no final editorial approval; IbomFocus retains full editorial control.
8. User-Generated Content (Comments, Forums, Guest Posts)
- Pre-moderation for hate speech, spam, violence, or AdSense-prohibited topics.
- Community guidelines posted and enforced; repeat violators banned.
- IbomFocus reserves the right to remove or edit any UGC without notice.
9. Political Coverage & Elections
- Fair, balanced coverage; no endorsement of parties or candidates.
- Fact-checking of manifestos, speeches, and social-media claims.
- Poll data must include sample size, margin of error, and source.
10. Medical, Financial & Legal Information
- Content is informational only; not professional advice.
- Sources cited (peer-reviewed journals, regulatory bodies, licensed professionals).
- No promotion of unregulated investments, pyramid schemes, or unproven treatments.
11. Privacy & Source Protection
- Sources are protected within the limits of Nigerian law.
- Whistle-blower identities are withheld unless explicit consent is given.
- Personal data handling complies with our Privacy Policy and Google’s EU User Consent Policy where applicable.
12. Diversity & Inclusion
- Newsroom composition and story selection reflect Nigeria’s ethnic, religious, and gender diversity.
- Stereotyping based on ethnicity, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation is prohibited.
13. Editorial Training & Review
- Annual Google News Initiative fact-checking and AdSense policy training for all editorial staff.
- Quarterly audit of top 100 monetised pages for policy compliance.
- Repeated breaches may result by-line suspension and demonetisation of offending URLs.
14. Accountability & Feedback
- Public contact: reader@ibomfocus.com | +234 806 322 2907
- Complaints acknowledged within 24 hrs; substantive replies within 72 hrs.
- Appeals on editorial decisions may be escalated to the Editor-in-Chief and, if necessary, to an external ombudsman.
15. Policy Review
This Editorial Policy is reviewed quarterly against updates to Google AdSense Publisher Policies, Google News content policies, and applicable Nigerian media laws. All revisions are date-stamped and summarised at the top of this page.
Contact:
Editor-in-Chief – editor@ibomfocus.com
Standards Editor – standards@ibomfocus.com
