Corrections Policy
No publication is free of mistakes; the difference lies in what is done with them. This page explains how we receive error reports, how we correct, and how corrections are made visible to readers.
How we see mistakes
We treat an error report as a service, not an attack: a publication that learns of its mistake has given its readers less misinformation. That is why our rule is to answer reports with thanks rather than defensiveness. The same rule applies internally: errors we find ourselves are corrected through the same process, without waiting for a report.
Types of error and how we respond
Not all errors weigh the same:
- Spelling and formatting errors: mistakes that do not change meaning are fixed quietly, without a note.
- Factual errors: wrong figures, wrong dates, wrong attributions and other errors that affect meaning are corrected, and noted on the page according to their significance.
- Significant factual errors: where an error could affect the content's central message or a reader's decisions, we publish an explicit correction note stating what was wrong and what replaced it.
- Safety-related errors: errors carrying health or safety risk are handled with top priority; where necessary, the content is taken down until the correction is complete.
How to report, and what we do next
To report an error, it is enough to send us the page's address, the wording you believe is wrong, and, if possible, your grounds for the correct version. We assess reports in order and within a reasonable time; health-related reports are moved to the front. The outcome is either a correction or an explanation of why we believe none is needed; we do not let reports disappear into silence. Calculation errors in our tools fall under this policy too; see the Calculator and Tool Methodology for details.
Corrections versus updates
Not every change is a correction. Revisions made because knowledge has moved on are updates, governed by our Freshness and Maintenance Policy. A correction is for information that was wrong at the moment of publication; an update is for information that was right then but has aged. Keeping that distinction sharp protects the meaning of the word "error".
A working version
This policy is a working version. As we improve our reporting channels and correction routine, this page will be updated. Gaps you find in the policy itself are also worth reporting; a corrections policy should not be exempt from its own rules.