Ethical Journalism
A Handbook of Values and Practices for Option Cutter's Editorial Departments
By Option Cutter · Updated June 2026
Our mission is to help readers choose products with honest context—what works, what does not, who each pick is for, and what it costs over time. Affiliate revenue helps fund that work, but it never buys a recommendation—see affiliate commerce conflicts for how we separate picks from payouts.
Use the table of contents below to read chapter by chapter, or open any section as its own page; pair methodology questions with Guidelines on Integrity. For commerce-specific disclosure language, pair this guidebook with our Affiliate Disclosure and Advertising Acceptability Guidelines.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Editorial Best Practices
- Accuracy and Corrections
- Working Fairly and Openly
- Seeking a Response
- Obeying the Law
- Attribution and Crediting
- Plagiarism
- Fictional Devices
- Artificial Intelligence Tools
- Integrity of Images and Video
- Legal Issues
- Protecting Confidential Information
Chapter 3: Avoiding Conflicts in Our Editorial Work
- Personal Relations with Sources
- Paying for Information
- Accepting Hospitality From Sources
- Gifts and Other Benefits
- Travel Coverage
- Public-Relations or Financial Advice
- Use of Borrowed Items
- Collaboration, Endorsements and Testimonials
- Investments and Financial Ties
- Family Ties
- Journalism Contests and Awards
- Affiliate and Commerce Conflicts