Editorial Guidelines

Our commitment to accuracy, transparency, and independence in everything we publish.

Editorial Mission

OnlineSafetyChecker exists to make cybersecurity knowledge and tools accessible to everyone. Our editorial mission is to provide clear, accurate, and actionable content that helps readers make informed decisions about their online safety — regardless of their technical background.

How We Create Content

Every article on OnlineSafetyChecker follows a structured process:

  1. Research — We begin with primary sources: official documentation, academic research, government advisories (CISA, NIST, FBI), and industry reports from organizations like the APWG and Verizon DBIR.
  2. Writing — Content is written to be accessible to a general audience while maintaining technical accuracy. We avoid unnecessary jargon and explain concepts when specialized terms are required.
  3. Expert Review — All articles are reviewed by Jay D, our founder and lead cybersecurity analyst, before publication.
  4. Publication & Updates — Published articles include the date of publication. We revisit and update content regularly to ensure it remains accurate as the threat landscape evolves.

Fact-Checking Process

We take accuracy seriously. Our fact-checking process includes:

  • Verifying claims against primary sources and official documentation
  • Cross-referencing statistics with the original research or report
  • Citing sources directly in articles so readers can verify information themselves
  • Reviewing technical details against current standards (e.g., NIST guidelines, OWASP recommendations)

How We Test Security Tools

When we review or recommend security products — such as VPNs, antivirus software, or identity theft protection — we follow a consistent evaluation methodology. For full details, see our Research Methodology page.

Affiliate & Sponsored Content

OnlineSafetyChecker is partially funded through affiliate partnerships. When we link to a product and you make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Affiliate relationships never influence our editorial content, tool results, or recommendations. Products are evaluated on their merits using our standard methodology. We clearly disclose affiliate relationships on every page that contains affiliate links.

For complete details, see our Affiliate Disclosure.

Corrections Policy

If we discover an error in our content — or a reader brings one to our attention — we correct it promptly. Significant corrections are noted at the top of the affected article. We believe transparency about mistakes strengthens trust.

Contact

If you spot an error, have a question about our editorial process, or want to suggest a topic, please contact us. We read every message and appreciate feedback from our readers.