Review and ethics guidelines
We report independently
THE DECODER operates as an independent editorial team. Our reporting is not influenced by the interests of any party, company, individual, or interest group. We report accurately and let facts guide our coverage. No one on our team can be pressured, internally or externally, to report against their convictions.
We encourage diverse viewpoints within our team through open discussion and foster a strong sense of responsibility among individual editors. Opinion pieces are always clearly labeled as "commentary."
Advertising and editorial content are strictly separated, no exceptions.
We value diversity and equality
We prioritize diverse perspectives and equality across cultures and genders in our reporting. We cover stories without bias and use gender-inclusive language.
How we verify information
We always go back to the original source. Whenever possible, we cross-check information against multiple sources. We also rely on established, trustworthy sources from journalism, academia, subject matter experts, and companies directly.
We vet our own sources and disclose them transparently. If a source requests anonymity, we protect it. When information comes from unknown sources or is based on rumors, we either flag it clearly or choose not to report it.
The decision to publish is made by our editorial team to the best of their knowledge and judgment.
How we work with AI
We use generative AI and large language models (LLMs) in our daily work for research and for producing text, images, audio, and video. We built our own tool, heise I/O, specifically for editorial workflows. Using AI strategically lets us deliver more thorough, diverse, and in-depth coverage on our budget.
For our editors, AI is a tool, not a substitute. It builds on the skills our experienced team already has and helps us keep pace in a world that moves faster every day. We use AI deliberately and case by case: sometimes AI writes a first draft that our editors rework, sometimes our editors write the piece themselves and let AI help with editing. We often use AI to pull context from our own archive into existing stories, or to work through large documents and transcripts. AI also makes a real difference in the quality of our translations. Every piece of content goes through editorial review, revision, and fact-checking before it goes live.
Whether a piece was written with or without AI doesn't matter to us. The only question we ask is: Is this useful for our readers? The person whose name is on the article is always responsible for what it says, no matter how much AI was involved in creating it. So we don't have AI mistakes at THE DECODER, just human ones.
We use AI-generated images for illustrations and always label them with the tool that created them.
How we handle errors
If we find errors in our articles or if information turns out to be incorrect despite careful source checking, we correct the relevant passage and add a transparent note to the article. In serious cases, we may publish a separate correction.
How we test and review
We plan and discuss our content in editorial meetings and track it on an editorial calendar. Product tests and hands-on reports are the responsibility of individual editors, who present and discuss their findings with the team before publication.
How we handle samples and event invitations
Companies occasionally invite us to events or send us products. We always disclose this transparently in our articles. A sample or invitation never influences our coverage. Our editors are committed solely to their readers.
How sponsoring works at THE DECODER
We offer sponsored posts and sponsored job listings for companies and organizations. The content of a sponsored post is created by the commissioning company or organization, either independently or in consultation with a senior editor. Sponsored posts are advertisements and are clearly marked as such. They do not reflect the views of our editorial team and are not part of our regular reporting.
How to reach us
You can contact our editorial team anytime through our general contact address or through individual editors' email addresses. You can find all contact details on our team page.