Source Standards, Reader Audit & Content Labels
Last revised — August 21, 2026
Purpose
This page brings together three connected questions: how we treat sources, how readers can inspect the basis of our work, and how we make clear what kind of content they are reading.
Source Standards
We identify sources when doing so is safe, appropriate, and useful. Anonymous or confidential sourcing is used when there is a legitimate reason to protect identity, not simply because anonymity is convenient.
Before Relying on Anonymity
For a significant factual claim, we should understand who the source is, why they are in a position to know, what their possible interests or biases may be, and whether the information can be supported independently.
Protecting a Source
If we agree to protect a source’s identity, names, identifying details, contact information, screenshots, metadata, or other clues should not be published if they could expose the person unnecessarily.
Reader Audit
Whenever reasonably possible, readers should be able to look behind a statement such as “the evidence shows” and see the supporting material for themselves.
Content Labels
SOAPSzone can report facts and still have a point of view. What matters is that readers are not forced to guess which mode they are reading.
Return to Principles & Practices
Reporting
Reporting presents verified facts, evidence, interviews, documents, and observations.
Analysis
Analysis explains what those facts may mean, how they connect, or what patterns they reveal.
Opinion & Advocacy
Opinion expresses judgment or interpretation. Advocacy argues for a change, improvement, remedy, or principle while remaining accurate about the underlying facts.
Humour
Humour may appear almost anywhere, but a joke should not disguise a factual claim or make a reader unsure whether something actually happened.
Sponsored Content
Advertising, affiliate relationships, sponsorships, and other commercial arrangements should be identified clearly.
Working Rule
Tell readers what we know, show them as much of the source work as we safely can, protect people when protection is warranted, and never make the reader guess what kind of work they are looking at.