Wirtschaftsquelle is committed to accuracy, transparency and accountability in every article we publish. This Fact-Checking Policy explains what we verify before publication, how we label unconfirmed information, who oversees our standards, and how readers can report errors. Our full editorial approach is set out in the Editorial Policy, and our team is listed on the Our Team page.
What do we verify before publication?
We verify every factual claim, statistic, quotation, date, name and figure that appears in our reporting, using a clear source hierarchy defined in our Sources & Standards guide. Primary sources – official documents, direct interviews, public records – are preferred; secondary sources are clearly attributed.
Fact-checker Christina Scholz (Ansvarig för faktagranskning) leads the verification process. She and her team check raw data, cross-reference multiple independent sources, and flag any claim that cannot be confirmed. If a source is unavailable or unreliable, we either omit the claim or label it clearly as unverified expectation.
How do we label unverified information?
Any rumour, speculation or claim that we cannot confirm through our standard verification process is explicitly labelled as such – for example, “unconfirmed reports suggest” or “according to an anonymous source whose identity has been verified but whose account we cannot independently corroborate”.
No unverified material is presented as established fact. Our editors review all such language to ensure the reader understands the degree of certainty. This applies to breaking-news situations, third-party claims and any content that may be time-sensitive.
Who oversees fact-checking and sensitive articles?
Christina Scholz, as Ansvarig för faktagranskning, is responsible for the overall fact-checking workflow, training and quality control. For articles covering topics that could cause significant harm to individuals, institutions or public trust – such as allegations of criminal behaviour, financial impropriety or health risks – Chefredaktör Daniel Simon personally reviews the fact-checking notes and source material before publication.
This dual-layer review ensures that sensitive articles receive extra scrutiny. The Standards Lead (Christina Scholz) and the Editor-in-Chief (Daniel Simon) both sign off on such pieces. Any article that involves an ongoing legal or regulatory matter is also reviewed by our legal desk.
How can readers report a potential error?
Readers who spot a factual mistake or believe an article contains an error should email factcheck@wirtschaftsquelle.de. Our fact-checking team acknowledges receipt within two business days and investigates the claim. We also accept reports via the general corrections@wirtschaftsquelle.de address or through our Complaints Procedure.
When a reader’s report leads to a confirmed error, we follow the process outlined in our Corrections Policy, which includes publishing a correction notice and updating the article. We encourage readers to provide supporting documentation when possible.
What you can expect from us
Wirtschaftsquelle never allows commercial relationships – including advertising, affiliate links or sponsored content – to influence factual accuracy or editorial conclusions. All sponsored or commercially supported content is clearly labelled, and our fact-checking process applies equally to such material.
We use AI-assisted tools for research, drafting and formatting, but every piece of published editorial content is reviewed by a human editor, and AI is never used to fabricate quotes, sources or expert profiles. Our AI & Automation Policy details these safeguards. We treat every fact-check with the same rigour regardless of the topic, source or publication deadline.
How do we handle corrections?
When an error is confirmed, we publish a correction notice at the top of the affected article, explaining what was wrong and what has been corrected. The notice includes the date of correction and, where relevant, the name of the reader or team member who reported it.
We also maintain a public log of significant corrections on the Corrections Policy page. Minor errors – such as typos or formatting glitches – are fixed without a notice if they do not affect meaning, but we still update the internal record. The fact-checking team periodically reviews all corrections to identify recurring issues and improve our processes.
Questions or concerns?
If you have a question about how we verify information, believe an article may contain an unaddressed error, or want to discuss our standards, please contact the relevant team. For fact-checking queries: factcheck@wirtschaftsquelle.de. For general editorial concerns: editorial@wirtschaftsquelle.de. For complaints or appeals: see our Complaints Procedure. Our full team listing and contact details are on the Our Team page.