ethics-review-checklist

Ethics Review Checklist

What This Skill Does

Generates a publication-specific editorial ethics checklist tailored to the risks of a particular story — covering consent, harm minimization, source protection, vulnerable subjects, conflicts of interest, right of reply, public interest justification, and legal exposure.

When To Use This Skill

• A story is approaching publication and the editor wants a documented record that all ethical obligations have been considered before sign-off
• The story involves named individuals who did not initiate contact with the publication — they were found, identified, or exposed by the reporting
• The story names or could identify vulnerable subjects: minors, crime victims, people experiencing mental health crises, refugees, or anyone in a position where publication could cause direct harm
• A source has been promised anonymity and you need to verify that the published text does not inadvertently identify them through detail accumulation
• The reporter has a potential conflict of interest — personal relationship with the subject, financial interest in the outcome, prior public statements on the issue
• The story could cause reputational, financial, or physical harm to named individuals and you need to document the public interest justification for publication
• You are editing an investigative piece and want to ensure right of reply has been offered to everyone who is accused or characterized negatively
• A legal threat has been received and you need to document the ethical basis for proceeding with publication

What You Need To Provide

Required: A summary of the story (500+ words preferred), including: the central claim or narrative, who is named or identifiable, what allegations or characterizations are made about them, how sources were obtained, and whether any sources requested anonymity.

Optional: The publication's code of ethics or editorial standards (if one exists); the jurisdiction of publication (ethics standards vary by country and press council); whether legal counsel has already reviewed the draft; the publication timeline and any external pressure to publish (competitive, legal deadline, news cycle); prior correspondence with subjects (especially any right-of-reply responses or legal threats); the reporter's relationship to the story or subjects.