Editorial Standards & Methodology
Tariff information has real financial consequences. These standards explain how we minimize the risk that ours is wrong.
1. Our sourcing hierarchy
- Primary government and treaty documents: Federal Register, USTR releases, CBP rulings, Executive Orders, HTSUS, TARIC, WTO Tariff Download.
- Specialist trade publications: WorldECR, Global Trade Magazine, peer-reviewed trade journals.
- Reputable wire services: Reuters, Bloomberg, FT — never as sole source for a rate.
We do not cite social media or anonymous channels as primary sources.
2. Verification before publication
Every quantitative claim is independently verified by a second editor against a primary source before publication.
3. Authorship and bylines
Every article is bylined to a named human editor. We disclose when an article was drafted with AI assistance (we use it for outlining and tables; never for unedited prose).
4. Update cadence
| Content type | Minimum cadence | Triggered update |
|---|---|---|
| Pillar pages (Trump Tariffs 2026) | Weekly | Within 48 hours of policy change |
| Country and sector guides | Monthly | Within 7 days of policy change |
| How-to guides | Quarterly | When CBP procedures change |
| Glossary entries | Annual | When legal definition changes |
| News articles | Date-locked | Substantial new info → standalone update post |
5. Corrections and transparency
- Fix the article inline.
- Add a visible "Correction" note at the top, dated.
- For material errors, email subscribers.
- Preserve the correction note permanently.
6. Conflict-of-interest policy
Editors disclose consulting work, equity, or family relationships with trade-related companies. Editors recuse from coverage where they have a material interest.
7. Advertising and affiliate disclosure
- Advertisers cannot buy editorial coverage.
- Advertisers cannot remove themselves from critical coverage.
- Affiliate links are marked with "(affiliate)" tags.
8. Use of artificial intelligence
We use AI for outlining, tables, glossary drafting, and copy-editing. We do not publish AI-generated prose without substantive rewriting and verification. We do not use AI to generate quotes, predictions, or images of real people.
9. Reader feedback
Email benboutaharr@gmail.com.