Sapan News adheres to the standards of the Institute for Nonprofit News, including transparency, editorial independence, accountability, and responsible journalism. Artificial intelligence tools may assist our workflow, but they do not replace human judgment, reporting, or editorial responsibility.
Editorial independence and human oversight
All content published by Sapan News is:
- Conceived, reported, and edited by humans
- Reviewed and approved by human editors
- Subject to our existing fact-checking and corrections policy
We do not publish fully AI-generated journalism presented as original reporting. AI cannot be listed as an author.
Editorial decisions remain independent of technology platforms and tool providers.
Permitted uses of AI
AI tools may be used in limited, supervised ways, including:
- Transcription of interviews
- Language translation support
- Data organization and analysis
- Headline or summary drafting
- Copyediting for grammar and clarity
- Social media drafting
All AI-assisted material is treated as preliminary and is verified independently before publication.
Prohibited uses
Sapan News will not:
- Fabricate quotes, sources, or reporting using AI
- Generate synthetic interviews or composite characters
- Publish AI-generated investigative claims without verification
- Create AI images of real events without clear labeling
- Upload confidential source material to third-party AI systems without authorization
We do not allow AI to replace on-the-ground reporting, especially in politically sensitive Southasian contexts.
Transparency with readers
In alignment with INN transparency standards, we will disclose when AI tools play a meaningful role in published content.
Examples:
- AI-generated illustrations will be labeled
- Significant AI-assisted translations may be noted
- Data analyses supported by AI tools will be reviewed and disclosed where relevant
Readers have the right to know how journalism is produced.
Accuracy and corrections
AI systems are prone to factual errors, bias, and fabricated outputs. Sapan News assumes full responsibility for any inaccuracies, regardless of whether AI tools were involved.
Our corrections policy applies equally to AI-assisted content.
Equity, bias, and representation
As a newsroom focused on Southasia and its diasporas, we recognize that AI systems may reproduce:
- Racial, caste, or religious bias
- Religious or nationalist distortions
- Western-centric knowledge hierarchies
Editors are required to review AI-assisted content through an equity and anti-bias lens, consistent with our mission and INN’s commitment to ethical journalism.
Data protection and source safety
We do not upload:
- Confidential investigative material
- Sensitive communications with sources
- Personal identifying information
- Materials that could endanger vulnerable communities
Source protection takes precedence over technological convenience.
Contributor disclosure requirements
All contributors must disclose substantial AI use in drafting, translation, research structuring, or image creation.
Failure to disclose significant AI-generated content may result in rejection, revision, or removal of the work.
Ongoing review
This policy will be reviewed annually to reflect evolving technology, legal standards, and nonprofit newsroom best practices.