Editorial Standards and Policies

Purpose and Scope
Ethical Standards and Legal Compliance
1. Ethical Standards
2. Legal Compliance
Editorial Independence
Accuracy and Accountability
Inclusivity and Representation
Anonymous Sources
Request for Comments
Duty of Care for Vulnerable Sources
AI Use
Adherence to International Best Practices
Policy Updates

Big Cabal Media
Updated August 29, 2025

1. Purpose and Scope

Mission

TechCabal delivers accurate, engaging, and impactful content on Africa’s dynamic tech ecosystem. Through thoughtful reporting and storytelling, we aim to inform, inspire, and empower our diverse audience, including tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and policymakers.

Scope

This policy applies to all contributors, including interns, staff writers, editors, and freelance contributors. It sets clear guidelines for maintaining excellence, fairness, and consistency in all editorial outputs. Every team member is expected to adhere to the policy to uphold TechCabal’s credibility and reputation.

2. Ethical Standards and Legal Compliance

2.1 Ethical Standards

TechCabal is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in its journalism.

Accuracy and Honesty:
- Reporters and contributors must verify facts rigorously to ensure all content is factual, complete, and devoid of misleading claims.
- Our reporters avoid speculation. Opinions and analysis-based articles are clearly labelled.
Fairness and Balance:
- Reporters and contributors speak to varied sources and seek out rounded information to provide balanced coverage without legitimising harmful or false viewpoints.
- Reporters and contributors ensure that articles reflect objective reporting and responsible sourcing.
Plagiarism and Attribution:
- TechCabal properly credits all sources, quotes, paraphrased ideas, and visuals.
- Reporters and contributors must ensure originality in their work while citing sources appropriately.
Professional Conduct:
- Reporters and contributors must approach all interviews and engagements respectfully, adhering to international journalistic ethics.

2.2 Legal Compliance

TechCabal operates in adherence to Nigerian, Kenyan, and South African Media Laws, ensuring compliance across jurisdictions.

TechCabal adheres to the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in South Africa, the Kenya Information and Communication Act (KICA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Nigeria when sourcing sensitive materials.

Defamation:
- TechCabal refrains from publishing statements that could unjustifiably harm reputations. All claims must be backed by verified evidence.
Privacy Protection:
- TechCabal safeguards personal information unless sharing aligns with public interest and adheres to legal requirements.
Copyright and Fair Use:
- TechCabal uses only authorised or original content, including images and data.
Access to Information:
- TechCabal adheres to the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in South Africa, the Kenya Information and Communication Act (KICA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Nigeria when sourcing sensitive materials.

3. Editorial Independence

TechCabal maintains its editorial independence and integrity by operating separately from the business. Final decisions on editorial comes from within the newsroom.

Separation of Content:
- TechCabal maintains clear boundaries between editorial, advertorials, and sponsored material.
Conflict of Interest:
- Professional affiliations, financial ties, or personal relationships that may influence coverage must be disclosed to an editorial manager.
- Where relevant, reporters and contributors will make conflicts of interest known in editorial output.
- Reporters and contributors must follow standard journalistic processes when reporting on businesses that fund TechCabal’s journalism.
- Reporters and contributors must strive to maintain professional relationships with sources to avoid any real or perceived appearances of conflict, or influence in their work.
Safeguards:
- Sources do not preview entire articles before publication.
- Editorial decision-making remains unaffected by advertisers or external stakeholders.

4. Accuracy and Accountability

Fact-Checking Protocols:
- Our reporters, contributors, and editors verify all claims using primary and credible secondary sources.
- TechCabal cross-checks financial and statistical data with published reports or filings for accuracy and reliability.
Corrections Policy:
- TechCabal admits to factual errors which are promptly and transparently corrected across platforms. If you notice any errors in our coverage, kindly send an email to editor@techcabal.com
Retractions:
- TechCabal makes a retraction only when significant errors, ethical breaches, or falsehoods have been committed.
- Retractions must be approved by masthead editors and accompanied by public communication to address reasons for retraction and steps taken to prevent future occurrences.

5. Inclusivity and Representation

Language:
- TechCabal employs gender-neutral, culturally sensitive, and inclusive language on all our platforms.
Local Voices:
- TechCabal amplifies the voices of African leaders, innovators, and grassroots contributors.
Avoiding Stereotypes:
- TechCabal exists to light the path into Africa’s technological future and frames technology stories to focus on innovation, potential, and solutions, rather than reinforcing negative narratives.

6. Anonymous Sources

Purpose and Use: TechCabal uses anonymous sources only when the information is of significant public interest and unattainable through other means.
Verification and Credibility: Claims from anonymous sources undergo strict fact-checking and corroboration with reliable evidence. Editors are responsible for ensuring the source’s credibility and motives.
Transparency: Reporters and contributors must clearly explain the reason for granting anonymity in their articles.
Balanced Reporting: Reporters and contributors must use anonymous quotes sparingly, ensuring they supplement rather than dominate the article. Attribute other parts to verifiable sources wherever possible.
Protection of Sources: TechCabal safeguards identities of anonymous sources through secure communication methods and minimise any details that could expose the source unintentionally.
Editorial Review: Content relying heavily on anonymous sources must be reviewed by masthead editors and, when necessary, legal advisors to ensure compliance and minimise risks.

7. Request for Comment

Fair Opportunity: Subjects of critical or potentially reputationally damaging content are given a fair chance to respond. The standard timeframe for replies is 48 hours, with exceptions for urgent or breaking stories where a minimum of 24 hours may be provided.
Extensions: If the subject requests an extension due to valid reasons (e.g., legal consultation), up to 72 hours may be granted, at the discretion of the editorial team.
Documentation: All requests for comment must be documented, including the time the request was sent and any follow-up attempts.
Transparency in Coverage: If no response is received within the set timeframe, this must be explicitly noted in the published content. For example, “The organisation did not respond to our request for comment by the time of publication.”

8. Duty of Care for Vulnerable Sources

Identifying Vulnerability:
- Reporters and contributors assess sources’ vulnerability based on factors such as age, trauma, legal status, socioeconomic conditions, or societal marginalisation.
Informed Consent:
- Reporters and contributors clearly explain the purpose of the interview and how their statements will be used. They must ensure the source understands the potential consequences of publication.
Anonymity and Protection:
- Sources should be offered anonymity or pseudonyms when necessary to shield them from harm, stigma, or retaliation.
Trauma-Informed Approach:
- Reporters and contributors approach interviews with empathy and sensitivity, avoiding intrusive or triggering questions. We allow the source to dictate the pace and depth of the discussion.
Follow-Up Support:
- After publication, reporters and contributors can maintain an open line for vulnerable sources to address concerns or request further protections.
Minimising Harm:
- TechCabal avoids sensationalising or exploiting vulnerable sources’ stories for clicks or views. We focus on the broader societal impact of their experiences.
Legal and Ethical Compliance:
- TechCabal adheres to laws protecting vulnerable individuals, such as privacy regulations and child protection laws.
Training and Awareness:
- TechCabal provides regular training for contributors on handling vulnerable sources with care and empathy.

9. AI Use

AI Content:
- Reporters and contributors can use AI tools for supplementary journalistic purposes (research, brainstorming, etc.), not as replacements for original reporting.
- Reporters and contributors must clearly label images or visuals created using generative AI tools.

10. Adherence to International Best Practices

Global Ethics:
- TechCabal’s journalistic processes are constantly being shaped to align with global best practices for fairness, accuracy, transparency, and inclusivity.

11. Policy Updates

Regular Reviews:
- This policy document is subject to review to adapt to changes in media laws, audience needs, and technological developments.