Editorial Policy – HornPost.com

Effective Date: August 2026

HornPost.com is an independent digital news platform committed to delivering accurate, fair, timely and responsible journalism from Somaliland, the Horn of Africa and around the world.

This Editorial Policy outlines the principles, standards and processes that guide our reporting, editing, publishing and engagement with our audience.

1. Editorial Independence

HornPost.com maintains full editorial independence.

• Editorial decisions are made independently by the newsroom and editorial team.
• Our journalism is not influenced by political, commercial or personal interests.
• Advertisers, sponsors, partners or other external parties do not control or influence our editorial coverage.
• Sponsored, promotional or paid content will be clearly identified and separated from independent editorial content.
• Journalists and contributors are expected to maintain professional independence and avoid situations that could compromise their impartiality.

2. Accuracy and Fairness

HornPost.com is committed to publishing information that is accurate, verified and presented fairly.

• Facts are checked before publication whenever reasonably possible.
• We seek multiple credible sources for significant or contested claims.
• Official statements, documents and direct interviews are prioritized where appropriate.
• We provide sufficient context to avoid misleading interpretations.
• Allegations and claims are clearly attributed to their sources.
• We distinguish confirmed facts from unverified claims, speculation and analysis.
• Individuals and organizations may be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to significant allegations concerning them.
• When new and credible information becomes available, we update relevant stories promptly.

In breaking news situations, information may initially be incomplete. In such cases, HornPost.com will clearly indicate what is confirmed and what remains unverified.

3. Sources and Attribution

We prioritize credible, reliable and verifiable sources.

Preferred sources may include:

• Official government statements and documents
• Court records and legal documents
• Direct interviews
• Statements from recognized institutions and organizations
• Independent experts and credible research
• Reputable local, regional and international news organizations

Anonymous sources may be used when necessary and when the information is considered to be in the public interest. Their anonymity will be respected where appropriate, while the newsroom will make reasonable efforts to verify the information independently.

All material obtained from external sources will be properly attributed.

HornPost.com does not knowingly publish rumors, fabricated information or unverified allegations as established facts.

4. Corrections and Updates

HornPost.com is committed to transparency and accountability.

• Factual errors are corrected promptly when identified.
• Significant corrections will be clearly acknowledged within the affected article.
• Where appropriate, an editor’s note may explain a significant correction.
• Updated information may be added to an article when it materially changes or clarifies the original report.
• Headlines, photographs, captions and other elements will also be corrected when they contain significant factual errors.

Readers are encouraged to report factual errors or request clarification by contacting:

Email: news@hornpost.com

5. Editorial Transparency

HornPost.com aims to maintain a clear distinction between different types of content.

We clearly distinguish between:

• News reports
• Breaking news
• Investigative reporting
• Analysis
• Opinion and commentary
• Sponsored or partner content

Opinion articles represent the views of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of HornPost.com.

Analysis may include editorial interpretation, context and assessment, but it will be clearly presented as analysis rather than established fact.

Sponsored, promotional or partner content will be clearly labeled.

6. Editorial Responsibility and Public Interest

HornPost.com seeks to serve the public interest through independent reporting on issues affecting its audiences.

Our journalism may cover politics, governance, security, diplomacy, economics, human rights, society, development and international affairs.

We consider the potential public interest, accuracy, relevance and consequences of publishing sensitive information before publication.

We avoid publishing information solely for sensationalism or to deliberately mislead our audience.

7. Ethical Standards

Our journalism follows widely accepted professional and ethical principles.

HornPost.com does not tolerate:

• Plagiarism
• Fabrication of information
• Deliberate manipulation of facts
• Misleading presentation of evidence
• Deliberate impersonation or misrepresentation
• Discrimination or hateful content
• Unnecessary invasion of privacy
• Content that deliberately places individuals at unreasonable risk

We respect human dignity and seek to minimize unnecessary harm while maintaining the public’s right to receive information.

Our standards are informed by widely recognized international journalism principles, including principles similar to those outlined by organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

8. Conflict of Interest

Journalists, editors and contributors are expected to avoid conflicts of interest.

• Staff and contributors should disclose relevant personal or financial interests that could affect their reporting.
• We avoid assignments where impartiality could reasonably be compromised.
• Personal, political or commercial relationships should not determine editorial coverage.
• Where a potential conflict cannot reasonably be avoided, it should be disclosed to the appropriate editor and, where necessary, to readers.

9. Content Types

HornPost.com publishes a range of editorial content, including:

• Breaking news
• Local and national news
• Investigative reports
• Political reporting
• Economic and business news
• Security and defense reporting
• Regional and international news
• Horn of Africa and Red Sea analysis
• Health and technology news
• Development and social affairs
• Opinion and commentary, clearly labeled
• Interviews and special reports

10. Geographic Coverage

HornPost.com primarily covers Somaliland, Somalia and the Horn of Africa, while also reporting on developments in the Red Sea, Middle East, Africa and other parts of the world when they are relevant to our audience.

Our geographic focus does not limit our commitment to reporting international developments that have regional, political, economic, security or humanitarian significance.

11. Use of Images, Video and Other Media

HornPost.com seeks to use photographs, video, graphics and other visual materials responsibly.

• Visual material should accurately represent the subject of the report.
• We avoid materially manipulating images in ways that could mislead readers.
• File photographs and illustrative images should be identified where necessary.
• We respect copyright and seek appropriate permission or licensing when required.
• Images involving victims, children or sensitive situations are handled with particular care.

AI-generated or digitally altered visuals used for illustration will be identified where their nature could reasonably affect a reader’s understanding of the report.

12. User-Generated Content

HornPost.com may publish or allow comments, reader submissions, photographs, videos or other user-generated material.

• User-generated content must comply with applicable law and our editorial standards.
• We reserve the right to moderate, edit, reject or remove content that violates our policies.
• User submissions may be independently verified before publication.
• Publication of user-generated material does not necessarily mean that it represents the views of HornPost.com.
• Users are responsible for the material they submit.

13. Artificial Intelligence and Automation

HornPost.com may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with:

• Research
• Translation
• Transcription
• Editing
• Headline development
• Summarization
• Data analysis
• Other newsroom production tasks

AI-assisted content is reviewed and edited by human journalists or editors before publication.

HornPost.com does not publish fully automated news without appropriate human oversight.

AI tools are not considered a substitute for journalistic judgment, source verification or editorial accountability.

Final responsibility for the accuracy, fairness, context and editorial integrity of published material remains with the HornPost editorial team.

14. Privacy and Protection of Sources

HornPost.com respects individual privacy and handles personal information responsibly.

Private information will not be published simply because it is available if there is no legitimate public-interest justification.

Journalists may protect confidential sources when appropriate and consistent with professional journalistic standards.

Requests involving personal information, confidential material or sensitive sources will be reviewed carefully before publication.

15. Children and Vulnerable Individuals

Additional care is taken when reporting on children, victims of violence, survivors of abuse and other vulnerable individuals.

HornPost.com seeks to avoid unnecessary identification or exposure where publication could cause unjustified harm.

The public interest, legal considerations, accuracy and potential consequences will be considered before publishing sensitive personal information.

16. Breaking News and Developing Stories

Breaking news is often reported while events are still developing.

In such situations:

• We identify information that remains unconfirmed.
• We attribute claims to the relevant source.
• We update reports as credible information becomes available.
• We correct material errors promptly.
• We avoid presenting speculation as established fact.

The speed of publication does not remove our responsibility to verify information.

17. Social Media and Digital Publishing

HornPost.com distributes journalism through its website and social media platforms.

Social media headlines, captions and posts should remain consistent with the substance of the original report and should not deliberately misrepresent a story simply to generate engagement.

Corrections to significant social media errors will be made where reasonably possible.

18. Sponsored and Commercial Content

HornPost.com may publish advertising, sponsored material, partnerships or other commercial content.

Commercial material will be clearly distinguished from independent editorial reporting.

Advertisers, sponsors and commercial partners do not determine the editorial conclusions, reporting decisions or publication of independent news stories.

19. Accountability and Reader Feedback

HornPost.com is accountable to its readers.

We welcome:

• Corrections
• Complaints
• Editorial questions
• Requests for clarification
• Feedback concerning our journalism

Editorial complaints will be reviewed by the editorial team, and appropriate corrections or clarifications will be made when warranted.

20. Editorial Governance

Final editorial responsibility rests with the HornPost editorial team.

Editors may review stories before publication, request additional verification, seek responses from relevant parties, make corrections or withhold publication when the available evidence does not meet our editorial standards.

Editorial policies may be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in journalism standards, technology, law and the needs of our audience.

21. Contact Information

For editorial inquiries, corrections, complaints or requests for clarification:

Email: editor@hornpost.com
Corrections: news@hornpost.com
Telephone and WhatsApp: +252 63 444 1209
Headquarters: Hargeisa, Somaliland
International Office: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

HornPost.com is committed to independent, accurate, transparent and responsible journalism serving readers in Somaliland, Somalia, the Horn of Africa and around the world.

© 2026 HornPost.com — All rights reserved.