Editorial Transparency Who We Are

All editorial content is written and edited by PeanutsChoice, the pen name of our lead journalist and editor. Site operations, publication, and hosting costs are managed by Citizen of Europe, her partner.

We use pseudonyms for one reason only: safety. Independent journalists face real risks of harassment and doxxing. Protecting our private identities allows us to speak freely without fear or censorship.

Our identities are verified through our domain registration and financial infrastructure, but remain unpublished for safety. What you read here is authentic, accountable, and rooted in European press-freedom values.

Our Fact-Checking Procedure

1. Primary Source Verification — official records, court filings, government data, and peer-reviewed studies wherever possible.
2. Secondary Corroboration — major claims confirmed by at least two independent reputable outlets (e.g., Reuters, AP, Politico Europe, BBC, Al Jazeera).
3. Context & Date Check — quotes, statistics, and events verified for timeline, jurisdiction, and framing accuracy.
4. Editorial Review — internal audit for factual consistency, bias detection, SEO clarity, and accessibility.
5. Post-Publication Updates — evolving facts are updated transparently and revisions logged.

All sources and editorial decisions are archived under our internal LLAP (Legal & Liability Archive Protocol) for legal and historical record-keeping.

Corrections Policy

If an error appears, we correct it promptly and mark the update. Readers can report factual concerns through our Contact Page or by email. Every correction request is reviewed within 72 hours by the editorial lead.

AI Disclosure

We use AI tools strictly for grammar checking, layout assistance, and technical formatting — never for unsupervised news generation. All journalism on this site is human-written, fact-checked, and ethically reviewed. When AI supports our workflow (e.g., translation checks, data parsing, image compression), it operates under direct human supervision and editorial approval.

Ethics Procedure

We adhere to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the IFJ Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists, and the Dutch Raad voor de Journalistiek standards.

• Editorial Independence — no political or corporate sponsorship, no state influence, no paid editorial content.
• Conflict of Interest Review — potential bias or personal involvement is disclosed internally before publication.
• Privacy Protection — we avoid identifying private individuals unless it serves clear public interest and meets GDPR requirements.
• Dignity & Integrity — no dehumanization, no fear-baiting, no AI-generated misinformation.

Funding & Independence

Citizen of Europe is entirely self-funded. We do not accept corporate, political, or state advertising. Our work is sustained by personal resources and reader contributions via our Support Page.

Our Unbiased Editorial Process

Bias is human; accountability is a choice. We aim to reveal bias, not reproduce it.

• Comparative Framing — EU and U.S. perspectives are contrasted to avoid tunnel vision.
• Data Before Drama — evidence over rhetoric, always.
• Plural Sources — we read across ideological divides to build full context.
• Independent review, factual verification, and legal examination before publication.

Ethical Contact & Oversight

Questions or concerns about accuracy, privacy, or fairness: ethics@citizenofeurope.com. All inquiries are reviewed in confidence by our editorial lead.

Accessibility Commitment

We aim to make our journalism readable and accessible for everyone. The site is periodically reviewed for WCAG compliance to ensure usability with screen readers, mobile devices, and assistive technologies. We welcome feedback to improve access for all.

References & Standards

Our transparency and ethics framework is built on internationally recognized principles and official regulatory standards. Below are the primary documents and resources that guide our work:

• 
  IFJ Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists
  
  — International Federation of Journalists’ official charter outlining universal ethical principles for the press.
• 
  Raad voor de Journalistiek (Dutch Press Council)
  
  — The Netherlands’ independent press council, outlining national standards for journalistic conduct and accountability.
• 
  European Charter on Freedom of the Press
  
  — A Europe-wide declaration supporting editorial independence and protection of journalists from political interference.
• 
  EU Digital Strategy – Media Freedom & Pluralism
  
  — European Commission policy hub on safeguarding free and independent media across the EU.
• 
  GDPR.eu – Official EU Information Portal
  
  — Comprehensive overview of data protection rights and obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation.
• 
  W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WCAG)
  
  — Official global accessibility standards ensuring web content is usable for all.