Non-negotiable editorial rules

  1. Sponsorship cannot purchase an independent positive review.
  2. Payment cannot change an editorial score or verdict.
  3. Payment cannot guarantee inclusion in an editorial ranking.
  4. Sponsored placements must be visibly labelled where visitors can see them.
  5. Enhanced paid profiles must be distinguished from editorial reviews.
  6. Editorial articles must disclose relevant commercial relationships.
  7. Cyberwisdom must be evaluated using the same published methodology as comparable providers when a review is undertaken.
  8. If Cyberwisdom has not been independently evaluated, we say so rather than implying an endorsement.
  9. Vendors must be allowed to submit corrections to factual errors.
  10. A vendor correction request does not entitle the vendor to control editorial conclusions.
  11. Material factual errors should be corrected transparently.
  12. AI-assisted research and drafting must undergo appropriate human review before publication.

Separation of editorial and commercial workflows

Content moves through distinct internal states: research required, research in progress, awaiting verification, editorial review, approved for publication, sponsored content pending review, published, correction requested, under review, updated and archived. Commercial staff cannot alter an editorial score, and a change to a sponsorship label is treated as an editorial-adjacent change requiring review.

We maintain an audit trail for changes to reviews, scores, sponsorship labels and important factual fields. A vendor can tell us that a fact is wrong, and we will check it. A vendor cannot tell us what a fact means.

Listing types

The directory distinguishes four things, and each profile states which it is. A basic listing is a factual record with evidence sources. An enhanced paid profile adds further factual detail, portfolio media and promoted placement. A sponsored profile or feature is clearly labelled as commercially supported. An independently researched editorial review is published only where we have done the work, and it states its basis and date.

Paid features may increase promotional visibility. They do not produce a higher rating, a favourable verdict, or a position in any editorial ranking.

What we publish about a provider

What it offers, who it may suit, who may need a different type of provider, relevant capabilities, the evidence behind key claims, questions buyers should ask, limitations and uncertainties, comparison with relevant alternatives, the basis and date of assessment, and any commercial relationship.

AI in the editorial process

AI is used to assist research, summarise sources, extract structured fields, prepare comparison tables, draft articles and check for duplication. It is not used to publish a vendor review or a rating autonomously. A named human editor approves every published page, and the methodology explains the checks applied.

Corrections

Vendors and readers may request corrections to factual errors through the corrections policy. We distinguish a genuine factual error, which we correct, from a disagreement with a judgement, which we may note but do not change.