How Digital Tools Support Our Work
At PublicReport.uk we employ a range of digital tools and automated systems to enhance the efficiency, consistency and accessibility of our journalism. These tools may assist in the following areas:
- Research and data gathering – automated aggregation of public records, statistics and datasets to identify trends and support investigative work.
- Editing and formatting – grammar checks, style consistency, automated formatting for web publication and structured markup for improved readability.
- Translation and localisation – machine translation of source material to aid multilingual reporting, with all translations reviewed by a human editor before use.
- Metadata and tagging – generation of categorisation, keywords and metadata to improve discoverability and archival organisation.
- Headline and summary suggestions – algorithmic drafting of headline options and article summaries, always subject to editorial judgment and revision.
- Transcription support – automated speech‑to‑text for interviews, hearings and press conferences, with transcripts checked against original audio for accuracy.
- Content review – automated scanning for potential factual inconsistencies, plagiarism or formatting errors, flagged for human verification.
These tools are never used to replace editorial judgement. They serve as aids, not authors. No story is published solely on the basis of automated output.
The Human Guarantee
Every piece of editorial content published on PublicReport.uk – whether news report, analysis, opinion piece or cultural feature – is reviewed by a human editor before it goes live. This review includes verification of sources, checking of claims, assessment of tone and context, and confirmation that all factual statements are supported by evidence. Our editorial team, led by Editor‑in‑Chief Jonathan Cross and supported by our Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead Naomi Rivers, retains full responsibility for every article that appears on the site.
Automated tools may assist in drafting, formatting or suggesting content, but the final decision to publish rests with our journalists. No article is released without a named editor or reporter taking direct accountability for its contents. This policy applies to all formats, including text, images, audio and video.
Strict Prohibitions
To maintain the integrity and trustworthiness of our journalism, we impose clear restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence and automated systems:
- No fabricated content. AI must never be used to invent quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. Any material that purports to represent a real person, statement or event must be verifiable.
- No false credentials. Automated tools may not generate fictitious staff members, false job titles or fake biographical details. All staff listed on our Our Team page are real journalists employed by City Ledger Media Ltd.
- No false first‑hand experience. Reports that claim direct observation or participation by the author must be genuinely undertaken by a human journalist. AI cannot replicate original reporting.
- Verification required. Any claim, statistic or assertion produced or suggested by an automated tool must be independently verified against reliable primary sources before publication. Our Fact‑Checking Policy sets out the standards we apply.
- Labelling of AI‑generated images. Where imagery is wholly or substantially generated by artificial intelligence, it will be clearly labelled as such in the caption or accompanying disclosure.
- No low‑value mass content. We do not produce automated articles designed to manipulate search rankings or generate traffic without substantive editorial value. Every piece must serve the informational needs of our readers and uphold our editorial standards as defined in our Editorial Policy.
Disclosure
Where digital tools have contributed to the preparation of an article – for example, through editing assistance, transcription or headline suggestion – we may include a disclosure statement at the foot of the piece. The standard wording is:
“This article was prepared with the support of digital editing tools and reviewed by a human editor before publication.”
This disclosure is used only when automated tools have played a meaningful role in the production process. It does not apply to routine use of spell‑check, grammar check or standard content management system functions.
Related Policies
This AI & Automation Policy should be read in conjunction with our wider editorial standards, including the Editorial Policy, Fact‑Checking Policy and Our Team page. For any questions or concerns regarding the use of digital tools in our journalism, please contact our editorial team via the Contact page.