Cult of Mac editorial guidelines

Cult of Mac is dedicated to delivering accurate, insightful and engaging coverage of Apple and the wider technology ecosystem for a global audience of readers, listeners and viewers. Our goal is to help people get more from their Apple devices and services through trustworthy news, analysis, reviews, how‑tos and opinion.

Editorial process

Story ideas are pitched and approved by the writers and editors before any reporting or writing begins, with a focus on relevance to Apple users and the broader tech landscape.
Writers serve as the first editors of their work, ensuring clarity, structure, accuracy and adherence to these guidelines before submitting drafts.
Submitted pieces are reviewed by editors who fact‑check key claims, verify sources and refine headlines, framing and presentation.
All significant facts are checked against primary documents, official statements or reputable sources, and those sources are cited or linked where appropriate.
Once a piece passes editorial review, it is scheduled for publication and paired with appropriate imagery, graphics or other media from Cult of Mac’s design resources or licensed libraries.

Accuracy, fact‑checking and corrections

Content must be as accurate, concise and balanced as possible, avoiding speculation presented as fact and clearly labeling rumors or opinion.
Editors and writers are responsible for fact‑checking before publication, including product specifications, pricing, release dates and technical details.
When errors occur, Cult of Mac corrects them promptly with clear notes explaining what changed and, when relevant, why.

Standards for writers and editors

All content must be unbiased in its presentation of facts, regardless of personal preferences for particular products, platforms or companies.
Pieces may include clearly labeled opinion or analysis, but may not misrepresent personal views as objective reporting.
All sources used for research or data must be credited in line with Cult of Mac’s sourcing and fact‑checking standards, including links or attributions where appropriate.
Plagiarism of any kind — including uncredited paraphrasing, image misuse or copying from other outlets — is strictly prohibited and can result in termination of assignments or contracts.

Ethics, bias and sensitive topics

Coverage avoids discriminatory or demeaning language related to politics, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics.
No violence, hate speech or harassment is to be glorified, normalized or used for shock value in any Cult of Mac content.
When reporting on legal issues, workplace disputes, health topics or other sensitive matters, writers and editors must take extra care with sourcing, context and privacy.

Independence and conflicts of interest

Editorial decisions are independent from advertisers, sponsors, retailers and affiliate partners. Any commercial relationships do not determine what is covered or how it is framed.
Any material conflict of interest (financial stakes, consulting relationships, close personal ties) must be disclosed to editors and may disqualify contributors from certain stories.

Use of sources and intellectual property

All outside reporting, analysis, images or media used in a story must be properly credited, respecting copyright and licensing requirements.
Cult of Mac does not reproduce proprietary text, images, audio or video without permission, a clear fair‑use rationale or appropriate licenses. We expect contributors to follow the same standard.

Reader experience and feedback

These guidelines exist to ensure high‑quality, reliable coverage and a smooth, enjoyable experience for readers across the website, newsletters, podcasts and social channels.
Readers are encouraged to share feedback, point out possible errors, and suggest story ideas through the contact information and social channels published on Cult of Mac‘s About page. That feedback is reviewed by the editorial team.