Effective, December 2018
As a part of Vox Media, SB Nation (including SBNation.com, MMAFighting.com, BloodyElbow.com, BadLeftHook.com, MMAMania.com, Outsports.com, AmericanNinjaWarriorNation.com, SwishAppeal.com, and SB Nation’s network of team brands) adheres to the Vox Media Editorial Ethics & Guidelines, and operates under the following ethics policy. This applies to all editorial staff, as well as freelancers and contributors while they produce work for the site(s).
Advertising and Revenue Partnerships
Vox Media is home to editorial networks (including SB Nation) and the business teams that enable them. In no case, however, do the efforts of these business teams interfere with the integrity of editorial teams or the content they create.
These business teams include Vox Media divisions responsible for selling advertising and editorial sponsorships on SB Nation and SB Nation-branded podcasts; advertising across the publisher-led marketplace Concert; and branded content created by the creative studio, Vox Creative. The Vox Media Sales teams, Vox Creative, nor our sponsors have any influence over the SB Nation editorial teams, nor over any of the editorial content SB Nation editorial teams create.
To the extent that editorial content is made possible through the support of sponsors, that content is clearly marked on SB Nation and SB Nation’s social media accounts as content “Presented by” the applicable sponsor, and within our podcasts that content is accompanied by a similar verbal designation. In these cases, our sponsors may select which content they wish to support, however we do not allow Vox Media Sales teams, Vox Creative, or our sponsors to control or interfere with the editorial integrity of the SB Nation editorial teams and the content they create. Any content featured on SB Nation sites and social media accounts that is paid for by a particular company or advertiser and that is developed by the Vox Media Sales teams and Vox Creative independent from our editorial teams is clearly marked as as “Advertiser Content,” and within our podcasts that content is accompanied by a similar verbal designation.
Some of SB Nation’s content contains affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links; when our editorial or commerce teams have manually added affiliate links to our articles, we will include a disclosure within the content.
Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Vox Media or SB Nation.
Conflicts of Interest, Activism and Disclosures
SB Nation has complete editorial independence and our editorial staff and contributors take their beats seriously. Any editorial team member or contributors will be recused from a story and/or publicly disclose conflicts of interest when editorially appropriate. This may include a personal or family relationship, personal financial investment, or relevant political activity. Our staff will also refrain from demonstrating or donating to causes that could compromise their journalistic coverage of an issue.
Vox Media also has a number of investors, which are publicly disclosed. Vox Media’s investors do not influence our reporting and do not have any involvement with our internal reporting process.
Corrections, Updates and Deletions
SB Nation makes every effort for content to be completely accurate upon publication. If a correction is required, however, we are transparent and update a story if new information either adds to or invalidates the original story. We will issue corrections for a factual error or if a typo in the copy could cause audiences to misunderstand the story.
We almost always leave all editorial content live, with notes and corrections as needed. We may, in rare instances, remove content from our websites, social media pages, or related platforms for legal reasons or extenuating circumstances. Removal will never be at the direction of, or be influenced by, our advertisers and will always be approved by editorial leadership.
Gifts and Giveaways
We do not accept gifts or other consideration from companies as a condition or incentive to write a review or story, whether favorable or unfavorable. Any gifts accepted will be of minor value and in no way will compromise or guarantee editorial coverage of the event, product, or service.
However, SB Nation staff and contributors may accept tickets or press passes to events they are covering or reviewing, but should not accept extra tickets for family or friends. SB Nation staff and contributors are not permitted to resell any such tickets, passes, or gifts they receive.
Occasionally, SB Nation will conduct contests and giveaways for our audiences. We will post rules for each contest and giveaway that will be binding for those who decide to participate. While giveaways or contests may be sponsored by an advertiser or partner, they are not, and should never be, considered endorsements of the entities involved or their products.
Professional Appearances
SB Nation staff and contributors are often asked to appear in a professional capacity as experts on various television, news, radio, or other media programming. These appearances do not constitute endorsement of any products, companies, or services discussed, unless otherwise disclosed.
From time to time, our staff and contributors are compensated to participate in certain programs, panels, events, and/or speeches, but in those instances we would not cover the program, panel, event, or speech editorially, or we would disclose the relationship to our audience. All professional appearances are approved by the staff or contributor’s manager.
Social Media
SB Nation hires our editorial employees for their strong, expert voices, and values their abilities to build positive communities and influence on our platforms and their own. Because editorial staff’s roles or affiliation with SB Nation on social platforms also means that they are seen as representing SB Nation in those spaces, we ask all editorial staff to wield their voices with extra care, particularly when commenting on topics they cover. Behavior on social media is a reflection of both one’s personal and professional self and, as voices of Vox Media and SB Nation, we ask our editorial teams to apply the same journalistic integrity required in our editorial content when posting on social media, and to be conscious of their roles within Vox Media and how their social posts could impact their work, the work of others, and Vox Media as whole.
Note: Our editorial guidelines leave no room for indulging harassment on social media. If any Vox Media employee is the recipient of harassment on social media, they should access and review our protocol for reporting online abuse.
Sourcing
SB Nation obtains news and content from a variety of sources. Some of our sources do not wish to be named, and we grant anonymity when we know our sources to be credible and reliable, and that their stories would otherwise not be told. We make best efforts to confirm the veracity of the information provided by anonymous sources and will not include any information we have not thoroughly vetted. It is our policy not to pay sources.
Vox Media Values
The Vox Media Values remain our cornerstones at all times. In an industry that is constantly evolving, we will thrive on change and innovate to improve. We will always hold ourselves and our teammates to high standards and build an environment that cultivates passion, encourages collaboration, and respects all voices and identities.