Editorial Standards

Oh Dang, Really? reports on public accountability. These standards govern every story we publish. They are a working policy, not an aspiration — every item below describes something we already do.

Sourcing

Every story is built from public records: criminal complaints, court filings, agency press statements, termination notices, and footage released by authorities. We do not publish rumor, and we do not treat anonymous social-media claims as fact. Where an allegation is disputed, we say so in the story.

Presumption of innocence

A charge is an allegation, not a finding. Every case that has not reached a verdict carries a plain statement that the person is presumed innocent. When charges are dropped or dismissed, we update the story to say so — see Corrections below.

Names and labels

We identify people by the role they held when the alleged conduct occurred. An officer charged for on-duty conduct is reported as an officer — separation from the job is a consequence of the conduct, not a reason to soften the label. “Former” is reserved for conduct that post-dates leaving the position.

Developing stories

Stories that are still moving run under our Developing label with a dated update log. Each entry states what changed and what remains unknown. A developing story is promoted to full coverage only when key facts are confirmed by records or multiple independent outlets.

Corrections and takedowns

We pull or correct stories we cannot stand behind, including after publication. If an agency or subject disputes our reporting, we re-verify against primary records first. If the story cannot be supported, it comes down. Corrected stories note the change. Requests go through the contact page.

Imagery

Images come from official sources: booking photos released by agencies, court exhibits, agency footage, and public records. We do not fabricate photographs of real people. When no real image of a subject exists, stories carry our own branded newsroom artwork, clearly separate from editorial imagery.

Independence and money

Oh Dang, Really? is reader-supported. We accept no funding from police unions, government agencies, or political organizations. Some pages carry labeled affiliate links, and reader tips fund records requests and operations. Revenue never influences coverage, story selection, or story removal.