Editorial Policy

Editorial Standards & Moderation Policy

How we create, review, label, and moderate content to serve the public interest

Last Updated: January 6, 2026

Our Commitment

Pennyancitizens.com is committed to accurate, fair, and transparent civic information and responsible community dialogue. This policy explains how content is created, reviewed, labeled, and moderated on the Site.

1 Editorial Mission

Pennyancitizens.com exists to:

  • Inform residents about local civic issues that affect daily life
  • Increase transparency around government actions and development decisions
  • Provide a respectful forum for citizen discussion and debate
  • Preserve a public record of issues impacting Penn Yan, the Town of Milo, and Yates County

We prioritize facts, primary sources, and plain-English explanations over advocacy or sensationalism.

2 Content Categories & Labeling

To maintain clarity and trust, content is clearly categorized and labeled:

News / Reporting

  • • Based on verifiable facts and primary sources
  • • Includes meeting minutes, public records, official statements, and documents
  • • Written to explain what happened, what is proposed, and what is known

Analysis / Explainers

  • • Interprets technical or procedural information
  • • May include context, implications, or comparisons
  • • Clearly distinguishes facts from interpretation

Opinion / Editorial

  • • Reflects the views of the author
  • Clearly labeled as Opinion
  • • Not presented as fact reporting

Letters & Citizen Submissions

  • • Written by community members
  • • Reflect personal viewpoints
  • • Moderated but not endorsed by the Site

3 Sourcing & Accuracy Standards

We aim to:

Rely on primary sources whenever possible (meeting minutes, agendas, permits, FOIL responses)

Cite sources or link to original documents when available

Clearly state when information is preliminary, incomplete, or unconfirmed

If information cannot be verified, it will either be:

  • Labeled accordingly, or
  • Not be published

4 Corrections & Updates

Accuracy is a priority.

Errors brought to our attention will be reviewed promptly

Corrections will be made transparently

Significant corrections may be noted at the bottom of an article

Readers are encouraged to submit corrections with supporting documentation

5 Editorial Independence

Pennyancitizens.com maintains full editorial independence.

We do not accept payment for coverage, suppression, or favorable treatment

Contributors disclose relevant conflicts of interest when known

Government entities, developers, and advertisers (if any) have no editorial control

6 Community Participation & Submissions

Residents may submit:

Story tips
Documents
Opinion pieces
Letters
Questions for investigation

Submissions may be edited for clarity, length, or formatting but not for viewpoint.

Anonymous submissions are accepted when appropriate, particularly for whistleblower-type information, though all submissions are subject to verification and editorial review.

7 Moderation Philosophy

Pennyancitizens.com supports robust, respectful civic debate.

Moderation exists to:

Maintain civility
Prevent abuse
Protect individuals from harm
Preserve discussion integrity

Moderation decisions are made in good faith and are not based on political viewpoint or position on an issue.

Moderation Rules (What Is Not Allowed)

The following content may be removed or rejected:

Defamatory or knowingly false statements presented as fact

Personal attacks, harassment, or threats

Doxxing or publication of private personal information

Hate speech or discriminatory language

Impersonation of individuals or officials

Spam, repetitive posts, or commercial promotions

Content intended to disrupt discussion rather than contribute

Strong disagreement is allowed. Abuse is not.

9 Government Officials & Public Figures

Discussion and criticism of the following is permitted and expected when based on actions, policies, or public records:

Elected officials
Appointed officials
Developers & corporate actors
Public agencies

Personal attacks unrelated to official conduct may be moderated.

10 Legal Considerations & Risk Management

To reduce legal risk:

Allegations of misconduct must be supported by public records or clearly labeled as opinion

Anonymous allegations without documentation may not be published

The Site reserves the right to decline content that presents undue legal exposure

11 Appeals & Questions

Users may request review of moderation decisions by contacting the Site through the listed contact method.

While we consider appeals in good faith, moderation decisions are final.

12 Policy Updates

This policy may be updated as the Site evolves. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

Continued participation constitutes acceptance of the current policy.

Guiding Principle

Pennyancitizens.com exists to serve the public interest.

Transparency is not hostility.

Questions are not obstruction.

An informed community strengthens democracy.

In Summary

Facts first — primary sources when possible

Clear labeling — news vs opinion

Transparent corrections when errors occur

Editorial independence maintained

Respectful debate encouraged

Abuse not tolerated — civility required

Public figures subject to scrutiny

Public interest is our guide

Questions about our editorial standards? Contact us