How we report, how we source, how we handle commercial relationships, and what readers should expect from every story we publish.
Our reporting draws primarily on publicly available sources: court filings, regulatory documents, settlement administrator publications, consumer advocacy research, and on-the-record interviews where appropriate.
Where we cite a statistic, a settlement amount, a regulatory ruling, or a court decision, we work from the original underlying document — not from secondary news coverage of it. Where we summarize someone else's research, we attribute it.
The standard: If a claim cannot be traced to a publicly verifiable source — court record, regulatory filing, peer-reviewed research, or on-the-record interview — we either don't publish it, or we mark it explicitly as one source's account.
Some of our reporting features named or pseudonymous individuals sharing personal experiences. In these cases, we adjust certain details (names, locations, identifying specifics) to protect privacy unless the source has explicitly waived this. This is standard practice in consumer reporting and does not affect the substance of the account.
We make mistakes. When we do, we correct them. When a published article contains a factual error, we:
1. Update the article with the correct information
2. Add a clearly labeled correction note at the top or bottom of the article
3. If the error materially changed the story's meaning, we reach out to readers who flagged it
To report an error you've spotted in our coverage, please contact us. We respond to all credible correction requests within five business days.
The Consumer Brief is a reader-supported publication. We have no investors, no advertisers buying placement in our editorial coverage, and no financial sponsors with input into what we cover.
Some of our articles do contain affiliate relationships. This means that when a reader takes action on a link to a third-party tool, platform, or service, we may receive compensation from that third party. These relationships are disclosed clearly at the bottom of every article that contains them.
How we approach affiliate coverage:
We never accept payment in exchange for editorial coverage. We never publish reviews or recommendations of products we haven't tested. When we recommend a tool or platform, it's because we believe it provides genuine value to our readers — independent of any commercial relationship.
If we are compensated for a referral, we disclose it. If we are not, we don't. Compensation never determines whether a story is positive, negative, or neutral. It only determines whether disclosure is required.
We do not publish sponsored content disguised as reporting. We do not allow third parties to write or edit our editorial. We do not change our coverage based on commercial pressure from a partner — and any partner who attempts this is removed from our affiliate program.
The Consumer Brief is not a law firm. We don't give legal advice, and our reporting on consumer settlements, refund programs, and consumer rights should not be read as a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
When we cover a settlement, a regulatory ruling, or a refund program, we report what's publicly known: who's eligible by the official definitions, what the claim process involves, and what readers can do to investigate further. Whether any specific reader qualifies, and how to pursue any specific remedy, depends on individual circumstances we can't evaluate.
Where appropriate, we point readers to official court-approved channels and government consumer protection resources for verification of any claim discussed in our coverage.
We treat reader privacy as a baseline obligation, not an optional feature.
When a reader subscribes to our newsletter, signs up for an account, or contacts us through our site, the information they share is used solely for the purpose stated. We do not sell, rent, share, or trade reader data with third parties. We do not build data profiles on individual readers.
Like most publishers, we use standard analytics tools to understand which articles are read and how readers find us. These analytics are anonymized at the aggregate level and not tied to identifiable individuals.
For a complete description of what data we collect and how we use it, see our Privacy Policy.
Like many publications in 2026, our team occasionally uses AI tools to assist with research, editing, and production. We don't pretend otherwise.
What this means in practice:
• Editorial direction, story selection, sourcing, and reporting — these are decisions made by human editors and contributors, not by AI.
• AI-assisted tasks — we may use AI to help edit copy for clarity, summarize source material for our own reference, or generate initial drafts that human editors then revise substantially.
• Final accountability — every published article is reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication.
If we ever publish AI-generated content as such, we'll label it clearly.
We welcome reader feedback, story tips, correction requests, and editorial questions. The fastest way to reach us is through our contact page.
If you have a consumer rights story you think we should cover, a settlement you've encountered that hasn't been widely reported, or a tool you'd like us to test honestly — let us know. Reader-suggested stories make up a meaningful portion of what we publish.
Last updated: April 2026. This page is reviewed and updated periodically as our practices evolve.