Dubai Times' ethical standards for accuracy, fairness, sourcing, privacy, conflicts of interest, higher-risk coverage, commercial separation and accountability.
Dubai Times approaches editorial ethics as a set of practical responsibilities that apply across reporting, analysis, explainers, reviews, rankings, corrections and commercial separation.
This policy explains the principles intended to protect accuracy, fairness, reader trust and editorial judgement.
Editorial conclusions are not for sale.
Advertisers, companies, public-relations representatives, partners and other outside organisations do not receive authority to determine the conclusions of Dubai Times editorial content.
Payment does not guarantee favourable coverage, publication, positive reviews, ranking positions or removal of accurate criticism.
Material factual claims should be checked against evidence appropriate to the subject.
Names, dates, figures, quotations, fees, prices, regulations, licensing status, project status and other consequential details should receive appropriate verification before publication.
Dubai Times aims not to misrepresent sources, remove quotations from context or present allegations as established facts.
Where serious claims are made about an identifiable person or organisation, the editorial process may seek relevant comment or response where practical and appropriate.
Readers should be able to understand when information comes from an official authority, company, expert, dataset, interested party or unnamed source.
Material uncertainty, relevant commercial relationships and significant limitations should be disclosed where they affect reader understanding.
Primary and authoritative sources are preferred where appropriate.
Press releases, promotional material and company statements may establish what an organisation says or announces, but do not automatically verify promotional claims independently.
Authors and editors should disclose relevant financial, commercial or personal conflicts that could reasonably affect editorial judgement.
Gifts, hospitality, access, travel, compensation or other benefits must not determine editorial conclusions.
Named, on-the-record sources are preferred.
Unnamed sources are used rarely and only where there is a legitimate editorial reason, the relevant editor knows the source's identity and corroboration is sought where possible.
Material factual errors should be corrected, clarified or updated as appropriate.
Possible errors may be reported to corrections@dubaitimes.org.
Timeliness matters in news publishing, but speed does not eliminate the need for reasonable verification.
Where information is incomplete or developing, Dubai Times should make uncertainty clear rather than presenting an unconfirmed conclusion as settled fact.
If verification is not adequate for a consequential claim, publication may be delayed, narrowed or reconsidered.
Attribution helps readers understand who is making a claim and whether that source has an interest in the subject.
Company forecasts, developer statements, investment projections, promotional descriptions and other interested-party claims should be attributed where their origin matters.
A source's statement should not be transformed into a Dubai Times conclusion without an adequate evidentiary basis.
Serious allegations involving illegality, fraud, misconduct, safety or reputation require particular care.
Dubai Times should distinguish allegations, investigations, charges, findings, judgments and established outcomes rather than treating these stages as interchangeable.
Weak or anonymous allegations should not be published merely because they are sensational or potentially damaging.
A person or organisation may provide evidence that published information is inaccurate.
Dubai Times should review factual evidence fairly regardless of whether the person or organisation is an advertiser, critic, partner, reader or subject of coverage.
Correction decisions are based on evidence rather than commercial status.
Editorial relevance should be considered before publishing unnecessary personal information.
Public availability of information does not automatically mean every detail must be republished.
Where privacy, safety, vulnerability or public-interest concerns are significant, editorial judgement should consider whether the information is necessary to understand the story.
Additional care may be appropriate when reporting involves children or vulnerable individuals.
Unnecessary identifying details should not be included merely to increase drama or attention.
Public interest, safety and the potential consequences of publication should be considered.
Dubai Times covers finance, property, residency, immigration, healthcare, law, safety and other subjects that may influence major reader decisions.
Higher-impact coverage should avoid unsupported guarantees, exaggerated certainty and language that implies an individual outcome without sufficient evidence.
For consequential decisions, readers should verify material requirements with the responsible authority, provider or appropriately qualified professional.
Reviews, comparisons and rankings should be based on appropriate evidence, relevant criteria and honest editorial judgement.
A ranking should not be presented as purely objective where substantial ordering depends on editorial judgement.
Commercial relationships do not determine editorial conclusions, correction outcomes or the substance of reviews and rankings.
Current funding and advertising arrangements are described in Ownership and Funding and Advertise.
AI use is limited to creating, preparing or editing images and other visual materials; editorial text, research and verification remain human responsibilities.
See the AI Use Policy for the complete rules on synthetic and AI-edited visuals.
Editorial: editorial@dubaitimes.org
Corrections: corrections@dubaitimes.org
