Ethics and Transparency Disclosure
Trust, transparency, and responsibility are core values that guide my work, whether through consulting, writing, speaking, or creating content for this newsletter and podcast. I believe readers deserve clear insights into how my content is produced, the sources of my income, and the ethical standards I uphold. This statement outlines these practices in detail to ensure transparency and accountability.
How I Earn Income
My professional work includes independent consulting mainly for technology companies and non-profit organizations. This consulting primarily focuses on democracy and technology, trust and safety, and the intersection of technology with society and politics. I also offer training sessions, facilitate workshops, and participate in speaking engagements at various conferences and events. I cannot disclose every client due to NDAs, but where I can, I will, and I will always require disclosure and labeling of any sponsored content I get versus my own analysis. I do also earn some income from paid subscriptions and the Panic Responsibly merch store.
Sponsorship Policy
Whenever I receive compensation from an individual, company, or organization for content featured in my newsletter, this will be identified as sponsored. Additionally, I retain full editorial control over which sponsored material I accept to ensure it aligns with my values, accuracy standards, and the interests of my readers.
Use of General Artificial Intelligence (GAI) Tools
I frequently leverage GAI tools in my creative and editorial processes, primarily ChatGPT and occasionally Claude. Here's how I incorporate them into my workflow:
Idea Generation and Brainstorming: I use ChatGPT to help brainstorm ideas, topics, and thematic structures for newsletter issues. Typically, this involves crafting a detailed prompt outlining key themes or questions I want to explore. I then ask clarifying questions to get additional angles and outlines.
Draft Refinement and Editing: After I produce the initial draft based on these outlines and ideas, I input my written content back into ChatGPT to refine wording, enhance clarity, and suggest edits or alternative approaches. I selectively incorporate the GAI tool’s suggestions, ensuring that the content's voice, style, and authenticity remain mine.
Use of AI-generated Language: Occasionally, the tool I use produces a line, phrase, or framing that resonates strongly. Before adopting it, I conduct thorough searches to verify its originality. If the words or concept appears unique and unused elsewhere, I incorporate it into my work, treating it with the same consideration as a human editor's suggestion. I cite the source when direct attribution is necessary, such as if a distinct idea or phrasing closely resembles previously published content.
Image Creation: Occasionally, I employ GAI tools to generate illustrative or conceptual images to accompany newsletter content. These images are identified as AI-generated.
Copy Editing: I use Grammarly to improve my copy's grammar, punctuation, and readability while maintaining professional editorial standards.
Information Shared with GAI Models
When using tools like ChatGPT and Claude, I carefully evaluate the information I provide. My personal writing and content ideas regularly go into GAI systems because the benefit I receive outweighs concerns about data use or plagiarism, especially as these models improve.
When working with clients, I never input confidential or proprietary information into any GAI tool unless it's publicly accessible. I consult closely with clients to understand their AI policies and preferences and whether they offer secure internal LLM platforms for collaborative use. Sensitive personal data such as my phone number, address, or other private details are never shared with GAI models.
Photos and Images
My newsletter includes images from various stock photo providers, primarily Vault Stock, Unsplash, and Editorial Stock Images. Additionally, I regularly include my photography, edited with my iPhone and/or Lightroom. All images are chosen for their relevance, quality, and alignment with the content.
Human Assistance and Collaboration
Creating high-quality content for the newsletter is not a solo endeavor. To ensure accuracy, readability, and accessibility, I collaborate with:
Newsletter Formatting: An intern assists with formatting newsletter links and managing the editorial calendar, ensuring a seamless reading experience and organizational coherence.
Election Coverage: Ana Khizanishvili provides expert support tracking election dates, key events, and election-cycle timelines, contributing to the accuracy and reliability of election-related content. We do our best to keep election dates current, but definitions and methods for tracking elections vary significantly; please review this disclaimer for additional context.
Privacy and Data Handling
I respect the privacy of my subscribers. I collect minimal personal data, primarily email addresses, solely to deliver newsletters, manage subscriptions, and occasionally conduct reader surveys to improve content relevance. Subscriber data is never shared, sold, or rented to third parties. Any analytical tracking is anonymized and used exclusively to enhance reader experience and content quality. Stripe is the payment processor for paid subscription options.
Affiliate Links and Commissions
Occasionally, I may include affiliate links to products or services I genuinely recommend or have personally vetted. If readers purchase through these links, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to the reader. Affiliate links are identified, and recommendations are based solely on merit, personal experience, or careful assessment.
Corrections and Accountability
Despite diligent processes, mistakes happen. Corrections are promptly and transparently communicated to readers when errors are identified, whether factual inaccuracies or omissions. I welcome reader feedback and hold myself accountable to the highest ethical standards.