Cosmos Philly is an independent publication covering the Greek-American community in Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley and beyond, along with developments connecting our readers to Greece and Cyprus.
Our journalism is guided by accuracy, fairness, independence, accountability and respect for the people and communities we cover. These standards apply to articles, headlines, photographs, captions, newsletters, social media posts and other material published under the Cosmos Philly name.
Trust must be earned. When we make a meaningful mistake, we correct it. When verified information changes, we update the story. When additional context is needed, we provide it clearly and transparently.
Accuracy and Verification
Cosmos Philly makes reasonable efforts to verify material facts before publication.
Depending on the story, this may include checking names, titles, dates, locations, quotations, statistics, legislation, public records, event details, image credits and other factual claims.
We prefer primary and authoritative sources whenever they are available. These may include government records, legislation, court documents, official statements, published research, direct interviews and information provided by people or organizations with firsthand knowledge.
Press releases, newsletters, funeral-home notices, organizational announcements and social media posts may provide useful information, but the fact that a claim appears in such material does not, by itself, verify it. When a report relies substantially on information supplied by an outside source, we aim to make that clear.
We do not knowingly publish fabricated quotations or invented sources, or present unverified claims as independently established fact.
Headlines, excerpts, captions, newsletters and social media posts must accurately reflect the underlying reporting and should not exaggerate, distort or remove important context.
Corrections, Clarifications and Updates
Cosmos Philly corrects meaningful errors promptly and transparently.
Typographical, punctuation and formatting errors, broken links and other minor issues that do not affect a story’s meaning may be corrected without an editor’s note.
More substantial changes are handled as follows.
Corrections
A correction is issued when an article contains a factual error that could affect a reader’s understanding of the story.
The inaccurate information will be amended, and a dated correction note will be added explaining what was wrong and providing the correct information.
A correction note may read:
Correction, July 28, 2026: An earlier version of this article misstated the date of the event. It will take place on August 16, not August 15.
Corrections should be clear and direct. We do not use vague wording intended to conceal the nature of an error.
Clarifications
A clarification may be added when the original reporting was accurate but incomplete or ambiguous.
A clarification note may read:
Clarification, July 28, 2026: This article has been updated to make clear that the resolution was adopted by the Pennsylvania House and did not require a vote by the state Senate.
Updates
Verified information added after publication is treated as an update. This does not necessarily mean the original article was inaccurate.
Developing stories, event reports, public-policy coverage, legal proceedings and official announcements may be updated as circumstances change.
When new information materially changes a story, we will make a reasonable effort to note when the article was updated and what was added.
Newsletters and Social Media
When a significant factual error appears in a newsletter or social media post, Cosmos Philly will correct or acknowledge it on the same platform when reasonably possible.
Deleting a post without explanation will not normally substitute for a correction when the inaccurate information has already circulated widely.
Retractions
A retraction may be issued when an article’s central premise is false, fabricated or fundamentally unreliable and cannot be corrected through ordinary revisions.
When appropriate, the original page will remain available with a clear explanation of why the article was retracted.
Reporting an Error
Readers are encouraged to contact Cosmos Philly when they believe we have published inaccurate or misleading information.
Correction requests should include:
- the article title or web address
- the specific statement in question
- the correct information
- any supporting records, links or documentation
Requests may be submitted through the Cosmos Philly Contact page and should be clearly labeled Correction or editorial concern.
We review credible correction requests carefully. We may seek additional documentation, consult the original sources or contact the individuals and organizations involved.
After reviewing the available evidence, Cosmos Philly will determine whether the article should be corrected, clarified, updated, retracted or left unchanged.
Fairness, Sources and Attribution
Fairness does not require giving every claim equal weight. It does require presenting relevant facts honestly and offering a reasonable opportunity to respond to significant criticism or potentially damaging allegations.
Cosmos Philly will make reasonable efforts to contact people or organizations facing significant criticism before publication.
A refusal to comment does not prevent publication when the information has otherwise been responsibly verified. We may state that a person or organization declined to comment, did not respond or could not be reached.
Sources do not have the right to approve an article before publication. We may ask a source to confirm a quotation, name, date or technical detail, but final editorial control remains with Cosmos Philly.
We prefer named, on-the-record sources.
Anonymous sources may be used when the information is important, the source has direct knowledge, confidentiality is justified and the information can be independently assessed or corroborated.
Quotations should accurately reflect what the speaker said and must not be edited in a way that changes their meaning, tone or intent. Minor omissions for length may be made when they do not distort the quotation. When substantial editing would be required, we generally paraphrase rather than alter a direct quotation.
Reporting, photographs, documents, translations and other material produced by others should be credited appropriately. When practical, we link to primary documents and official source material.
Cosmos Philly does not plagiarize or present another publisher’s original reporting, writing, photography or research as its own. We do not copy or closely paraphrase another publisher’s work without appropriate attribution. When our reporting draws materially on another publication’s original work, that source should be identified and linked when practical.
Bylines should accurately reflect who substantially reported and wrote an article. Material produced primarily from organizational submissions or outside sources should be attributed accordingly.
Privacy and Harm
Public availability of information does not automatically make it necessary to publish. We consider public interest, relevance, privacy and potential harm when deciding whether to include sensitive personal details.
Coverage involving minors requires particular care. We avoid unnecessary personal information about children and consider age, context, public interest and potential harm when identifying or photographing them, particularly in sensitive circumstances.
Editorial Independence and Funding
Cosmos Philly is independently owned and operated.
Revenue may come from advertising, sponsorships, reader support and related services. Financial support does not guarantee favorable coverage, prevent critical coverage or give contributors, advertisers or sponsors control over editorial decisions.
Because Cosmos Philly covers a closely connected community, editors and contributors may sometimes have personal, professional or organizational relationships with people involved in a story. A relevant relationship should be disclosed when it could reasonably affect a reader’s assessment of the coverage.
Contributors should not knowingly report on matters in which they have a direct financial or personal interest without disclosure and editorial review.
Guest writers and opinion contributors must disclose relevant financial, professional, political or organizational relationships connected to the subject they are addressing.
Complimentary admission, meals or access may be accepted when incidental to coverage, but they do not guarantee coverage. Travel, lodging or other significant outside support that materially affects how reporting was produced will be disclosed when appropriate.
Journalism, Opinion, Press Releases and Sponsored Content
Cosmos Philly distinguishes between independently produced journalism, commentary, organizational material and paid content.
Journalism, including news reporting and analysis, is based on verified information and aims to present facts fairly and accurately. Analysis may include interpretation, explanation and context, but it should distinguish established facts from interpretation.
Opinion and commentary express the views of the identified writer, not necessarily those of Cosmos Philly.
Sponsored or paid material must be clearly labeled. Advertisers and sponsors may not present promotional content as independent newsroom reporting.
Information from a press release may be independently verified, rewritten and incorporated into a Cosmos Philly staff report.
When an announcement is published substantially as submitted, the organization responsible for the material should be clearly identified.
Material published largely as received should be labeled Press Release, Community Announcement or with another description that accurately identifies its source.
Obituaries and Community Submissions
Obituaries are an important part of Cosmos Philly’s service to the community. We approach them with care, accuracy and respect.
Information may come from funeral-home notices, family statements, church announcements, public records and other credible sources. Submitted material may be edited for accuracy, clarity, length and house style.
We make a particular effort to verify:
- the spelling of names
- family relationships
- dates of birth and death
- places of residence and origin
- church and community affiliations
- visitation, funeral and memorial details
Descriptions of a person’s character, achievements or family life may reflect information supplied by relatives or published in an official obituary. Their inclusion does not necessarily mean Cosmos Philly has independently verified every personal recollection or characterization.
Credible correction requests from immediate family members will be reviewed promptly, particularly when they concern names, relationships, photographs or service information.
We avoid unnecessary medical details, unsupported speculation and language that could cause gratuitous harm.
Cosmos Philly also welcomes news tips, photographs, event information, announcements, essays and other community submissions.
Submission does not guarantee publication. We may edit material for accuracy, clarity, length, tone, legal concerns and house style, request supporting information or decline material that cannot be adequately verified.
Contributors are responsible for disclosing relevant conflicts of interest and confirming that they have permission to submit copyrighted photographs, writing or other materials.
Photography, Image Editing and Artificial Intelligence
Documentary photographs must not be edited in a way that changes their factual meaning.
Routine adjustments such as cropping, exposure correction, color balancing, noise reduction and dust or spot removal may be made when they do not misrepresent the scene or subject.
For portraits and archival images, limited restoration or background cleanup may be used when it does not change the subject’s identity, expression or defining features, create a false setting or otherwise alter the factual meaning of the image.
Photo composites, illustrations and substantially altered images should be identified when a reasonable reader might otherwise mistake them for unaltered documentary photographs.
Captions should accurately describe what an image shows. They should also make clear when an image is representative rather than a photograph of the specific event, person, vessel, building or location discussed.
Cosmos Philly may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with organizing source material, transcription, translation, editing, headline development, image restoration, graphic preparation and identifying questions for further research.
AI tools are not treated as authoritative sources.
AI-assisted summaries and translations must be checked against the original material. Information surfaced through AI-assisted research must be verified through credible sources before publication.
AI may assist the editorial process, but it does not replace editorial judgment. A human editor or writer remains responsible for the reporting, verification, interpretation and final published work.
Cosmos Philly does not use AI to fabricate quotations, sources, events, documents or factual details.
We do not present AI-generated or synthetic images as documentary photographs of real events. AI-generated or synthetic images used for illustration should be labeled when a reasonable reader might otherwise mistake them for a real photograph.
Routine restoration or technical enhancement does not necessarily require a separate label when it preserves the identity and defining features of the subject and does not alter the factual meaning of the image.
Removal and Archive Requests
Cosmos Philly generally corrects, clarifies or updates published work rather than deleting it.
We do not normally remove accurate published material solely because it has become embarrassing, inconvenient or the subject of disagreement.
Exceptional requests involving safety risks, serious privacy concerns, copyright infringement, legal obligations or fundamentally unreliable reporting will be reviewed individually.
When an article is removed or substantially altered for an exceptional reason, Cosmos Philly may publish an explanatory notice when appropriate.
Our Commitment to Readers
No publication is free from error. Our responsibility is to work carefully, respond honestly when concerns are raised, and correct meaningful mistakes without attempting to hide them.
These standards guide our editorial decisions and may be revised as Cosmos Philly, technology and journalistic practices evolve.
Questions about these standards, correction requests and editorial concerns may be submitted through the Cosmos Philly Contact page.
Last updated: September 1, 2026