When you read an article on Gegenwart24, you can be confident that a real person with editorial experience has reviewed every word before it is published. This page explains how we may use digital tools to assist our journalists – and what we will never allow them to do. It also outlines your rights as a reader and how to raise any concerns.
What does this policy mean for you as a reader?
This policy means that every piece of journalism you see on Gegenwart24 is produced under strict human oversight. Digital tools may help with research or formatting, but they never replace the judgement of our editorial team. Your trust is our priority.
We believe that transparent use of technology builds credibility. By clearly separating human work from machine assistance, we ensure that you can always trust the reporting you read. Our tagline – „Nachrichten, Analysen und Hintergründe für Deutschland“ – reflects a commitment to substance over speed.
How does Gegenwart24 use AI and automation?
Gegenwart24 may use AI-assisted tools to support tasks such as research, editing, formatting, translation, metadata generation, headline suggestions, summaries and transcription. These tools are never used to write or approve articles without human review.
For example, a journalist might use an AI tool to generate a first draft of a data table or to check grammar. But the final output is always revised and approved by a named writer, an editor, and – when needed – our fact-checking team led by Helena Graf. Any AI-generated text must be verified against original sources before it can be included in a published article.
We also use automation for routine back-office tasks, such as newsletter distribution and content formatting. These systems are designed to free our editorial staff to focus on what they do best: original reporting and careful analysis.
How this works in practice
Imagine a reporter is writing an article about a new Swedish budget proposal. They might use an AI tool to generate a summary of a 100-page government document for initial orientation. But the reporter reads the original document, writes the article themselves, and both the reporter and an editor fact-check all claims. The AI summary is only a starting point; the final piece reflects human analysis.
Another example: a cultural reporter covering an art exhibition may ask an AI tool to suggest possible interview questions based on the artist’s biography. The reporter then chooses which questions to ask, conducts the interview in person, and writes the story using their own observations and quotes. The AI never speaks to a source or attributes words to anyone.
What is strictly prohibited?
Our policy explicitly prohibits the use of AI to fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. AI must never be presented as a journalist or credited as an author. Generated content that contains errors or unverified claims cannot be published.
- AI may not create or impersonate real people, including journalists, sources or experts.
- AI may not generate false quotations, data or citations.
- AI may not be listed as a co-author or credited as a byline.
- AI may not make editorial decisions, such as selecting which stories to publish or which angles to pursue.
Any violation of these rules is treated as a serious editorial breach. If you suspect that content on our site has been produced without adequate human oversight, please contact our fact-checking team at factcheck@gegenwart24.de.
Who is responsible for editorial decisions?
The ultimate responsibility for every article lies with our Chefredaktör (Editor-in-Chief) Christian Müller and our Redaktionschef Christina Zimmermann. Each piece is drafted by a named writer, reviewed by an editor, and fact-checked by our fact-checking team led by Helena Graf.
Our editorial team includes specialised reporters for politics, economy, culture and society. Every article carries the name of its writer, and readers can find full team profiles on our Our Team page. Corrections and updates are handled transparently under our Corrections Policy.
The use of AI tools is always directed by human editors. No automated system can override the judgement of a named staff member with editorial accountability.
How is Gegenwart24 funded and governed?
Gegenwart24 is owned and operated by Gegenwart24 Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number C 92009, Malta Business Registry). Our funding comes from display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. All commercial material is clearly labelled, and commercial relationships never influence editorial conclusions.
We are committed to separating editorial decisions from commercial ones. For full details on our ownership, funding sources and advertising practices, please see our Ownership & Funding and Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure pages. Sponsored content is governed by a separate Sponsored Content Policy that also prohibits the use of AI to draft sponsored articles without human review.
How can you contact us about this policy?
If you have questions about how we use AI, or if you believe an article may have been produced in violation of this policy, please contact our editorial team at info@gegenwart24.de or our fact-checking team at factcheck@gegenwart24.de. For formal complaints, see our Complaints Procedure.
We also welcome general feedback at our Contact page. Our editorial standards are set out in our Editorial Policy and Fact-Checking Policy. We take every report seriously and will respond within five working days.
In short
Gegenwart24 uses AI tools only as supports, never as substitutes for human editorial judgement. Every article is written, reviewed and fact-checked by named members of our team. We are committed to transparency, and we invite you to hold us accountable.