The Official Buzz Magazine Fact-Checking Policy describes how we evaluate identities, dates, relationships, financial estimates, and other important claims before presenting them to readers.
Our standard requires consequential information to be traceable to an identifiable and appropriate source.
Our Fact-Checking Process
The amount of verification required depends on the nature of the claim. A public film credit may require a different source from a marriage, legal dispute, financial estimate, health claim, or death report.
Step 1: Identify the Central Claim
Before reviewing supporting details, we identify the main question the article promises to answer.
For example, an article about a celebrity spouse must first establish whether the relationship is publicly confirmed. A net-worth article must explain whether a number represents reported earnings, an outside estimate, or documented assets.
Step 2: Find the Original Evidence
We look for the earliest reliable source behind a claim. Repetition across multiple websites does not prove accuracy when those websites may be copying the same unsourced information.
Whenever possible, we trace information back to an official statement, direct interview, public record, established news report, or recognized industry source.
Step 3: Check the Context
A technically correct detail can still mislead readers when important context is missing.
We check dates, locations, job titles, relationship status, currency, whether a financial figure refers to one year or an entire contract, and whether information remains current.
Step 4: Label Uncertainty
When reliable sources disagree or complete evidence is unavailable, the article should explain the limitation.
We use terms such as “reported,” “estimated,” “according to,” or “not publicly confirmed” when those descriptions accurately reflect the evidence.
Our Source Hierarchy
Not every source carries the same evidentiary weight.
Primary and Authoritative Sources
Our preferred sources include:
- Official websites and public statements
- Court, government, property, and business records
- Direct interviews
- Verified public accounts
- Official sports, award, film, television, and music databases
- Company filings and regulatory disclosures
Primary sources can still require context, particularly when a person or company is discussing its own interests.
Reputable Secondary Sources
Established news organizations and recognized industry publications can provide reporting, interviews, analysis, and context that may not be available through official records alone.
For consequential claims, we look for reporting that identifies its evidence rather than merely repeating an anonymous online claim.
Weak or Unverified Sources
Anonymous posts, fan accounts, copied biographies, AI-generated summaries, search snippets, and websites without visible sourcing are not treated as final confirmation.
They may identify a question worth investigating, but the claim must be supported independently.
Identity Verification
Celebrity-related searches frequently involve people with similar or identical names. Incorrect identity matching can create false careers, relationships, ages, and family histories.
Details Used to Confirm Identity
Depending on the available evidence, we may compare:
- Full name and known name variations
- Occupation and employer
- Location
- Education or career history
- Publicly documented family connections
- Photographs from reliable sources
- The context in which the person became publicly known
We do not combine information from separate individuals merely because their names match.
Relationships and Family Information
Marriage, divorce, dating, parentage, and family connections require appropriate evidence.
Confirming Public Relationships
Reliable evidence may include a public statement from the people involved, a marriage or court record, a direct interview, or reporting from an established publication.
A rumor repeated by social-media accounts is not enough to present a relationship as confirmed.
Protecting Private Individuals
We limit unnecessary details about children, relatives, and people who have not chosen a public role.
Private addresses, personal contact information, unsupported occupations, and speculative financial figures should not be published.
Net-Worth and Earnings Claims
Celebrity finances often involve incomplete and conflicting information.
A salary, contract, company valuation, property price, or annual income figure does not automatically represent the person’s net worth.
Financial Checks
When available, we review:
- Reported salaries and contracts
- Business ownership
- Property and transaction records
- Public company or regulatory filings
- Music, sports, film, television, and creator revenue
- Direct statements about earnings or business interests
- Known liabilities, taxes, fees, and shared ownership
All important financial limitations should be explained. Our detailed process is available in How We Estimate Celebrity Net Worth.
Death, Health, and Legal Claims
These subjects can cause serious harm when handled inaccurately.
Death Reports
A death report should be supported by an official family or representative statement, a government record, or multiple reputable news organizations.
A trending search query, edited social-media post, or copied obituary is not sufficient confirmation.
Health Information
We attribute health claims to the person, representative, medical institution, or reputable publication that reported them. We do not diagnose individuals or turn speculation into a medical conclusion.
Legal Information
We distinguish between an allegation, investigation, lawsuit, arrest, charge, court ruling, and conviction.
Legal claims should include the relevant date and current status when that information is necessary to understand the case.
Updating Verified Information
Facts can change after publication. Relationships end, cases develop, business interests change, and stronger evidence may become available.
Articles should be reviewed when a meaningful new development affects the original answer. Material errors are handled according to our Corrections Policy.
Report a Possible Error
Readers can report a factual concern through our Contact Us page.
Please provide the article URL, the disputed statement, the proposed correction, and a reliable supporting source.