Jared’s Code of Ethics

Editorial integrity has always been essential to me. As a freelance journalist, I only write for editorial outlets such as PCWorld, TechHive, and Fast Company. My newsletters, Cord Cutter Weekly and Advisorator, are 100% reader-supported.

Although some of the sites I write for have their own policies, I’ve also abided by a personal code of ethics over the years:

  • I do not accept payments from any company that I write about, period. That means no compensation for favorable coverage, no side gigs writing “advertorial” or marketing content, and no sponsorship deals from companies that I’ve covered or plan to cover in the future.
  • I do not collect affiliate commissions from product links, which means I have no financial incentive for recommending products and services. If a site that I write for includes its own affiliate links, I am not compensated for them, and I will not alter my writing to boost a site’s sales commissions.
  • I do not invest in any of the companies I write about. If I invest in a mutual fund that happens to include tech stocks, I wouldn’t know about it, since I don’t monitor those individual investments.
  • I will return, donate, or recycle any product sent to me for review unless keeping it is necessary for future coverage. If I enjoy a product enough to use it personally—for instance, outside of my office on a regular basis—I will return the review unit and purchase the product myself. (One exception: software that can’t easily be returned or re-purchased.)
  • I do not accept travel accommodations from any of the companies I cover. For tech industry events such as CES, either the publication I’m writing for covers the travel costs, or I pay my own way.
  • At industry events, I generally avoid lavish meals, open bars, free merchandising, and any other perks that might get in the way of doing my job. (I usually just bring my own energy bars and bottle of water instead.)

Finally, I don’t believe anyone’s work can be truly “unbiased,” since everyone has ideas and experiences that can shape their coverage. If anything, I hope my ideals about tech shine through in my work.

So instead of zero bias, here’s what I can promise: Anything you read from me is based entirely on my own experience, expertise, and reporting.