IdentityBastion covers topics where mistakes cost people money and time: identity theft, taxes, credit and online privacy. This page explains the rules I follow when I research, write, update and correct articles. If an article breaks one of them, please tell me at hello@identitybastion.com.
Who Is Responsible for What’s Published
IdentityBastion is run by one person, the founder and editor. I’m a student, and I’m not a lawyer, tax professional or certified security expert. Everything published here is my responsibility. You can read more on the About page.
Where the Information Comes From
I build articles on primary sources first, in this order:
- Government and regulators: the FTC, IRS, CFPB, Social Security Administration, SBA, state agencies, and federal laws and regulations.
- Official documentation: forms, instructions and published policies from the organization involved, such as IRS form instructions or a company’s terms.
- Independent research: named studies with a stated method and date.
- Company and industry material: used for product details and labelled as the company’s own claims, never treated as proof that a product works.
For VPN and privacy topics, I also use provider documentation, published privacy policies, independent security audits (when a provider publishes one, the article says who did it and when) and reputable security research.
I don’t cite content I can’t trace to a source. When a statistic is widely repeated online, but I can’t trace it, I leave it out.
How I Handle Numbers
For every statistic, I check who measured it, when, and what it actually counts. For example, an FTC figure counts reports filed, not the total number of victims. When sources disagree, I say so instead of picking one. I re-check time-sensitive figures, such as tax thresholds, fees, deadlines and prices, before publishing and whenever I update the page.
What “Tested” Means Here
I only describe something as tested if I tested it, and the article says what I did and when.
Today’s guides are research-based: I read the official guidance and source material, compare them, and explain them. They are labelled that way and are not presented as lab tests.
If I publish a product review based on my own testing, the article will state the devices and operating systems used, the plan and date, which checks I ran (for example, speed, DNS and WebRTC leak checks), and what I couldn’t test. If a review isn’t based on my own testing, it will say so at the top.
I don’t invent experience, quotes, expert opinions, case studies or customer stories.
How Articles Are Written and Checked
- I research each article, draft it, and edit it for accuracy and clarity before it goes live.
- Claims about laws, taxes and money are checked against the agency’s current page or form.
- Where I recommend an action, the article states what it does and what it doesn’t solve.
- I cover free options, such as credit freezes, IRS Identity Protection PINs and FTC reporting, before paid ones because they are often what a reader actually needs.
Use of AI tools: I use AI tools to help with research and drafting. I’m responsible for checking each claim against the cited sources, editing the text, and ensuring everything published is accurate. AI tools are not a source, and I don’t publish an AI-generated claim I haven’t verified.
Updates and Corrections
- Every article shows a last updated date. I change that date only when I’ve re-checked the content and changed something that matters, not for cosmetic edits.
- I re-check pages that depend on laws, tax rules, thresholds or prices at least every six months and before each U.S. tax season.
- Corrections: if I get something wrong, I fix it. For material errors, I add a note at the bottom of the page saying what changed and when.
- To report an error, email hello@identitybastion.com with the page link and the source that shows the problem.
Independence and Affiliate Links
IdentityBastion earns money through affiliate links. If you click a link and buy, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details are on the Affiliate Disclosure page.
- Commissions don’t change what I recommend or how I rank products.
- I don’t accept payment to publish, rank or change an article.
- I say who a product is for and who should skip it, including when the answer is “you don’t need it.”
- When an article contains affiliate links, it says so near the links.
Frameworks I Create
Where I create a framework, such as the IdentityBastion Exposure Framework, it is labelled as an IdentityBastion editorial tool. It is not an official, government or industry standard.
What This Site Is Not
IdentityBastion is educational. It isn’t a law firm, tax preparer, financial advisor or security consultancy, and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. For decisions about your own situation, talk to a licensed professional.
Contact
Corrections, questions or concerns: hello@identitybastion.com