Code of ethics

Preamble

Scienza in rete abides by all the codes of ethics issued by the Italian National Order of Journalists, which oblige journalists to respect fundamental rights (e.g. those of minors, migrants, detainees), to protect privacy, to ensure fair compensation for contributors and — more generally — to uphold sound professional ethics, in line with the laws and regulations published at odg.it/codice-deontologico-delle-giornaliste-e-dei-giornalisti.

In particular, Scienza in rete complies with the following principles:

Independence Independence of the publication and of its journalists from political power, from pressure groups and — in particular — from economic interests (for example, in the medical field, from pharmaceutical industry pressure).

Conflict of interest Contributors and members of the Scienza in rete editorial staff must declare any conflicts of interest relating to the topic on which they are writing; this declaration, where conflicts exist, is placed at the foot of the published article.

Social commitment Scienza in rete pays particular attention to social commitment, which in the informational field translates into giving due coverage to social, cultural, civic and environmental issues, supporting modern and advanced solutions designed to reduce inequalities, unjustified privileges and parasitic positions, and to promote progress toward a fairer and more balanced society.

Impartiality Scienza in rete abides by the principle expressed by the Council of Europe: «News must be disseminated respecting the principle of truthfulness, after being the subject of rigorous verification, and must be reported, described and presented with impartiality» (Council of Europe).

Completeness and intelligibility Scienza in rete pursues completeness of information, not omitting — to the extent possible — information relevant to correct reporting (e.g. in the pharmaceutical field, the risks of a medicine or its price). At the same time we value synthesis: short articles, a clear hierarchy of the news, easy links between pieces, and simple reading paths.

Accuracy Accuracy is achieved by checking facts and sources (which as a rule must be cited), using more than one source unless that is impossible, clearly distinguishing first-hand and second-hand sources, and avoiding exaggerations and sensationalism.

Drafted and approved at the General Assembly of Zadig srl, held in Milan on 28 October 2019.