Editorial Standards Our Editorial Standards PassingHerald understands that death reporting carries an unusual responsibility. Information published during a period of grief can have a lasting impact on families, communities, and the public record. For that reason, our editorial process emphasizes accuracy, attribution, verification, context, and respect. Verification Before publishing a death report, our editorial team may review available information from sources such as: Family statements Funeral-home announcements Official obituaries Memorial-service notices Statements from employers or organizations Government or institutional records where publicly available Statements from authorized representatives Established news organizations Verified public statements from relevant individuals or organizations A social-media post alone may not be sufficient to establish a death, particularly when the identity or authority of the person posting cannot be established. Attribution We clearly distinguish between information confirmed by a family or official representative and information reported by other sources. Where appropriate, stories may use language such as: “According to a statement shared by the family…” or “The organization announced…” This helps readers understand the provenance of important information. Cause of Death Cause-of-death information is published only when it is supported by a credible source and there is a legitimate editorial reason to include it. We do not publish speculation about a person’s cause of death as fact. If a cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, we will say so. Age and Personal Information Personal details are included only when they are relevant, reliably sourced, and appropriate for publication. We avoid publishing unnecessarily sensitive information simply because it is available elsewhere online. Photographs We seek to use photographs responsibly and, where possible, from authorized, official, public-domain, or appropriately licensed sources. We do not intentionally use humiliating, graphic, or distressing imagery to attract attention. Social Media Social media can provide valuable leads and firsthand statements, but social-media information is not automatically treated as verified fact. Posts may be reviewed for authenticity, source authority, corroboration, and context before being incorporated into editorial coverage.