How we check numbers
Every number, sourced
Every factual claim traces to a primary document: an SEC filing, a court record, a government dataset, an official report, or the company's own release. News coverage helps us find stories; it is not where our numbers come from.
Each film keeps a claims sheet: the claim, the document, the page, and its status. A number that is not on the sheet does not go on screen or on the page. You can download every sheet from the film's page.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Verified | We opened the primary document and recorded the figure and the page. |
| Partly supported | We only have secondary support. We name the outlet in the text and never state it as our own fact. |
| Cut | Removed from the film or page; kept on the sheet for the record. |
What kind of fact it is
An allegation in a lawsuit is written as an allegation. A court's finding is stated as a finding, with the court named. A company's own numbers are attributed to the company. Statistics carry the series name and period, and we say when they have been revised.
Neutral by design
We do not give verdicts on companies, parties, the administration, courts or agencies. Conclusions come from the data and the documents. Loaded words appear only as the claim being tested, in quotes.
Charts and data
Charts are drawn from the same files you can download under each chart. We note when figures are not adjusted for inflation, and when a measure (like USDA's beef price spreads) is a model rather than one company's books.
Images and AI
Real filing pages are shown as they are, with highlights. Some films use AI-generated miniature scenes for illustration only: they show no real people or premises, and they are disclosed. Our films are narrated by an AI voice reading a script we write and check.
Money topics
When we write about personal finance, we explain how things work, with sources. We do not tell readers what to buy, sell, borrow or invest in. This is general information, not financial advice.
Corrections
We fix errors quickly and visibly. See Corrections.