Last updated: December 15, 2025
Welcome to the websites, applications, newsletters, and services provided by Wsider Media Inc. (“Wsider,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), including without limitation https://wsider.com and any related digital properties (the “Sites”).
Scope of This Policy
These guidelines apply to all Wsider employees, editors, journalists, contributors, freelancers, contractors, and anyone involved in the creation, review, publication, or monetization of Wsider content.
Purpose of This Policy
Wsider’s core mission is to deliver independent, accurate, and trustworthy journalism. This Conflict of Interest Policy is designed to protect the impartiality and credibility of our reporting and to ensure that editorial decisions are never influenced, or perceived to be influenced, by personal, financial, political, or commercial interests.
All staff members are expected to read this policy carefully and to consider how it applies to their responsibilities.
Speaking on Behalf of Wsider
Staff members must not disclose confidential or non-public information about Wsider’s operations, editorial decisions, internal policies, business strategy, or future plans unless expressly authorized.
Employees must not represent personal opinions as official Wsider positions.
Disclosure and Financial Conduct Requirements
All Wsider employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that leaves no reasonable basis for suspicion that:
- An employee, a family member, or an associate profited financially from non-public information obtained through Wsider work before it became public;
- Editorial decisions, coverage timing, or the omission of coverage were influenced by a desire to affect the price or perception of a company, security, product, or service;
- An employee’s personal financial interests create pressure or temptation to violate editorial independence;
- An employee is beholden to advertisers, sponsors, sources, or commercial partners.
Investment Restrictions
- Employees who regularly cover business, finance, markets, technology, or regulated industries may not engage in speculative trading, including:
- Short-term trading
- Options or futures trading
- Short selling securities
- No Wsider employee may engage in short selling of securities.
- Senior management, editorial staff, and advertising personnel may not engage in short-term trading of equity securities or non-investment-grade fixed income securities and must generally hold such securities for a minimum of six (6) months, unless prior written approval is granted.
- These restrictions do not apply to diversified, publicly available mutual funds or index-based investment products.
- Editorial staff assigned to cover a specific company or industry may not buy or sell securities of companies operating substantially within that industry, nor may immediate family members do so.
Promotions, Links, and Commercial Relationships
It is strictly prohibited for any Wsider staff member to accept cash, gifts, services, or anything of value in exchange for:
- Favorable coverage
- Promotional placement
- Links within editorial content
Wsider may publish affiliate links, sponsored content, or advertising partnerships only when clearly disclosed to readers in accordance with applicable laws and internal policies.
If staff members receive travel expenses, review products, event access, or other benefits in connection with coverage, such relationships must be disclosed transparently when relevant.
Freelance Work and Media Appearances
With prior approval, staff members may engage in freelance writing or media appearances that do not directly compete with Wsider or compromise its editorial independence.
- Work for competing media organizations is generally not permitted.
- Staff may appear in interviews, panels, podcasts, or broadcasts related to their work, provided such appearances do not imply they are speaking on behalf of Wsider unless explicitly authorized.
- Freelance activities must not interfere with normal job responsibilities.
Borrowed Equipment and Review Materials
Staff members who receive products, equipment, vehicles, or services for review or evaluation must return them promptly unless otherwise approved.
- Review products may not be sold, transferred, or used for personal gain.
- Books sent for review may be retained but not resold or reproduced; such items are treated as press materials.
Books, Content Rights, and Outside Publications
Any staff member intending to write a book, long-form publication, or external content based on reporting, access, or materials obtained through Wsider must notify editorial leadership in advance.
All content created for Wsider in the course of employment remains the exclusive property of Wsider unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Voting and Political Activity
Wsider encourages civic engagement, provided such activities:
- Do not interfere with job performance
- Do not imply Wsider endorsement or support
- Do not compromise perceived editorial neutrality
Wsider does not participate in partisan political activity and does not contribute to political campaigns or parties.
Editorial staff and senior management with editorial influence must refrain from partisan political activity, including:
- Campaign donations
- Fundraising
- Public endorsements
- Partisan social media advocacy
Compliance and Enforcement
Compliance with this policy is mandatory.
- All employees must acknowledge and attest to understanding this policy upon hiring and periodically thereafter.
- Violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Employees who become aware of an actual or potential conflict of interest — whether involving themselves or others — must promptly notify a supervisor or editor.
Wsider strictly prohibits retaliation against anyone who raises a good-faith concern.
When in doubt, ask.
Contact
For questions or disclosures related to conflicts of interest:
Email: ethics@wsider.com
Editorial Oversight: editor@wsider.com
