1. How we source information
Field-led reporting
We prioritise human intelligence and first-hand access. Our work draws on:
- Key informant interviews across government, security, business and civil society
- Local contributors the markets we operate in
- A network built across six+ years of fieldwork in high-risk environments
Desk research
All reporting is grounded in structured review:
- Multilingual media scanning and document analysis
- Regulatory filings, energy/commodity data, diplomatic readouts
- Procurement documents, budget lines and infrastructure data
- Geospatial checks and verification when relevant
Internal databases
We maintain proprietary datasets built since 2017, including:
- Political and armed actor maps
- Energy infrastructure and output tracking
- Leadership, sanctions and institutional timelines
- Historical conflict, security and political patterns
These datasets support both our public work and our Enterprise-level briefings.
2. How we verify information
We apply multi-layered verification to avoid single-source dependencies.
Multi-source confirmation
Where possible, we confirm key details with at least two independent sources. If that’s not possible, we explicitly state uncertainty or confidence levels.
Triangulation
We test claims against:
- Field reporting
- Verified open-source material
- Historical patterns and political incentives
- Satellite or geospatial evidence (when relevant)
- Cross-desk assessments
Red flags we screen for
- Factional leaks
- Disinformation intended to shape external perception
- Exaggerated claims inconsistent with logistics or incentives
- Data spikes that contradict structural realities
- Historically known political or cultural narratives
3. Editorial Process
Every article undergoes internal review by analysts and editors with backgrounds in the UN, BBC, EU institutions and major risk consultancies.
Our process includes:
- Source validation
- Substantive accuracy and verification
- Bias removal
- Do-No-Harm and confidentiality screening
- Final approval
We prioritise clarity, structure and operational relevance.
4. Corrections policy
If we get something wrong, we own it.
If a factual mistake appears in any article:
- A correction note is added at the bottom of the piece
- The change is timestamped
- The original phrasing is preserved unless it risks harm or disclosure
Readers can report errors directly to insights[at]thegeopoliticaldesk[dot]com.
5. Confidentiality & source protection
We follow a non-negotiable commitment to protect sources.
- We never publish personal details, identifiers or operationally sensitive information
- We anonymise roles and locations when necessary
- We store sensitive notes securely and restrict access
- We never reveal the identity of local contributors, fixers, or informants
- We avoid publishing information that could put individuals or communities at risk
If releasing a detail may cause harm, we withhold it even if it weakens the story.
6. What we do NOT do
To protect our integrity and your trust:
- We do not engage in influence campaigns
- We do not run political ads
- We do not published unlabelled sponsored content
- We do not produce analysis for sanctioned entities
- We do not publish anonymous rumours as fact
- We do not chase virality or breaking-news traffic
7. Contact us
If you have questions about our methods, want to report an error or wish to discuss access for your organisation: