L.A. TACO Ethics and Corrections Policy

Last updated: July 2026

Our Commitment

L.A. TACO is an independent, member-supported news organization covering food, culture, and civic life in Los Angeles. Our members fund our journalism so that no advertiser, politician, business, or institution can. This policy explains the standards we hold ourselves to and how we correct our mistakes.

Editorial Independence

• Our newsroom makes all editorial decisions. Advertisers, sponsors, foundation funders, and members have no influence over what we cover or how we cover it.
• Sponsored or paid content is clearly labeled as such and is not produced by our newsroom staff.
• Foundation grants may support coverage of general subject areas, but funders do not review, approve, or influence any story before publication. We disclose our institutional funders publicly.
• Our journalists do not accept payment, gifts, travel, meals, or services of value from any person, business, or institution they cover, beyond ordinary reporting practices such as accepting a sample tasting during a restaurant visit.

Conflicts of Interest

• Staff must disclose to their editor any financial, personal, romantic, familial, or professional relationship with a subject of coverage — before reporting begins.
• When a disclosed relationship exists, the staffer is recused from that coverage. When recusal is not practical and the story is in the public interest, the relationship is disclosed to readers within the story itself.
• Staff do not work for, consult for, or take paid speaking engagements from organizations, businesses, or officials they cover, or that are the subject of ongoing L.A. TACO coverage.
• Outside work is permitted with prior disclosure, provided it does not compromise our independence or credibility.
• Staff do not participate in partisan political campaigns, hold political office, or donate to candidates or committees covered by L.A. TACO. Journalists retain their right to vote and to their private beliefs.

Sourcing

• We identify sources by name whenever possible.
• We grant anonymity only when a source faces a credible risk of retaliation, legal jeopardy, immigration consequences, or physical harm — and when the information cannot be obtained another way. Anonymity is approved by an editor, not granted unilaterally by a reporter.
• When we use anonymous sources, we tell readers why anonymity was granted.
• We do not pay sources for information.
• We give subjects of critical coverage a meaningful opportunity to respond before publication.

Immigration and Vulnerable Communities

Much of our reporting involves people whose safety depends on how we handle their information. We take additional care with identifying details, photographs, and location information when subjects face immigration enforcement, housing insecurity, or state violence. We may withhold names, blur faces, or omit locations when publication would create a foreseeable risk of harm and the public interest does not require disclosure.

Accuracy

• We verify facts before publishing. When we cannot verify something, we say so.
• We do not fabricate quotes, composite characters, or scenes.
• Photographs and video are not digitally altered beyond standard adjustments to exposure, color, and cropping that do not change the content of the image. Illustrations and AI-generated imagery, if used, are labeled.
• We attribute information we did not gather ourselves and link to original sources.

Corrections

We correct our errors promptly, transparently, and permanently. We do not quietly delete or unpublish work to avoid accountability.

Corrections. When we publish a factual error, we fix it in the story and append a correction note at the bottom stating what was wrong, what is now accurate, and the date of the correction.

Clarifications. When a story is factually accurate but unclear or open to misinterpretation, we add a clarification note explaining what was ambiguous.

Updates. When new information materially changes a story, we update it and note the date and nature of the update.

Retractions. When a story's central claim is unsupportable, we retract it. The retraction remains posted in place of the original, with an explanation.

Social media. When an error appears in a post on our social channels, we correct or delete the post and issue a correction in the same channel.

Significant corrections — those affecting a story's central claim, or involving a named individual's reputation — are also noted in our newsletter.

We do not remove published stories on request. In rare cases where continued publication creates a serious, demonstrable risk to someone's safety, we may remove identifying details and will note that the story was amended.

How to Request a Correction

Email tips@lataco.com with the story's headline or link, the specific passage you believe is inaccurate, and any supporting information. We aim to respond within two business days. If you disagree with our decision, you may escalate to the Editor in Chief at editor@lataco.com.

Ownership and Funding

L.A. TACO is published by Taco Intl LLC and is owned by its founders. We are funded primarily by paying members, with additional revenue from advertising, merchandise, events, and foundation grants. Our institutional funders are listed at lataco.com/funders. No single funder's contribution creates an obligation of coverage.

Accountability

Questions about this policy, or concerns about our conduct, may be directed to editor@lataco.com.