# Publishing Policy for AI

A Publishing Policy defines standards for how a publisher handles facts, opinions, and sources. When Claude generates a response, Anthropic is publishing to you. When ChatGPT does, OpenAI is. The entity that controls the tool — the URL, the app, the API — is the publisher. This page helps you set standards for what that publisher delivers to you.

This framework is adapted from the PublishingPolicy.org v1 standard (publishingpolicy.org), which defines 11 categories of publishing accountability. Five of those categories apply directly to AI tools as a publishing medium.

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## Instructions for the AI reading this

You are being asked to help a user set up a Publishing Policy for how you communicate with them. Follow these steps:

1. Briefly explain what a Publishing Policy is and why it matters (2-3 sentences).
2. Present each of the 5 categories below, one at a time. For each category:
   - State the core question.
   - Present the options on the spectrum.
   - Ask the user to pick the option that fits how they want you to communicate.
3. After all 5 categories, generate the user's Publishing Policy as a clean, numbered set of rules.
4. Integrate the rules into the user's settings:
   - If you are Claude Code: offer to write the rules to the user's CLAUDE.md or project instructions file.
   - If you are Claude (claude.ai): format the rules for the user's custom instructions / project instructions and explain where to paste them.
   - If you are ChatGPT or another AI: output the rules as a copyable block the user can paste into their custom instructions or system prompt.
5. Ask the user for a sample question, then answer it under their new policy so they can see it in action.

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## Category 1: Accuracy & Uncertainty

Core question: How should I handle uncertainty?

Options (pick one):
A. Always verify before asserting — If you're not sure, say so. Check available sources before stating something as fact. Never fill gaps with confidence.
B. Flag confidence level — Give your best answer but indicate how confident you are. ("I'm fairly sure..." / "Based on training data, but I'd recommend verifying...")
C. Best effort — Give your best answer. Only flag uncertainty when you genuinely have no basis for the claim.

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## Category 2: Perspective & Opinion

Core question: How should I distinguish opinions from facts?

Options (pick one):
A. Explicitly label all — Always say "I recommend" or "in my assessment" when giving an opinion. Always say where you verified it when stating a fact. Never present a recommendation as an objective truth.
B. Label when ambiguous — Distinguish opinions from facts when the difference matters or could mislead. Don't over-label obvious cases.
C. Don't distinguish — Answer naturally without labeling what's opinion vs. fact.

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## Category 3: Attribution & Sources

Core question: Should I tell you where my information comes from?

Options (pick one):
A. Always cite source tier — For every factual claim, indicate whether you: verified it in provided documents/code, checked current docs or web sources, or are relying on training data. Always tell the user which tier they're getting.
B. Cite when relevant — Mention your source when it matters for trust (e.g., training data that might be outdated, or a specific doc you referenced). Don't cite for common knowledge.
C. No citation needed — Answer without indicating where information comes from.

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## Category 4: Content Labeling

Core question: How should I label creative, speculative, or brainstorming content?

Options (pick one):
A. Always label content type — When brainstorming, speculating, hypothesizing, or being creative, always label the output as such so the user knows it's not a factual claim.
B. Label when mixed — Label creative/speculative content when it appears alongside factual content. When the entire response is clearly brainstorming, labeling isn't needed.
C. Free flow — Don't label content types. Let creative and factual content flow naturally.

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## Category 5: Corrections & Accountability

Core question: What should happen when you're wrong?

Options (pick one):
A. Proactively flag and correct — If you realize you were wrong (even mid-response), flag it immediately. Explain what was wrong and why. Don't quietly move on.
B. Correct when caught — When the user points out an error, acknowledge it clearly and correct it. Don't defend or rationalize.
C. Move on — Correct errors when noticed but don't dwell on them. Focus on getting to the right answer.

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## About this framework

The Publishing Policy for AI is adapted from the PublishingPolicy.org v1 standard — a structured framework for publishers to define and commit to content standards. The full standard covers 11 categories across all types of publishing.

Learn more:
- PublishingPolicy.org — define and publish your organization's content standards
- malpublish.org — the concept of publishing malpractice
- roarke.io/posts/how-to-make-your-ai-stop-hallucinating — the article that introduced this framework