What we do and how we work

Note: 360info supplies content to other publishers via our newswire service. This website is a publicly accessible repository. Content published on this website is subject to a 2-day delay. If you are a publisher, register to request advance access to our content.

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At a time of low trust in news and widespread misinformation, 360info delivers verified and reliable information to as many publishing, broadcasting and civic society outlets as possible. It is not a breaking news or commentary service nor a consumer-facing website driven by clicks. 360 operates as a “wire agency” supplying contextual and explanatory news features ready-for-publication on other publisher’s outlets at no cost under Creative Commons.

• 360info addresses the world’s key challenges as broadly defined by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. But goes further by providing research-driven solutions.
• 360info is an independent nonprofit public information service with headquarters in Melbourne.
• 360info collaborates with many experts, but commissions only from academic authors with relevant and demonstrable research expertise.

As an independent not-for-profit, all 360info content is free to republish, edit, remix or translate under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. A Charter governs the transparency, accuracy and reliability of our content. You can reach us at info@360info.org

Process and AI policy

To ensure a diversity of perspectives around a topic, our Special Reports are a collection of articles written by a number of expert scholars simultaneously chosen from multiple countries.

Our content creation process starts with our editors working with advisers to jointly decide what to cover and how.

Our focus is to better explain world challenges, and offer (where applicable) research-driven solutions and best practice.

We seek advice from leading researchers and experts (sometimes non-academic) in the field, with a focus on balancing Global South representation. Those experts ensure our articles are on topics that are relevant to the global community and based upon current, agreed research information.

Once we agree an article brief, our editors commission. Our professional editors edit to ensure readable, accessible, high-quality news and analysis stories in collaboration with experts. Authors have final sign-off.

To build confidence in the reliability of our content, every article discloses the author’s research expertise, who funds the research, and any real or potential conflicts. Authors and editors are subject to our Charter and Editorial Guidelines.

The step-by-step process by which 360info content is generated is as follows:

1. Author identification and selection: 360info accepts contributions only from the international university and research community. Editors identify prospective authors through desktop research and peer recommendations in order to find the most appropriate person to write on a given topic. Editors are responsible for ensuring that the author has a current affiliation with a university and is writing within their area of expertise.

2. The agreed brief:  The author and editor discuss the proposed article to agree on the topic of the contribution and the areas to be addressed. 360info editors may use AI to assist with rapid research scoping, but the final decision on what is covered in an article rests with the author. This discussion concludes with an agreed brief for the article.

3. Word count and deadline:   The editor provides the author with a word count and deadline, along with the necessary information on stylistic requirements for writing for 360info. We edit to the Reuters house style. The Economist style guide is also a useful reference.

4. AI disclosure:   Once a draft is ready, the author submits the article for editorial review. Authors are required to confirm that their articles are original contributions. If AI has been used to assist in the writing process, this must be disclosed.

5. Editorial review:   Editors work collaboratively with authors to ensure contributions are checked and edited, with appropriate sourcing and attribution, to prepare each article for publication. Editors may use AI tools to assist with editing in order to speed up the process and improve readability.

6. Author sign-off:   Once editing is complete, the article is returned to the author for checking and approval. The author must also sign the Author Approval Form prior to publication. After this, the article is queued for publication on the 360info platform.

Note: Our current procedures are detailed here.