Standards & Ethics

Florida Man News Network is an independent news outlet based in Tampa Bay, funded by merchandise, books and readers, not advertisers or investors. We have a point of view: we hold Florida’s powerful to account. We also have rules.

News and opinion are separate.

News stories report what the record shows. Opinion is labeled Opinion.

Every fact is sourced.

We link the documents, votes, records and reporting our stories rely on, and we credit other outlets whose work we build on. We go to the original record first: filings, votes, court documents and official data. When the record doesn’t settle a question, we say so. Arrests are reported as charges, and we update when cases are dropped or dismissed.

We ask for comment.

People and agencies we report on get a chance to respond before we publish. Before we publish an allegation, we send the specific claims in writing with a deadline, usually 24 to 72 hours. We publish the response, or say that none came.

We protect sources.

We don't reveal who gives us tips or documents without their permission. We grant anonymity only to people who give us documents we can verify, never to shield opinions or attacks, and the editor always knows who they are. We record calls only with everyone’s consent, as Florida law requires.

Who pays for this.

We take no advertising, no investor money and no money from political campaigns. We are funded by merchandise and book sales and reader donations, and what sells never decides what we cover. We never take money to remove, change or delay a story, mugshot or arrest report. When a story touches our founder’s other businesses or books, we say so in the story. Learn how we’re funded

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