Platformer is an independent media company supported completely by its readers. As such, I strive to maintain the highest standard of professional ethics. To that end:

• When I make a mistake, I strive to correct the error promptly and disclose the correction to readers.
• I maintain the anonymity of my sources when asked to do so and when they are sharing information I believe to be in the public interest.
• I do not, and would never, accept payment to write about any company on Platformer. Nor will I accept paid consulting assignments or speaking opportunities at the companies I cover.
• I maintain a jobs board in partnership with Pallet. To the extent possible, I have outsourced the operations of the board to Pallet. Read more about the board and the ethical considerations around it on this page.
• I do not hold any individual stocks in any companies, including but not limited to the ones I write about. I do have a 401(k) and other retirement accounts that invest in a wide range of stocks, but I have no control over their contents.
• I do own some stock options in Vox Media, which I worked at from 2013 to 2020. If the company is sold or goes public, I would benefit financially.
• I pay for all of my own travel and expenses while covering company events.
• I do not accept gifts of more than minimal value from companies. I do sometimes keep the odd branded coffee cup, pair of socks, or T-shirt.
• Platformer is hosted on Substack, a platform that I might find the need to cover from time to time. Substack provides me with legal services and a health care subsidy. As it does with all paid newsletters on the platform, Substack takes a 10 percent commission on Platformer revenue. I promise to disclose my relationship with Substack whenever I write about it.
• I may sometimes acquire small amounts of cryptocurrency to better understand and report on companies and trends. I will disclose this when I do so. I will not acquire cryptocurrency for the purposes of trading, staking, or speculation. If, despite my best efforts, my crypto holdings temporarily rise above $1,000 in value, I will disclose this.
• I sometimes accept free trials of paid software to better understand the industry I cover. The same holds true for hardware, although rarely. If I find myself using any review software or hardware on a regular basis, I buy a version for myself.

Questions or concerns? Email casey@platformer.news.

Updated Sept. 19, 2022, to add a policy for crypto ethics.