Content Policy

1. Purpose and Mission

The Virginia Consumer is a social advocacy, media, and news aggregation platform owned and operated by The Free Soil Project. Our mission is to champion transparency, consumer protection, and regulatory reform within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Through the strategic dissemination of information and media, we aim to mobilize Virginia residents, hold government and industry accountable, and advocate for policy changes that serve the public interest.

2. Aggregated vs. Original Content

To fulfill our advocacy mission, we utilize a multi-media approach:

  • Original Advocacy & Reporting: Investigative articles, opinion pieces, video commentary, and policy analysis produced by The Free Soil Project team.

  • Aggregated Content: Selected reports from news outlets, government filings, and independent researchers. Aggregated content is used to provide context for our advocacy efforts and is always credited to the original source.

We do not claim ownership over aggregated articles. We utilize summaries, excerpts, and citations in accordance with Fair Use principles to further public education and social debate.

3. Attribution & Sourcing

  • All aggregated content is credited to the original publisher, including the author’s name (if available) and a direct link to the original source.

  • We prioritize linking to primary sources, such as official Virginia legislative documents and regulatory filings, to ensure our community has access to raw data.

  • Third-party media (images, video, audio) is used in compliance with copyright laws, utilizing licensed, royalty-free, or "fair use" materials for the purpose of commentary and criticism.

4. Advocacy & Editorial Standards

  • Mission-Driven Commentary: Unlike traditional neutral news outlets, our original content often takes a stance on issues of public importance to further our advocacy goals.

  • Labeling: Opinion pieces, editorials, and advocacy "Calls to Action" are clearly distinguished from objective news summaries.

  • Fact-Based Foundation: While we are an advocacy-first organization, we strive for accuracy. Content is reviewed to ensure that our policy positions are supported by verifiable facts and data.

5. User Engagement & Community Action

We encourage our community to engage with our content through discussion and grassroots mobilization.

  • Community Guidelines: All user engagement, including comments and forum posts, must adhere to our [Community Guidelines].

  • No Tolerance Policy: We do not tolerate the spread of intentional misinformation, hate speech, or harassment that undermines our mission or harms our community.

6. Corrections & Updates

Transparency is a core value of The Free Soil Project. If an error is identified in our original reporting or in the way we have summarized aggregated content, we will issue a correction or update as soon as possible.

7. Disclaimer

The Virginia Consumer is a platform for advocacy and information. While we strive for accuracy, we do not guarantee the accuracy of third-party content.

  • Not Professional Advice: Content on this site should not be interpreted as legal, medical, or financial advice.

  • External Links: Links to third-party sites are provided for advocacy and educational purposes; we do not endorse the entirety of the content found on external domains.