Content & AI Policy
Our Content & AI Policy.
At Fogbottom, I believe good information should be useful, accurate, accessible and honest about how it was created.
Artificial intelligence has become part of how I research, write, develop software and manage this website. I don't believe using AI automatically makes something better or worse. What matters is the quality of the finished work, its accuracy and the care taken in producing it.
I also believe visitors deserve to know how the information they read is prepared.
How I Use AI
I use AI tools to assist with research, organizing information, developing ideas, preparing drafts, editing and checking material.
AI allows me to accomplish work that would otherwise take considerably longer. More importantly, it frees up time I can devote to researching subjects, verifying facts, improving explanations, editing and maintaining the overall quality of Fogbottom's content.
That doesn't mean everything AI produces is correct. AI can misunderstand questions, make mistakes, invent information and present outdated facts with considerable confidence.
For that reason, I don't consider an AI-generated answer proof that something is true.
Research and Accuracy
My goal is to provide reliable, practical information, particularly when discussing writing, publishing, software and the many decisions independent authors face.
I make an effort to check factual claims against trustworthy sources, especially when information involves costs, publishing requirements, copyright, technical specifications or policies that may change.
Where appropriate, articles will include sources, references and dates indicating when important information was checked.
Despite these efforts, errors can occur. If you find something inaccurate or outdated, I welcome corrections.
Original, Assisted and Contributed Content
Fogbottom may publish several kinds of material:
- Content I write myself.
- Original articles developed with AI assistance.
- Articles drafted with AI and subsequently reviewed and edited.
- Material contributed by other writers.
- Previously published work reproduced with appropriate permission, licensing and attribution.
My intention is to distinguish these approaches honestly where that distinction is relevant.
I will not knowingly present another person's work as my own or reproduce copyrighted material without the necessary rights or permissions.
Books and Authors
Fogbottom's Authors Directory welcomes independently published books, including those written with AI assistance or generated using AI tools.
I do not automatically favour or reject a book because of the tools used to create it.
Books and listings are subject to the same applicable content, quality and submission guidelines regardless of how they were produced.
My aim is to give independent authors a fair opportunity to be discovered by readers.
Recommendations and Affiliate Relationships
Fogbottom may eventually include affiliate links or other clearly identified commercial relationships.
Some links may earn me a commission if you make a purchase through them. This comes at no additional cost to you. Where affiliate relationships exist, I will clearly disclose them.
Any revenue earned through these arrangements is intended to help offset the cost of maintaining Fogbottom and providing free information, resources and software.
Affiliate arrangements will not determine my recommendations, comparisons or rankings.
My objective is to help visitors make informed decisions, not steer them toward a product or service simply because it pays a commission.
Responsibility and Transparency
I take responsibility for the material I choose to publish on Fogbottom, including content prepared with AI assistance.
That means reviewing information, correcting errors when identified, respecting the work of others and making a genuine effort to provide something worthwhile.
Fogbottom is an ongoing project, and its content will grow and improve over time.
The tools I use may change, but the underlying principle will remain the same:
The value of information comes from its accuracy, usefulness and integrity, not simply from whether a human or a machine helped put the words on the page.