Frequently asked questions

Learn more about Straight Arrow’s mission, policies, app, subscription offerings and technical support.

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Why trust us?

What is Straight Arrow’s mission?

Straight Arrow is on a mission to raise the bar on journalism in a time of media bias and mistrust. We exist to empower and equip you with the facts behind the stories dividing Americans. We’re fearlessly exposing the hard truths on the stories that matter most to you. No manipulation. No bias. No agenda.

Read more about why Straight Arrow was founded.

What is Straight Arrow’s editorial policy? 

We dig deep to provide the full context behind the stories we cover, seeking multiple sources and focusing on verifiable facts. Read more about our editorial mission and corrections policy.

How do I know Straight Arrow is unbiased?

Independent experts at AllSides, Ad Fontes Media and NewsGuard, who regularly evaluate the bias and reliability of news outlets, have verified our unbiased, fact-based approach.

AllSides has recognized Straight Arrow with a Center rating for four years in a row through their Media Bias Audit™, which includes input from over 600 Americans across the political spectrum and a multipartisan expert panel.

Ad Fontes describes Straight Arrow’s reporting as “Middle or Balanced Bias,” validating our commitment to unbiased, straight facts.

NewsGuard has given Straight Arrow a perfect 100/100 reliability rating and confirmed that Straight Arrow adheres to all nine of the organization’s standards for credibility and transparency.

How does Straight Arrow work with Ground News?

We work closely with Ground News to power our real-time Media Miss tool, which spotlights the stories right- and left-leaning outlets aren’t covering. Ground News’ technology collects headlines for a particular topic from hundreds of outlets.

Who are Straight Arrow’s owners?

We are privately owned by our CEO Joe Ricketts, who, along with our advisory board and journalists who work here, believes that unbiased news should be the standard, not the exception.

Our coverage

What topics does Straight Arrow cover?

We focus on topics affecting all Americans, especially those where polarization and misinformation have made it extremely difficult to get the full story. Our expert reporters are focused on politics, law and order, cost of living, government oversight, immigration, education, social issues, health, energy, online privacy, food and media.

Who are Straight Arrow’s reporters? Are all of them human?

Straight Arrow is built by journalists—all human!—who come from media outlets across the ideological spectrum. We work across political lines and fight fear with facts. You can see our full team here.

How does Straight Arrow use AI?

Straight Arrow prohibits the use of artificial intelligence to assist in the creation of news articles, fact cards or imagery. Our only exception is if AI-produced content is central to the story itself (such as to show examples of AI-generated content in a story about AI tools); such usage will always be disclosed to our readers. AI does power some of our technology, including generating audio recordings of our stories and powering aggregation tools on our articles (such as Media Landscape, Why This Story Matters and Get the Big Picture).

How do I suggest a story?

We welcome ideas from readers. Use our Contact form to submit story suggestions.

How do I report an error or request a correction?

Please use our Contact form. Provide the article title, URL and a description of your concern. Our editorial team reviews all correction requests.

Why didn’t Straight Arrow cover a particular story?

Editorial decisions are based on news judgment, available reporting resources, relevance to readers, and the ability to verify facts.

Where to read Straight Arrow

Downloading the app

Our stories are available on san.com and the Straight Arrow app, available on both Android and iOS. Download the app here.

What newsletters does Straight Arrow offer?

Our daily Unbiased Updates newsletter features our best and biggest stories every morning. Sign up for free.

We also offer weekly newsletters that are exclusive to our subscribers, covering Privacy, Health and Media. Become a premium member to get full access to these newsletters.

Can I read Straight Arrow without ads?

Premium subscribers receive an ad-free experience on our website and app. Subscribe now to remove ads.

Registration and SUBSCRIPTION

Why does Straight Arrow have a paywall?

We have introduced a paywall to support independent, reliable journalism that’s truly for our readers.

Today’s internet makes it harder for high-quality news to reach people. Social platforms reward outrage and clickbait. Search engines are showing less news. And AI tools often reuse reporting without supporting the publishers behind it.

That environment doesn’t reward the kind of work we do.

We want to take a different approach: one built with our readers, not driven by algorithms. Our premium offering reflects what you’ve told us you want, including:

  • Unlimited access to all articles.
  • Deep-dive newsletters (focused on Media Miss, Health and Privacy).
  • Exclusive extra episodes of Unbiased Updates.
  • Subscriber-only podcasts.
  • Q&As with our journalists.
  • An ad-free reading experience.

Subscribe now for unlimited access to deeply reported journalism, free from motives, bias, or agenda. Annual subscribers will save $55.50 (a 36% discount) compared to the monthly price.

Why do I need to register?

For limited access to our website or app, you can register for a free account. You can do so from any article you visit, and from the Sign in button at the top of every page. Registered users can read up to five free articles per month, with some exceptions. For unlimited access to all articles, become a premium member.

How do I log in?

When registering for the first time or logging in, you will first provide your email address. Then, you’ll be prompted to enter the code you received in your inbox. (You can also click the sign-in link from that email.)

Why do I need to verify my email when I’m registering for the first time?

We ask all new registrants to click a verification link so we know you’re a real person! The internet may be overrun with bots, but we care about connecting with our human readers.

Can I sign in on multiple devices?

Yes! You can access Straight Arrow from the same account on both our app and website. Just sign in using the same email address, and enter the verification code to log in.

Can I change my email address?

Yes. Please send us a request via our contact form.

How do I delete my account?

Should the need arise, you can delete your account by visiting My Account.

Common Billing questions

What payment methods do you accept?

You can subscribe using all major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Can I change my subscription plan from monthly to annual?

You can change your subscription plan anytime from the My Account page.

Do you offer discounts for annual subscriptions?

Yes! Subscribing annually normally saves you 36% compared to monthly billing.

When will I be charged?

Monthly subscriptions renew on the same day each month, based on when you first subscribed. Annual subscriptions renew each year on the same day you first subscribed. You will receive an email in advance of your renewal with further information.

What’s up with sales tax?

Many jurisdictions require digital subscriptions to be taxed. Whether tax applies depends on your location and local laws.

Can my company purchase subscriptions?

We’d love to hear from you. Please contact us to discuss organization or business subscription needs.

I’m outside the US. Can I subscribe?

The Straight Arrow premium subscription is exclusive to readers in the United States.

I paid, but I can’t access stories.

First, check that you’re logged into our website or app. You can do this via the Sign in button in the top-right of the screen. Next, visit your My Account page and confirm you have an active subscription. If you think anything is in error, please contact us with more details.

I think I was charged incorrectly.

Please reach out to us, and we’ll address the issue as quickly as we can.

I’ve changed my mind and want to cancel. How do I do that?

Navigate to My Account on our website; you’ll see an option to cancel your subscription. If you subscribed through our app, you can manage your subscription through Apple or Google’s platform settings. Once you cancel, you will not be charged again, and will continue to have access to premium content until the end of your billing cycle. No hard feelings, but we hope you’ll be back soon!

I subscribed through Apple or Google, but my subscription is not recognized.

Use the Restore Purchase feature in the app. If the issue persists, please contact us.

Do you offer refunds?

Refund requests are reviewed according to the subscription terms and the purchase method used.

Accessing Exclusive Newsletters and Audio

How do I sign up for your subscriber-only newsletters?

Visit our Newsletters page or your My Account page to adjust which newsletters you receive. All new paying subscribers will receive our exclusive newsletters.

How do I listen to your subscriber-only podcast, Off Script?

You can listen to every episode on our website and app. You can also access episodes within Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms by adding your personalized podcast URL to those services. You can find the URL and more information on how to add it in the Podcasts section of your My Account page.

I am not receiving newsletters, even though I signed up.

Check your spam folder, add newsletters@newsletters.san.com to your address book and verify your newsletter preferences on your My Account page.

What information do you collect?

Information collection and usage are described in our Privacy Policy.

Can I request deletion of my personal information?

Yes. Data deletion and privacy requests may be submitted through our Contact form.

Do you sell my personal information?

Our Privacy Policy details how we sell information related to readers’ activity on Straight Arrow products. To opt out of the sale/sharing through cookies and targeted advertising, please visit Your Privacy Choices.