Editorial Policy & Testing Methodology
Last Updated: 09/25/2026
This page documents how Siege Technologies produces, evaluates, and corrects its editorial content. It is the reference standard for every article published on this site. If any article contradicts this policy, the policy governs and the article is subject to correction.
1. Editorial Independence
Our editorial team operates independently of commercial relationships. This means:
- Vendors do not review, approve, or preview independent evaluations before publication.
- No vendor can pay to be included, ranked higher, or removed from an independent comparison.
- Affiliate relationships do not influence scores, rankings, or verdicts.
- Sponsored content, when it exists, is clearly labeled and excluded from independent comparison tables.
We do earn affiliate commissions. We disclose this on every monetized page. Independence from vendors and monetization through affiliates are compatible — as long as affiliate relationships never determine outcomes. We enforce this by including non-monetized alternatives in every comparison and by scoring products against a fixed rubric regardless of commission potential.
2. Product Evaluation Methodology
Every product review on this site follows a documented evaluation process. Reviews are scored against a fixed rubric with weighted criteria.
2.1 Evaluation Criteria & Weighting
| Criterion | Weight | What We Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptographic architecture | 20% | Encryption standards (AES-256, ChaCha20, Curve25519), protocol choice, key exchange, client-side vs. server-side encryption |
| Jurisdictional sovereignty | 20% | Country of incorporation (not data center location), CLOUD Act exposure, intelligence-sharing obligations, local privacy statute |
| Key management model | 15% | Provider-managed, BYOK, HYOK, zero-knowledge client-side; escrow and recovery capability |
| Audit & transparency | 15% | Independent security audits, no-logs audits, open-source code availability, published cryptographic documentation |
| Compliance certifications | 10% | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, BSI C5, DORA alignment, GDPR data processing terms |
| Enterprise administration | 10% | Centralized seat management, policy controls, SSO/IAM integration, audit logging |
| Performance & reliability | 10% | Throughput, latency, uptime, geographic coverage, protocol flexibility |
2.2 Testing Environment
Reviews are based on:
- Hands-on evaluation of free tiers, trial accounts, or paid licenses where available
- Review of published cryptographic documentation and audit reports
- Verification of vendor claims against primary sources (regulatory filings, audit certificates, official documentation)
- Structured comparison against at least three competing products in the same category
Where a product could not be hands-on tested, this is disclosed in the review.
2.3 Scoring
Products are scored 1–10 on each criterion, weighted per the table above, and aggregated to a final score. Scores are not adjusted for affiliate potential. A product with a better commission structure does not score higher than one with a weaker structure.
3. Affiliate Disclosure
This site participates in affiliate programs. When a reader clicks certain links and makes a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to the reader.
3.1 How We Disclose
- Above the fold, before the first affiliate link on every monetized page.
- Inline where an affiliate link first appears in the content body.
- In comparison tables, where the affiliate status of each row is indicated.
- With non-monetized alternatives always included where relevant.
3.2 Program Participation
We participate in affiliate programs including, but not limited to: Proton, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and TorGuard. This list is updated as programs are added or discontinued.
We also include products in comparison tables for which we earn no commission — including Mullvad, which refuses all affiliate relationships. These are included because an honest comparison requires them, and their inclusion is itself a demonstration that rankings are not driven by commission.
3.3 What We Do Not Do
- We do not accept payment for placement in comparison tables.
- We do not sell placement in rankings.
- We do not use hidden or cloaked affiliate links in violation of FTC guidelines.
- We do not allow vendors to preview or approve reviews prior to publication.
All affiliate links are marked with rel="nofollow sponsored" in compliance with Google’s guidelines.
4. Author Standards
Every article on this site carries a named author. We do not publish under invented personas.
4.1 Author Requirements
- Real name and verifiable professional identity (e.g., LinkedIn profile)
- Documented experience relevant to the article’s subject matter
- Author bio on the site and in article schema markup
4.2 Technical Reviews
Product reviews and technical guides are authored or reviewed by an individual with demonstrated experience in the relevant domain — for example, enterprise security architecture, compliance program management, or cryptographic infrastructure.
4.3 Reviewer Attribution
Where an article is authored by one person and reviewed by another, both are credited at the top of the article and in the schema markup.
5. Content Standards
5.1 Sourcing
Technical and regulatory claims are sourced to primary references wherever possible — regulatory texts (GDPR, DORA, NIS2, BSI C5, EU AI Act), audit reports, academic papers, official vendor documentation, or court filings. Secondary sources (news coverage, analyst reports) are used where primary sources are unavailable, and are attributed.
5.2 No Fabricated Data
We do not fabricate statistics, testing results, author identities, or citations. Where data is unavailable, we say so.
5.3 Use of AI
We may use AI tools for research assistance, outlining, and editing. All published content is reviewed, fact-checked, and approved by a human author before publication. We do not publish AI-generated content without human authorship and editorial review.
5.4 Update Practice
Reviews and guides are reviewed periodically and updated when products change materially. The “Last Updated” date at the top of each article reflects substantive revisions, not cosmetic edits.
6. Corrections Policy
We make mistakes. When we do, we correct them publicly.
6.1 How to Submit a Correction
Email [CONTACT EMAIL] with the URL, the specific claim in question, and the source you believe contradicts it.
6.2 Correction Timeline
- Acknowledgement: within 2 business days
- Investigation: within 5 business days
- Correction or formal response: within 10 business days
6.3 Correction Log
Substantive corrections are logged at the bottom of the corrected article with the date and nature of the change. We do not silently edit published content.
7. Sponsored Content
Where we accept sponsorship for research or editorial content, the following rules apply:
- Sponsored content is labeled “Sponsored” at the top of the page, before the first paragraph.
- Sponsored content is not included in independent comparison tables or ranked against independently reviewed products.
- The sponsor has no editorial control over conclusions.
- Sponsored content is excluded from our “Recommended Reading” internal link blocks.
As of the Last Updated date above, the site does not currently publish sponsored content. This section will be updated if that changes.
8. Privacy & Data Handling
Our own privacy practices are documented in our Privacy Policy. In summary:
- We do not sell reader data.
- We use privacy-respecting analytics where possible.
- We do not run third-party advertising scripts that profile readers across sites.
- Email subscribers can unsubscribe at any time, and we do not share email lists.
9. Governing Law
This editorial policy is governed by the laws of [JURISDICTION]. Disputes regarding editorial content should be directed to [CONTACT EMAIL] in the first instance.
10. Version History
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 09/25/2026 | Initial publication |
For questions about this policy, contact [CONTACT EMAIL].
