inet-investigation.com publishes research guides, public records tutorials, and investigative methodology resources for investigators, journalists, landlords, researchers, and members of the public conducting lawful due diligence.
This page explains how content on this site is created, reviewed, and maintained — and what standards every published guide must meet.
Our Editorial Mission
inet-investigation.com exists to explain how public records systems work and how to use them effectively. Our goal is to produce guides that are accurate, legally grounded, and genuinely useful to researchers — not to generate affiliate revenue or publish content designed primarily to rank in search engines.
Every guide on this site answers a real research question using primary government sources. We explain the systems behind the records, not just how to click through a commercial tool.
Who We Write For
Our guides are written for people conducting lawful research using public records, including:
- Independent investigators and licensed private investigators
- Journalists and researchers verifying information through official sources
- Landlords and property managers conducting tenant screening
- Employers and HR professionals performing background research
- Attorneys and legal professionals researching court records
- Business owners conducting due diligence on partners or counterparties
- Individuals researching their own public record
We write for readers who need accurate, actionable information. Our tone is professional and instructional — not sensational, not alarmist, and not designed to sell a subscription.
Primary Sources First
Every guide on this site is built on primary sources — the official government agencies, court systems, and statutory law that create and maintain public records.
Our source hierarchy is:
- Government agency portals — official court systems, county recorder offices, Secretary of State databases, federal agency portals
- Statutory law — federal and state statutes cited through Cornell Legal Information Institute (Cornell LII) where applicable
- Academic and peer-reviewed research — where relevant to methodology or legal interpretation
- Investigative journalism — established investigative outlets where relevant
- Commercial sources — mentioned as supplementary tools, never as authoritative sources
Commercial background check services, people-search tools, and data broker databases are referenced as supplementary tools for identifying jurisdictions to search. They are never presented as the authoritative source for any record type. Government portals are always the primary source.
Legal Framework
Every guide explains the legal framework relevant to its topic. We cite federal statutes for all major legal concepts, including:
- FOIA (5 U.S.C. § 552) — federal records access
- FCRA (15 U.S.C. § 1681) — consumer reporting and background check use
- DPPA (18 U.S.C. § 2721) — driver and vehicle record restrictions
- CFAA (18 U.S.C. § 1030) — computer access and unauthorized use
- ECPA (18 U.S.C. § 2510) — electronic communications privacy
- HIPAA — medical records protection
- GLBA — financial records and pretexting prohibitions
All statutes are linked to their primary source at Cornell LII. We do not provide legal advice. Every article includes a disclaimer stating that the content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
What We Do Not Publish
inet-investigation.com does not publish:
Speculative content. Every factual claim is sourced. We do not publish claims about how records systems work that we cannot verify through official documentation.
Sensational framing. We do not use language like “hidden records,” “secret data,” or “exposed information.” Our tone is analytical and professional.
Incentivized reviews. Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial recommendations. Tools are mentioned because they are relevant to the research methodology being explained, not because of commission structure.
Content designed to facilitate illegal activity. All research methods described on this site are lawful. We do not explain how to access records through unauthorized means, circumvent access restrictions, or use public records in ways that violate applicable law.
Outdated information presented as current. Public records laws, court portal URLs, and tool pricing change over time. We maintain guides to reflect current conditions and note when information may have changed since publication.
Affiliate Disclosure
inet-investigation.com participates in affiliate marketing programs. Some links on this site are affiliate links — if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content. We reference commercial tools based on their relevance to the research methodology being explained. Our editorial recommendations are based on accuracy and usefulness to researchers, not on commission rates or advertiser relationships.
Every article that contains affiliate links includes a disclosure in the footer disclaimer.
FCRA Compliance Framing
Many articles on this site discuss background check tools and consumer reporting services. We maintain a consistent distinction between:
Consumer people-search tools — BeenVerified, TruthFinder, Spokeo, Intelius, and similar services are designed for personal informational research. They are not Consumer Reporting Agencies under the FCRA and cannot lawfully be used for employment screening, tenant screening, credit decisions, or insurance underwriting. We state this clearly in every article that mentions these tools.
FCRA-compliant screening services — TransUnion SmartMove, Checkr, Sterling, and similar CRAs are designed for formal screening decisions. They meet FCRA data standards, support adverse-action procedures, and require written consent from the subject. We note this distinction in every tenant screening and employment screening guide.
We do not present consumer people-search tools as appropriate for formal screening decisions, and we do not present FCRA-compliant screening services as appropriate for casual personal research.
Accuracy and Corrections
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of content published on this site. Government portals change, laws are amended, and tool pricing evolves. Where we become aware of an inaccuracy, we correct it promptly.
If you believe an article contains an error — a broken URL, incorrect statute citation, outdated pricing, or factual inaccuracy — please contact us through the Contact page. We take correction requests seriously and review all substantiated claims.
Corrections are made directly in the article. We do not publish correction notices for minor updates such as pricing changes or URL updates. Substantive factual corrections are noted where appropriate.
Content Standards
Every published guide on inet-investigation.com must meet the following standards before publication:
Accuracy — all factual claims are verifiable through primary sources. Statute citations are checked against Cornell LII. Government portal URLs are verified as active. Tool pricing reflects current published rates.
Legal grounding — every article explains the legal framework governing the record type or research method it covers. Legal disclaimers are included in every article.
Investigative utility — every article must answer a real research question in a way that is genuinely useful to someone conducting lawful public records research. Content that exists primarily to rank for a keyword without providing substantive research value is not published.
Source transparency — every article cites its primary sources. Commercial tools are identified as supplementary rather than authoritative. The distinction between government sources and commercial databases is maintained throughout.
Appropriate limitations — every article acknowledges the real limitations of the records or methods it covers. We do not overstate what public records can reveal, and we consistently note that the absence of a record in a search does not confirm a clean history.
What This Site Is Not
inet-investigation.com is a publishing and educational resource. It is not:
- A private investigation firm or licensed investigative service
- A law firm or source of legal advice
- A background check service or Consumer Reporting Agency
- A data broker or people-search database
We explain how public records systems work and how investigators use them. We do not conduct investigations, perform background checks, access databases on behalf of users, or provide any professional investigative services.
Privacy
Our privacy practices are described in full in our Privacy Policy. We do not sell personal information. We do not display advertising or allow advertisers to influence editorial content.
Contact
Questions about our editorial standards, correction requests, and factual disputes can be submitted through our Contact page.
This editorial policy was last reviewed March 2026.