ThisTracks exists to give you practical, accurate self-reliance information. That only works if you can trust what you read here. This page explains exactly how our articles get made, where our information comes from, how we make money, and what we do when we get something wrong.
Who writes ThisTracks
Our articles carry team bylines: the Homesteading Team, the Survival Team, the Preparedness Desk, the Health & Safety Desk, the Gear Team, and the Money & Resilience Desk. These name the editorial group behind each subject area. They are not pen names for invented people. We never fabricate an author, a biography, or a credential. If an article is ever written or reviewed by a named individual, that person is real and did the work.
How articles are made
We use AI writing tools to help draft our articles. Every piece is then edited and fact-checked by the team before it publishes: claims are compared against the sources we cite, numbers and quantities are verified, and anything we cannot stand behind gets cut. We would rather publish a shorter, correct guide than a longer, padded one.
Our depth standard is simple: an article should be useful on its own, with concrete numbers, real steps, and specifics you can act on. If a topic deserves a checklist, a comparison table, or a worked example, it gets one.
Where our information comes from
We lean on authoritative primary sources: FEMA, the National Weather Service, the CDC, the USGS, and university extension services, along with recognized subject-matter references. When an article makes a factual claim about safety, weather, health, or regulations, we link the source so you can check it yourself. We avoid rumor, fear-marketing, and claims we cannot trace to something solid.
How we keep articles current
Preparedness information goes stale, so we monitor official feeds from the National Weather Service, FEMA, the USGS, and NOAA space weather every night. When a real-world event or a change in official guidance touches one of our guides, it gets flagged for review and we update the article. When we find outdated advice in older pieces, we rewrite them to the current standard.
How we make money
Some articles include gear recommendations with affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Three rules govern this:
- Every article that contains affiliate links carries a disclosure, and the links are marked as sponsored.
- We only recommend products that are relevant to the article and available to buy. If nothing in our partner catalogs fits a topic, that article has no gear section.
- Affiliate relationships never decide what we cover or what we conclude. The advice comes first; the gear, when it appears, supports the advice.
What we are not
ThisTracks is informational. We are not doctors, lawyers, or financial advisors. Articles touching on medical care, legal questions, or money say so and point you toward qualified professionals for decisions that matter. Preparedness spans all three of those areas, so you will see these reminders often. Take them seriously.
Corrections
When we learn that something we published is wrong, we correct the article. Errors that could affect your safety or your wallet get fixed first. We do not quietly stand behind bad information to save face.
Want to know more about the site itself? See our About page and Privacy Policy.