How we write, check and correct.
Every word is written in the UK. Every statistic is checked against its primary source. Every piece is dated. If we get something wrong, we fix it on the page and email anyone we already emailed about the original.
Who reviews content
One editor. Working on this alongside a day job in UK public-health communications. The drafting and the editing are the same pair of hands; the source-check is the discipline that replaces a second reviewer until a second reviewer joins the project. Full profile at /about/editorial-team.
hello@knockphone.co.uk is the address for corrections, questions or press requests.
How content is checked before publish
- Every statistic checked against its primary source. Ofcom, Parentkind, Ipsos, DfE, peer-reviewed work where relevant. If a claim is not linked to a source on the page or on /the-research, it does not appear on the page.
- Every product claim cross-referenced to published reviews and manufacturer documentation. Knock doesn't lab-test phones. We're not phone reviewers. The reviews are written from published UK and US tech coverage (Wired, The Verge, GSMArena, TechRadar, Tech Advisor, Trusted Reviews, Stuff, Engadget) and manufacturer spec sheets. Desk research, not lab-testing, and we say so.
- Every price checked at the retailer on the day of publish. Prices move; the date on the page is when the figure was last checked, not a guarantee for today. If you spot a stale price, email the editor.
- Every piece re-read end-to-end before it goes live, against its cited primary sources. The drafting process is single-editor; the source-check is the discipline that replaces a second reviewer until a second reviewer joins the project.
How AI is used at Knock
Knock uses AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT) to help reshape drafts, sharpen sentences, suggest counter-arguments and check for inconsistencies. AI is not used to:
- Invent a statistic, a percentage, a research finding or a claim about science.
- Invent a customer quote, a parent testimonial or a case study.
- Generate a product review without cited published reviews behind it.
- Generate images of children, families or stylised people. Placeholder photography is sourced from Unsplash with photographer credit and will be replaced with commissioned photography.
Every piece is re-read end-to-end before publish, against the primary sources cited in it. If a fact is not already in the research notes from a primary source, it does not go on the page, regardless of what an AI tool may have suggested. This page is updated as the workflow changes. If you spot something out of date, please tell the editor at hello@knockphone.co.uk.
How often content is refreshed
Knock is a single-editor site, so refresh is best-effort rather than contractual. The intent is:
| What | Aim | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| UK retail prices on /best-simple-phones | Re-checked at least quarterly | Quarter end, or a price you flag by email |
| Phone reviews (ranked list) | Re-read at least quarterly | Quarter end, or a new model release worth covering |
| The research page | Reviewed when a fresh release lands | New Ofcom, Parentkind, Ipsos or DfE publication |
| Pricing guide | Re-checked at least quarterly | Same trigger as the ranked list |
| FAQs across the site | Updated ad-hoc | When the same question lands twice by email |
The honest answer to "when was this last checked" is the date stamped on the page itself.
Sources we cite
- Ofcom Children and Parents Media Use and Attitudes Report, UK ownership and use rates.
- Parentkind National Parent Survey, UK parent appetite for school-day phone bans.
- Ipsos UK polling, UK adult views on first-smartphone age.
- Department for Education, mobile phones in schools guidance, UK government policy context.
- Smartphone Free Childhood, UK parent movement context.
- The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt (2024), broader argument framing.
- Direct manufacturer specification sheets for phone reviews.
Every claim made on Knock links to its primary source. The full list is on the research page.
How to flag a factual error or request a correction
Email hello@knockphone.co.uk with:
- The URL of the page.
- What you think is wrong.
- A link to the primary source we should be citing instead (if you have one).
Every email is read by the editor. If the correction stands, the page is updated, a short correction note is added to the bottom of the page with the date, and the editor writes back to confirm. If newsletter readers were emailed about the original piece, they are written back to with the correction.
Editorial FAQ
Who reviews content on Knock before it is published?
Knock is written by one editor in the UK, who works in UK public-health communications by day. Each piece is drafted, set aside, and re-read against the primary sources cited in it before publish. Every statistic on the site links to the source it came from.
Does Knock use AI to write content?
Yes, with rules. AI tools are used to help reshape drafts, sharpen sentences, and check for inconsistencies. They are never used to invent a statistic, a quote, a fact about a product, or a claim about science. Every published piece is re-read end-to-end by the editor against its cited primary sources before it goes live. If a fact wasn't already in the research notes from a primary source, it doesn't go on the page.
How often is content refreshed?
The intent is to re-check phone reviews and the ranked list against UK retail prices each quarter, and to revisit the research page when there is a fresh release from Ofcom, Parentkind, Ipsos or the DfE. The last review date is shown on each page. Knock is a one-editor site, so the cadence is best-effort rather than contractual; the date on the page is the honest answer to when the page was last checked.
What sources does Knock cite?
Primary only. Ofcom (Children and Parents Media Use), Parentkind (National Parent Survey, YouGov-fielded), Ipsos (UK polling on adolescent smartphone use), Department for Education guidance, Smartphone Free Childhood, the Wait Until 8th pledge data, peer-reviewed work where directly relevant. We do not cite secondary aggregators or campaign blog posts as primary sources.
How do I flag a factual error?
Email hello@knockphone.co.uk with the URL of the page, what you think is wrong, and a link to the primary source we should be citing instead if you have one. Every email is read by the editor. If the correction stands, the page is updated, a short correction note is added to the bottom of the page with the date, and the editor writes back to confirm.
Does Knock take money from manufacturers?
We earn a small affiliate commission on the Amazon UK buy buttons through Amazon Associates. Every other retailer link on the site (Pinwheel UK direct, Light direct, Back Market UK refurbished, the SIM providers) is a plain direct link with no commission. We do not accept payment, free samples or promotional consideration from phone manufacturers (Nokia/HMD, Light, Pinwheel, Apple via Back Market) in exchange for content, rankings or reviews. The full position is on /affiliate-disclosure.
