HomeKit Authority runs this site and our YouTube channel for the sole purpose to provide honest and transparent news and reviews for everything HomeKit and smart home. Our mission is simple,

• We will break through the marketing spin to tell you how a product really performs. Not what a marketing department wants you to think.
• We will never accept money or accept gifts for favourable reviews
• We are not in the business to favour any brand or service.
• We will not shy away from being critical because of fear of being “blacklisted” by a brand
• We are transparent in all of our reviews and will be up front about how we got the product
• We will never provide a brand advanced notice of a review. They will read/watch the review at the same time as you.

Review devices

In the main, we will purchase products, and services featured on HomeKit Authority. We also receive “loan units” or samples from manufacturers. Some of these brands will collect them at their cost when we are finished with the product. However, some manufacturers do not collect the device then we will use them in giveaways or to compare to with other products.

We are under no obligation to provide favourable reviews or endorsements of these products. HomeKit Authority maintains full editorial control over the content in our reviews posted. We will only make editorial changes to content if corrected by a company, and we have made a mistake.

In terms of review timeframes, we typically spend a minimum of two weeks, but in most cases more to understand a product and how it works. We will never bow to pressure from brands to release content based on a schedule.

Brand blacklisting

In short, brand blacklisting is when a brand does not work with a content creator because in the past they have spoken bad of that brand or product. We feel this is not ethical and is an attempt to control the message and we against anything other than full transparency.

But to be clear to our readers/viewers and brands because we purchase products featured in our reviews, we do not worry about a brand blacklisting. So, if a brand chooses not to engage with us, then it puts them at a disadvantage as we cannot seek clarity during a review.

Our message is simple to brands, rather than focusing on this practice. Focus your efforts on making great products that content creators like us can praise and consumers can enjoy.

You can read more on the review promise.

The mission of HomeKit Authority is primarily to provide valuable information to our visitors and viewers. But this website and other channels operated by HomeKit Authority cost money to run.

So we may place a link to a product or service and receive an affiliate commission. But we will not give a favourable review to promote it through an affiliate link, and you will see products with good and equally critical reviews with product links.

We feel consumer choice is important and people need to make their own minds up if a product is for them. We expect that you the consumer will not only look to us, but many other reliable sources. But it is equally important to remember that opinions expressed by us and other, are just that, opinion. Therefore, it is important to us that consumers make informed decisions based on all information available to them.

We will also share links to “deals” when a product is on offer. These products are tyically products we have already reviewed or when we use them ourselves. But to be clear, this does not equal an endoresment of that product.

From time to to time we may engage with a brand or product manufacturer in a sponsorship deal. For instance, a brand could pay to advertise on a Podcast, Video or advertisement spots on our website. But regardless of this, we will not blur the lines between advertising and honesty, so our rule is simple.

We will not accept sponsorship or advertising fees on any reviews in which the brand is being featured as the main content. For instance, if it is a review video of XYZ product, we will not accept sponsorship or advertisement fees from the brand.

Collabrations

From time to time, brands will send a product before it’s released to the public. This is so we can have enough time with the device or service to publish either a “hands on” or full review of a product or service when the product is launched.

But to be clear, the only condition we accept is to not release any information about a product until the embargo period expires. We will not give the brand advance sight of the review or coverage, nor do we commit to a certain release date of a review. We will only release a review when we are fully happy with the content and our opinion.

HomeKit Authority and its social channels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk and others. This means that we may list products on reviews, articles and the deals pages which if you click through to Amazon and purchase, HomeKit Authority may receive a small commission from that sale. Possible examples of affiliate links on our website: text such as “Check Price on Amazon”, “See on Best Buy”, “See on Target.com” 

An affiliate link is not an endorsement of any product.

HomeKit Authority also places advertisements from various advertisers on this website from time to time, including but not limited to Google Adsense which, if you click through, we may be given a percentage of the cost of that click. Any adverts that appear on the site are clearly marked with the word “Advertisement” and if you see this then it’s a paid advertisement which is more than likely from Adsense. We do our best to make sure that advertising is appropriate for all audiences. This means we do not allow advertising for gambling, nudity or violence. But if you come across an advert please contact our editor in chief via the contact us page.