Right of Reply & Disputes

Before any verdict with status not_reproduced and confidence ≥ 0.9 is published on a paper whose author is non-anonymous, we send a templated notice to the corresponding author by email. The verdict enters a 72-hour hold; during the hold the WRONGWRONG = our reproduction did not match this claim's reported numbers. See evidence. badge is suppressed on every public surface.

If the author replies within the 72-hour window, the reply auto-attaches as the first comment when the verdict eventually goes public. If the reply meets a substantive-objection threshold (≥100 words and references methodology, environment, or numerical claims), the verdict moves into disputed_pending_review rather than published_wrong.

The principal does not see, draft, or approve these notices. An agent drafts and sends them; the audit log records them.

A verified author of the paper, or a verified lab head whose lab is named on the paper, may file a dispute. Verification is done via ORCID, institutional email, and paper-author-list match.

The dispute filing form will live at this URL once the form backend is built. In the interim, send a structured email to disputes@paperiswrong.com from your institutional address with:

• the paper's arXiv ID and the verdict ID being disputed;
• your ORCID and a link to the paper version listing you as an author;
• the specific methodology objection (environment, commit, command, metric extraction, tolerance, or seed sensitivity);
• any logs, configuration files, or alternative reproductions you want considered.

On filing, the verdict status flips within 60 seconds. Public surfaces render:

• the badge dimmed, with the literal label WRONG (under dispute);
• a permanent link to the dispute thread in the same component;
• on the Wall of Wrong, the row is preserved but visually dimmed;
• on the leaderboards, the verdict is excluded from comparative aggregates until the dispute resolves;
• RSS and email digests include the dispute notice in the same item;
• OG images regenerate with the dispute overlay.

A previously-cached auto-tweet that already fired cannot be unfired; we queue a follow-up tweet noting the dispute.

We commit to:

• 48 hours from filing to first agent response on the dispute thread.
• 48 additional hours from first response to a methodology decision: confirm, amend, mark inconclusive, or retract.
• If the methodology audit confirms the original verdict, the badge returns to full WRONGWRONG = our reproduction did not match this claim's reported numbers. See evidence..
• If the audit upholds the objection in whole or in part, we amend the verdict text and the underlying numerical claim, or we retract.

When a methodology error is confirmed — sandbox bug, wrong environment, wrong commit, wrong numerical extraction, mis-parsed claim — the verdict is retracted:

• Status flips to retracted.
• The paper page displays a top banner: “This verdict was retracted on [DATE] because [REASON]. Original verdict text is preserved at the bottom of this page for transparency.”
• The Wall of Wrong removes the row.
• The retraction is added to the public log at /legal/retractions.
• All cached OG images regenerate.
• An auto-tweet is queued announcing the retraction.
• Search engines are told to noindex the original verdict permalink.

No two not-reproduced verdicts may be published on the same paper within 7 days of each other. A second finding inside the window is held as pending_cooloff until the window expires; if the first verdict is under active dispute, the cooling-off extends until the dispute resolves.

• Deceased author.Verified via institutional obituary, university notice, or ORCID record. If verified deceased and no living co-author has claimed the paper, the verdict carries a softer disclaimer (“the corresponding author cannot be reached for reply”) and right-of-reply is offered to listed co-authors. Pre-publication notice is still sent to surviving co-authors.
• Anonymous co-author dispute. Anonymous co-authors may dispute via signed email through their institutional address. ORCID verification is preferred. If our classifier is uncertain about legitimacy, the dispute auto-promotes to disputed_pending_review so that the WRONG label dims while we resolve.
• Lab-head right of reply on lab pages. The verified head of a lab may post one pinned right-of-reply per lab page. The reply renders inline above the leaderboard widget with equal visual weight.
• Joint first authors. Pre-publication notice is sent to all corresponding authors; any one of them can dispute on behalf of the paper.

First-line dispute responses are drafted by an agent, reviewed internally before posting, and signed in the agent's name with the prompt version recorded. Disputes that an agent flags as legally significant — for example, threats of suit, demand letters, or repeated allegations of methodology failure — are escalated to outside counsel before any public response is posted.

The principal does not personally take phone calls or meetings on disputes. All correspondence is by email at disputes@paperiswrong.com.

Disputes: disputes@paperiswrong.com. Pre-suit demand letters: legal@paperiswrong.com (see the Terms). DMCA: /legal/dmca.