Affiliate Disclosure — Dystopian Lens
We believe dystopia and transparency go hand in hand. After all, if we can’t be honest about how this site keeps the lights on, we’d be no better than the megacorps in half the stories we write about. So here it is, clearly and without marketing doublespeak: Dystopian Lens uses affiliate links and ads to help fund our work.
We’re an independent collective of sci-fi obsessives — no corporate sponsors, no studio ties, and no hidden paymasters whispering in our ears about which franchises to praise. This site is powered entirely by caffeine, arguments, and the occasional small commission we earn when you click a link and buy something.
Here’s how it works: when we link to a book, film, or game — maybe Neuromancer, The Expanse, or a retro 90s PC title that Logan insists still holds up — that link might be an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a small way to support the site, and it helps cover things like hosting fees, software, and the cost of replacing Dylan’s external drives after yet another editing mishap.
We currently work with — or occasionally use — the following affiliate networks:
- Awin (Affiliate Window)
- FlexOffers
- Commission Junction (CJ)
- ShareASale
- Webgains
We also use Google AdSense to display ads. These help offset costs but don’t dictate our content. We monitor ad categories and block anything deceptive, inappropriate, or tone-deaf (for example, “Buy your apocalypse survival kit today!” doesn’t quite fit our vibe).
The golden rule is simple: affiliate links do not affect what we write, say, or recommend. If we critique a product, it’s because it deserves critique. If we praise something, it’s because it earned it. Kathleen would rather delete an affiliate deal than pretend a bad book has literary merit, and John would sooner write a 3,000-word essay on spaceship physics than fake enthusiasm for a streaming service.
Our reviews, essays, and recommendations are based on experience and analysis — not payments or partnerships. We don’t accept money for “positive coverage,” “collaborations,” or “sponsored reviews.” If someone sends us a review copy (it happens sometimes with publishers or developers), we disclose it clearly and still reserve the right to be brutally honest. That’s part of the job.
We also understand that the affiliate economy can be messy — the internet is full of sites pretending to be independent while quietly steering readers toward whatever earns the most clicks. We don’t do that. Our independence is part of our identity, and it’s the reason people trust our perspective.
To break it down as clearly as possible:
- Affiliate links help fund the site, but you pay the same price either way.
- We only link to things we genuinely recommend or find relevant.
- We disclose any free review copies.
- We never sell editorial space or take payment for coverage.
- Transparency comes before profit, always.
Affiliate links use standard tracking cookies so the retailer knows which site referred the customer. These cookies don’t store personal data, and we don’t have access to your details. You can disable cookies in your browser at any time — the links will still work, and you’ll still be able to browse the site normally.
We’re also mindful of our environmental footprint. Many affiliate programs promote “eco-tech” or “sustainable products,” and we vet these claims carefully. Greenwashing is a dystopia of its own, and we don’t promote products that fake their ethics.
The truth is, running a small independent site in 2025 isn’t easy. Every month we weigh the cost of server space against whether another article about cyberpunk AI linguistics is worth the time (it always is). Affiliate revenue is one of the few ways we can stay free of paywalls, sponsorships, and the kind of algorithm-chasing that kills creativity. It keeps the site alive — but it doesn’t define it.
If you ever have questions about how our affiliate links or ads work, or want to know whether a specific post contains them, you can always email [email protected]. We’ll answer personally — no automation, no canned replies, and definitely no AI assistants pretending to be us.
We exist to explore fiction about control, corruption, and transparency — so it’s only right that we hold ourselves to the same standards. This page is our commitment: if we earn a cent from your clicks, you’ll know exactly how and why.
In a world where truth and trust feel like endangered species, we’d rather stay small and honest than big and compromised. That’s our dystopian survival strategy.