Anonymous Sourcing Policy

Some important stories only reach the public because someone spoke on condition of anonymity. This policy describes how the BreakingNews24hr demonstration newsroom intends to treat such sources. Our stories are fictional, so no real source is protected by it today.

When anonymity may be granted

Anonymity is a last resort. It may be offered only when the information is important to the public, cannot reasonably be obtained on the record, and the source faces a genuine risk from being named.

Extra checks for unnamed sources

• At least one editor must know the source's identity.
• The claim must be corroborated by a second independent source or a document.
• The source's motive is considered and, where relevant, disclosed in general terms.

How we describe them

Descriptions should be as specific as safety permits, for example "a person familiar with the review" rather than "a source". We do not invent or inflate a source's position, and we do not use anonymous quotes for insults or for opinions that could be given by a named person.

An unnamed source asks readers to trust the newsroom. That trust has to be earned by the checking behind it.

Limits to confidentiality

We should explain these limits to a source in advance. A promise of anonymity can be weighed against a serious threat to life, and the newsroom should be honest about what it can and cannot protect.

Questions about this policy can be sent to [email protected]. Please do not send sensitive material to that address. See our Secure Whistleblower Drop page for the current state of confidential contact options.