Public file

Source protection and sensitive first contact

Sensitive sources should make first contact without sending dangerous, restricted, or identifying material through public forms.

The public web route is an intake and triage path, not a secure-drop guarantee. If the matter involves safety risk, retaliation risk, minors, sealed records, private medical or financial data, credentials, trade secrets, classified material, or unlawfully obtained documents, request safe first contact before sending details.

Start narrowDescribe the general issue, location, timeframe, and risk level without naming vulnerable people unnecessarily.

Do not upload sensitive filesUse public intake only for first contact unless an editor has given a safer document-handling path.

Identity protectionEditors may need to verify identity privately while limiting who can access sensitive source details.

Legal and safety reviewSome material may require counsel, source-safety review, redaction, or refusal before publication decisions.

Request secure handoff General tip path Source handling Contact newsroom