anonymous sources
Confidential news tipsters
Anonymous sources are people who provide information to journalists or investigators without having their identities disclosed.
The practice allows insiders to share sensitive information without professional or personal risk: The story relied on anonymous sources within the administration.
Critics argue anonymous sourcing invites fabrication and shields accountability; defenders maintain it's essential for exposing wrongdoing that would otherwise stay hidden.
- off-the-recordNot for attribution
- whistleblowerInsider who reports misconduct
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- pseudonymsFictitious adopted names
- nondisclosureConcealment of information
investigative journalism · journalistic integrity · hush · legal immunity · confidentiality agreement · First Amendment · surveillance · fact-checking · deep background · credibility gap · Watergate · subpoena · defamation · leaks · news leak · trial balloon · legal repercussions · confidential
- tabloidsNational Enquirer, TMZ, Daily Mail, People, Globe
- media ethicsjournalism ethics, media ethics, media bias, journalistic ethics, journalistic integrity
- press freedomfreedom of the press, press freedom, media freedom, press rights, editorial freedom
- WhistleblowersEdward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, Deep Throat, leakers, exposers
- journalismreporters, interview, editors, student editors, school paper
- gossiprumor, rumors, gossip, hearsay, whisper
anonymous sourcesofficial records
Authenticated documented information
public documents · court filings · primary documents · primary sources · peer-reviewed studies