Sharing documents to journalists is mostly about two things: keeping your identity safer, and keeping the material credible. This is a calm set of defaults for non‑technical people.
If you’re considering sharing documents, your goal is usually:
- reduce the chance your identity is exposed, and
- preserve the credibility of the material (don’t accidentally alter meaning).
The vibe to aim for is: calm, boring, and verifiable.
Prefer official secure submission channels
Many newsrooms and watchdog organizations provide secure submission systems designed for sources. If the organization has an official “secure drop” or “tips” page, start there.
Keep the process simple
If you don’t know what to do, a simple approach is often safer than improvising:
- Prepare the document offline where possible (offline mode walkthrough).
- Use the scrubber to remove PDF metadata and interactive elements.
- Open the output and sanity‑check it.
- Keep a copy of the original for your own records.
Don’t “over‑edit” the content
Whistleblowing often relies on authenticity. Aggressive edits can raise questions or remove context.
If you need to redact visible text, do so carefully and verify the redaction is real (not just a black box over text).
If you’re at serious risk
Consider talking to a qualified lawyer or a trusted journalist organization before taking action. They can help you understand risks specific to your jurisdiction and situation.
If you haven’t already, read Anonymity 101.