"I want to publish information privately"

[anon36227541]

I will discuss some potential changes here instead of making an outright edit to get a consensus:

(1) I suggest the title to be changed to “I want to publish information anonymously” in order to be consistent with what PG has explicitly defined as anonymous and private. It seems that the guide is about ensuring no one knows who published the information rather than controlling who your audience is. The Getting Started wiki also already titles this guide as “I need to safely publish information anonymously”.

(2) I think preventing stylometry should be its own section. Its currently briefly mentioned here:

@KevPham

Avoid using the same writing style, login behavior, or online habits that could de-anonymize you. Remember that a pseudonym is only as strong as your ability to keep it separate.

How to Create Internet Accounts Privately - Privacy Guides

… but I think it’s important enough to branch off. It’s been used by the FBI before to track down the Unabomber, for example. If we are including high threat models that involve the necessary use of Tails or Qubes, stylometry would fall under that. This is especially important for people who have already published on the internet before (or anywhere else, really) under (a) their real identity or (b) a pseudonymous identity created under less strict conditions, making it more vulnerable to revealing.

This section would ideally (a) briefly explain what stylometry is, (b) explain the consequences for failing to prevent stylometry (e.g., having your real identity revealed or leaving breadcrumbs that allows people build stylometrics profile of you), and (c) list some tools that can help prevent stylometry.

(3) From how I interpret the way the pseudonym section is written, it seems to initially be about publishing information you already have and how to do so anonymously via pseudonyms. But then it transitions to being about publishing information from other people and how to gain credibility to garner trust from said people as a newsroom:

@KevPham

In some cases, like in large newsrooms, you may need a public identity to establish credibility. If that is the case, shift your focus toward secure communication with confidential sources and protecting your operational security. Consider setting up a secure tipline instance for your organization.

The section should be reworked so that the two scenarios are established clearly and distinctly from each other. The first scenario is about being the source while also being the publisher. But the second scenario is only about being the publisher it seems.

Or maybe “gaining credibility” should rather be its own section?