I don’t know if privacy guides has thought about having a dedicated page for folks to directly contact them for original reporting should anyone want to get in touch with them? Akin to how 404 Media has their Signal username public, it makes it easier for anyone to contact them with news they can break/originally report. Whether it be Signal or a PG Proton or Tuta email? Something for private and anonymous communication from others strictly for original news reporting.
I would like PG to be able to do this or at least have such an option.
You asked a valid question. Per the linked contact us page,[1] there doesn’t seem to be any way for activists or high risk persons to contact PG right off the bat.
Activists I know aren’t going to risk it unless assurances and guarantees of safety and anonymity are in place.
Freedom of Press’ Secure Drop is one such solution. Circl’s TLP is another, which a threat-protection project I co-run uses to report/obtain malware & spyware indicators.
Have a tip for us, or need to share some sensitive information? The best way to get in touch with us securely is via @privacyguides.01 on Signal. This group account is monitored by Jonah, Niek, Em, and Jordan.
Activists mostly will prefer to trust and share with a single person per entity/org.
If you need an alternative secure channel, please request one via any contact method including social media, and we will work with you to establish one. Please do not share any sensitive information with us before we have established an appropriately secure discussion channel. About Privacy Guides - Privacy Guides↩︎
Yes. Good point. I asked here seeing how 404 Media has each person’s Signal username public and was hoping for the same. Or a Proton or Tuta email for all people whom PG would prefer be contacted should someone want to.
My point/vision of the post was to really have PG make a new dedicated contact us page where each person has multiple options available for one to choose to contact them privately or anonymously for an original news story. I think that makes more sense to me personally.
This should not require any expenditure on PG’s part but only some effort to set it up. Hope it’s considered.
Having worked with FPF in the past, I would only use SecureDrop if the information I’m sharing is confidential and there is no other way I can make first contact. It’s good as an anonymous dropbox, but less so as a real-time communications platform. Most journalists I know would prefer SecureDrop as a first contact measure for these high-threat models. Otherwise, Signal is used for otherwise regular communications once first contact is made.
We’re still building up our newsroom, so you probably should not come to us as of right now if you have a USB with leaked files for example. Other organizations have established protocols for that, and you probably need a lawyer first and foremost. If you have literally anything else in mind (potential leads or tips), our Signal tipline works great for that purpose.
I don’t think we’re at that stage…yet. But ideally, we will have more dedicated full-time employees that can host this contact information. It may take some time before we ever reach that same level as other publications. Right now, the newsroom isn’t the only project that Privacy Guides is focusing on.
Good to know. I was asking out of curiosity. Perhaps this post & thread will serve as info on the same for others who may actually have some news to break.