Before you share a tip: dos and don'ts for sources
Practical safety dos and don'ts for anyone considering sharing information or documents with FaujiLeaks.
Published 18 October 2026, Safety guide
Most risk to a source comes from ordinary habits rather than sophisticated surveillance: a work laptop, a shared phone, a document that still carries its author's name, a colleague who was told too much. This guide covers the habits that matter most. Read it before you submit anything.
Your device and connection
Do
- Use a personal device that your employer, family or anyone else does not manage or monitor.
- Use a trusted private connection, or Tor Browser, which hides your IP address from the websites you visit.
- Keep your operating system and browser updated.
- Close the browser completely when you finish.
Don't
- Never submit from a work computer, work phone or office network. Employers can log activity on devices and networks they control.
- Don't use a device shared with someone who should not know about your tip.
- Don't stay logged in to personal email or social accounts in the same browser session.
- Don't save the tip form, drafts or screenshots in cloud folders synced to a work account.
Documents and evidence
Do
- Share only material you lawfully have access to.
- Remove hidden metadata from files first. Our metadata guide shows how.
- Describe where a record can be independently found, such as a court registry, procurement portal or company filing.
- Keep your own copy in a safe place in case we ask a follow-up question.
Don't
- Never break into systems, guess passwords or use someone else's access to obtain records.
- Don't send classified material, malware or intimate images.
- Don't photograph a screen at work. Screens and printed pages can carry identifying marks, and cameras record location data.
- Don't alter documents. If something is redacted or missing, tell us rather than filling the gap.
What you tell us and others
Do
- Explain what happened, when, which institution is involved and how the information can be checked.
- Separate what you saw yourself from what you heard from others.
- Leave the email field blank if you do not need a reply.
- Note the reference number shown after you submit.
Don't
- Don't include your name, job title or details that only a handful of people would know, unless you want to be contacted.
- Don't tell colleagues, friends or family that you have contacted a newsroom.
- Don't post about the issue on social media while it is under review.
- Don't submit the same material to many outlets at once from the same device. It widens your footprint.
What happens after you submit
Every tip is reviewed by the editorial team. Nothing is published automatically. Before publication, we verify claims against records, give the people and institutions involved a right of response, and label each claim by its status. A tip may lead to an investigation, contribute background to existing work or be set aside if it cannot be verified.