Editing Source (journalism) (section)

===Ethics===

Divulging the identity of a confidential source is frowned upon by groups representing journalists in many democracies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uta.fi/ethicnet/ |title= European codes of journalism ethics / Europe|website=www.uta.fi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615025620/http://www.uta.fi/ethicnet/ |archive-date=June 15, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spj.org/ethics_code.asp |title=Society of Professional Journalists &#124; Improving and protecting journalism since 1909 |publisher=Spj.org |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caj.ca/principles/principles-statement-2002.htm |title=You are being redirected |publisher=Caj.ca |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref> In many countries, journalists have no special legal status, and may be required to divulge their sources in the course of a criminal investigation, as any other citizen would be. Even in jurisdictions that grant journalists special legal protections, journalists are typically required to testify if they bear witness to a crime.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rcfp.org/digital-journalists-legal-guide/sources-and-subpoenas-reporters-privilege |title=Sources and Subpoenas (Reporter's Privilege) &#124; Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |publisher=Rcfp.org |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref>

Journalists defend the use of anonymous sources for a variety of reasons:
* '''Access'''. Some sources refuse to share stories without the shield of anonymity, including many government officials.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shepard |first=Alicia C. |url=http://www.ajr.org/article.asp?id=1596 |title=American Journalism Review |publisher=Ajr.org |access-date=2015-02-28 |archive-date=2011-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830064505/http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=1596 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* '''Protection from reprisal or punishment'''. Other sources are concerned about reprisal or punishment as a result of sharing information with journalists.<ref name="gawker1">{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/5627330/new-york-times-warns-newsroom-on-anonymous-sources |title=New York Times Warns Newsroom on Anonymous Sources |publisher=Gawker.com |date=2010-08-31 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref>
* '''Illegal activity'''. Sources which are engaged in illegal activity are usually reluctant to be named in order to [[Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|avoid]] [[self-incrimination]]. This includes sources which are leaking classified information or details of court proceedings which are sealed from the public.<ref name="gawker1"/>

The use of anonymous sources is also criticized by some journalists and government officials:
* '''Unreliability'''. It is difficult for a reader to evaluate the reliability and neutrality of a source they cannot identify, and the reliability of the news as a whole is reduced when it relies upon information from anonymous sources.<ref name="gawker1"/><ref name="firstamendmentcenter1">{{cite web |url=http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/press-pays-a-price-for-anonymous-sources |title=Press pays a price for anonymous sources &#124; First Amendment Center – news, commentary, analysis on free speech, press, religion, assembly, petition |publisher=Firstamendmentcenter.org |date=2005-05-22 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref>
* '''Misinformation and propaganda'''. Anonymous sources may be reluctant to be identified because the information they are sharing is uncertain or known to them to be untrue, but they want attention or to spread propaganda via the press, such as in the case of the [[Iraqi aluminum tubes]], where tubes known to be useless for uranium refinement were presented as evidence of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s nuclear weapons program by anonymous sources in the [[U.S. intelligence community]] in order to build public support for an attack on [[Iraq]].<ref name="firstamendmentcenter1"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-calderone/ny-times-reporter-defends-anonymous-source_b_2918508.html |title=NY Times Reporter Defends Anonymous Sourcing: Government Is Not A 'Unified Entity' &#124; Michael Calderone |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=2013-03-21 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gordon |first=Michael R. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/08/world/threats-responses-iraqis-us-says-hussein-intensifies-quest-for-bomb-parts.html |title=Threats And Responses - The Iraqis - U.S. Says Hussein Intensifies Quest For A-Bomb Parts |location=IRAQ |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2002-09-08 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://abqtrib.com/news/2006/sep/11/wilson-i-probed-iraq-proof/ |title= Wilson: I questioned Iraq evidence : Local Politics : Albuquerque Tribune|website=abqtrib.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205194352/http://abqtrib.com/news/2006/sep/11/wilson-i-probed-iraq-proof/ |archive-date=February 5, 2012}}</ref> It may also be used to attack political enemies and present opinions as facts.<ref name="firstamendmentcenter1"/> Several journalists, including [[Paul Carr (writer)|Paul Carr]], have argued that if an off-the-record briefing is a deliberate lie journalists should feel permitted to name the source.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carr|first1=Paul|title=The off-the-record gravy train stops here|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/08/08/nsfw-dont-bullshit-a-reformed-bullshitter-the-off-the-record-gravy-train-stops-here/|website=TechCrunch|date=8 August 2009 |access-date=3 November 2014}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' identified a source who had offered a story in an attempt to discredit media and to distract from the issue at hand with respect to a case of sexual impropriety.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/a-woman-approached-the-post-with-dramatic--and-false--tale-about-roy-moore-sje-appears-to-be-part-of-undercover-sting-operation/2017/11/27/0c2e335a-cfb6-11e7-9d3a-bcbe2af58c3a_story.html|title=A woman approached The Post with dramatic — and false — tale about Roy Moore. She appears to be part of undercover sting operation.|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=Nov 27, 2017}}</ref>  Whistle blower [[Edward Snowden]] posted on twitter, the 1983 Vietnam Reconsidered Conference ([[University of South Carolina|USC]]),<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90-00806R000201160029-0.pdf VIETNAM RECONSIDERED, CIA]</ref> interview of former CIA officer [[Frank Snepp]] in which he discusses how the CIA planted misinformation about the Vietnam War. Snepp's planted stories were published in major US publications including [[The New York Times]], [[The New Yorker]], the [[Los Angeles Times]], and [[Chicago Daily News]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/1589606899569377282 Nov 7, 2022 Edward Snowden, Twitter]</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=CIA Officer Frank Snepp Discusses Planting Stories in Vietnam |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwerBZG83YM |access-date=2024-01-11 |language=en}}</ref>
* '''Illegal activity'''. The use of anonymous sources encourages some sources to divulge information which it is illegal for them to divulge, such as the details of a legal settlement, [[grand jury]] testimony, or classified information. This information is illegal to disclose for reasons such as national security, protecting witnesses, preventing slander and libel, and ending lawsuits without lengthy, expensive trials and encouraging people to disclose such information defeats the purpose of the disclosure being illegal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/defence/article3890237.ece |title=Spy leaks put Britain in danger, says MI5 chief |work=[[The Times]] |date=2013-10-09 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref> In some cases, a reporter may encourage a source to disclose classified information, resulting in accusations of [[espionage]].
* '''Fabricated sources'''. A journalist may fabricate a news story and ascribe the information to anonymous sources to fabricate news, create false detail for a news story, commit plagiarism, or protect themselves from accusations of [[libel]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/11/us/correcting-the-record-times-reporter-who-resigned-leaves-long-trail-of-deception.html?gwh=E83B63179D4155E8B49D263B2E3F25D1 |title=CORRECTING THE RECORD – Times Reporter Who Resigned Leaves Long Trail of Deception |location=Maryland; Texas |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2003-05-11 |access-date=2015-02-28}}</ref>