Tell Stuff in secret

Protecting sources has always been a fundamental tenet of journalism, and it’s one takes extremely seriously.

History is punctuated with examples of whistleblowers who have spoken out in the public interest, and it’s our duty as reporters to protect those people.

That’s one reason we’ve launched SecureDrop, a platform which will enable sources to anonymously communicate with

Stuff Circuit journalists and submit confidential documents, video or images.

‘‘Modern technology can be a threat to confidentiality and privacy, but it can also provide ways of better ensuring sources can speak out without endangering themselves or their livelihoods,’’ says Stuff’s editorial director Mark Stevens.

‘‘When sources identify important matters that need public attention, they need to be able to trust us to maintain their confidentiality, just as the public needs to be able to trust we’ll apply rigorous reporting standards.

‘‘After carefully considering what tools are available in the digital age, we’ve decided to use the SecureDrop system.’’

SecureDrop, maintained and promoted by the Freedom of the Press Foundation, is used by newsrooms around the world, including the New York Times, The Guardian, Vice, The Intercept, ProPublica and our colleagues at Fairfax Media in Australia.

Journalists from Stuff Circuit already use a range of tools and apps to communicate securely with sources, and are excited about now being able to use SecureDrop too. The video-led investigative journalism team – Paula Penfold, Eugene Bingham, Toby Longbottom and Phil Johnson – focuses on telling stories of significant public interest. Last year, they produced the critically acclaimed documentary series,

The Valley, revealing secrets about New Zealand’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan.