Secure Tips

Your safety matters more than getting information to us quickly.

If contacting ExplWorld could expose you to professional, legal, physical or digital risk, consider which device, account, network and communication method you use before sending anything.

If necessary, contact us first without sending sensitive documents. We can discuss attribution and a safer way to continue before you share substantive information.

ExplWorld may agree to protect a source's identity where disclosure could create a serious and legitimate risk. Protection may include withholding a name, using a pseudonym, removing identifying details or describing a source in broader terms.

Possible attribution arrangements

• On the record - your name and agreed identifying information may be published.
• Name withheld - ExplWorld knows your identity but does not publish it.
• Pseudonym - an agreed protective name is used publicly.
• Background - information may be used under attribution terms agreed in advance.
• Off the record - information is not for publication under the terms agreed before disclosure.

These terms should be agreed before sensitive information is shared. Sending information to ExplWorld does not automatically create a promise of anonymity or confidentiality.

Documents, photographs and other files can contain identifying information, including author names, account details, device information, creation history and location data.

If your identity is sensitive, consider contacting us before sending original files. Do not alter or destroy original evidence solely to contact ExplWorld; where appropriate, discuss whether a copy can be shared while the original remains preserved.

ExplWorld may inspect metadata as part of verification and source-protection work. We do not publish identifying metadata where doing so would unnecessarily expose a protected source.

You do not need to write a finished story. The most useful initial information usually explains:

• what happened;
• who or which organisation is involved;
• when and where it happened;
• how you know;
• whether documents, records, photographs, data or witnesses exist;
• what is already public;
• why you believe the information matters;
• how we may safely contact you again.

Do not put yourself at unnecessary risk to obtain information for ExplWorld.

• Do not hack, steal or unlawfully access systems on our behalf.
• Do not impersonate ExplWorld or claim we authorised conduct that we did not authorise.
• Do not send malicious software or material intended to compromise systems.
• Do not send sensitive third-party personal data unless it is genuinely relevant to the public-interest issue you are raising.

ExplWorld does not pay sources for allegations, confidential information or evidence. This does not prevent legitimate payment to commissioned journalists, photographers, researchers, translators, fixers or other professional contributors for professional work.

A member of ExplWorld Investigations may review your message and contact you for clarification. We cannot guarantee that every tip will receive a reply or result in publication.

Information may need to be independently verified through documents, additional sources, data or responses from the people and organisations concerned.

When reporting contains serious criticism or allegations, ExplWorld normally gives the relevant party a meaningful opportunity to respond before publication. We consider source-protection risks when deciding what information can safely be put to that party.

Read more about our standards on the Editorial & Transparency page.

ExplWorld Investigations
investigations@explworld.com
WhatsApp: +1 502 853 6567

ExplWorld is a trading name of by veru s.r.o., Lermontovova 911/3, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia.