Anonymous Source

An anonymous source is an individual who provides information to a reporter under an agreement that their name and identifying details will be withheld from publication. The practice is central to investigative and national-security journalism, where insiders risk dismissal, prosecution, or retaliation if identified. Sources are typically classified along a spectrum: on the record (fully quotable), on background (information usable but attribution limited, e.g., "a senior administration official"), deep background (usable without any attribution), and off the record (not for publication at all).

Most major outlets — including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Reuters, and the BBC — maintain written standards requiring that anonymous sourcing be a last resort, that the information be verified independently, and that at least one editor know the source's identity. The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics urges reporters to "identify sources clearly" and to question sources' motives before granting anonymity.

Anonymous sourcing has shaped landmark political reporting. Mark Felt, the FBI's Associate Director, served as "Deep Throat" for Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's Watergate coverage at The Washington Post; his identity was confirmed only in 2005. Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971, and Edward Snowden initially worked with reporters Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras on condition of controlled disclosure in 2013.

The practice carries real risks. Sources can use anonymity to float self-serving narratives or disinformation, and readers cannot independently assess credibility. Legal protections vary: the United States has no federal shield law, though most states recognize a reporter's privilege; the European Court of Human Rights has held in Goodwin v. United Kingdom (1996) that source protection is a cornerstone of press freedom under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

For MUN delegates and IR researchers, citations grounded in anonymous sourcing should be weighed carefully — corroboration across outlets and on-the-record confirmation strengthen reliability.