Some information reaches reporters only if the provider’s identity stays hidden. A confidential source is a person who supplies information on the condition that their name will not appear in the published story.

Journalists grant confidentiality when the information is important, the source faces plausible harm if identified, and no on-the-record alternative exists. The agreement is a serious ethical commitment; breaking it damages the reporter’s ability to work and can endanger the source. Newsrooms usually require an editor’s approval before promising anonymity.

Courts and legislatures have debated whether journalists can be compelled to reveal confidential sources. Shield laws in some jurisdictions provide limited protection. The practice remains essential for reporting on corruption, national security, and other sensitive subjects, yet it is never used lightly.

• Source whose identity is protected from publication
• Used when information is significant and risk is real
• Requires editorial approval in most newsrooms
• Supported in some places by shield laws