►Few decisions in journalism bring as much ethical and legal peril as the use of confidential sources. This position paper on anonymous sources offers more insight from the SPJ Ethics Committee about the use of anonymous sources.
Source: https://www.spj.org/ethics-papers-anonymity.asp
►The Associated Press’ guidelines on the use of anonymous sources tells its journalists when and how anonymous sources can be used. Among the rules: Top editor approval is required, journalists should push to move information back onto the record, additional sources are usually needed, and a story must include a byline. Also, stories must explain the reasons for anonymity, provide as much information as possible about the source, and cannot mislead readers by naming that source and saying the source would not comment.
Source: https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/telling-the-story/anonymous-sources
►A news organization puts its credibility on the line when it does not name sources, although a Pew Research survey in 2020 said a majority of Americans understand the occasional need for anonymous sources. Asking an audience to implicitly trust the organization when veering from the traditional practice of transparency leaves audiences to ask: How can I trust this story? Perry Bacon Jr., formerly of FiveThirtyEight, categorized types of anonymous sources and which ones may be worth paying attention to.
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