Guidelines
Please see our About page for an idea of who we are.
If that sounds good to you, please send us submissions! We’re excited to hear about what you’re up to!
General Advice & Digital Security Culture
We use strong encryption to the extent possible, but you should always follow good digital security culture and not simply rely on technology.
- Assume your submission will be seen by federal agents.
- Be proactive! Cover sensitive details in photos like faces, clothing, tattoos, etc.
- Please don’t share unnecessary details about crimes (ones that, beyond confirming that the crime happened, would assist an investigation into it), no matter how insignificant they might seem.
- If you want to be anonymous, avoid using specific idioms or phrases that aren’t common.
Learn more about digital security culture from CrimethInc the NAALPO, or the EFF.
You can also be proactive and use digital tools like VPNs or Tor (ideally on top of a secure operating system like Tails or Whonix).
Secure and Anonymous Submissions
Many submissions require anonymity. Using a Tor Onion Service is our best effort to provide that with an easy and painless process. Our submission service is at http://unsalted6caw6w7gmuw2yurzzpyww3qcf634ner3k4s6e2h5n7y64zqd.onion, only accessible with Tor Browser. Here’s how to use it:
- Install Tor Browser, or use systems like Tails or Whonix that have Tor Browser built-in.
- If you are submitting any files, like images, remove their metadata. Tools like mat2 or ExifCleaner can do this.
- Make sure anything sensitive is covered by black squares, and consider cropping and shrinking the image so it still gets the point across without being excessively detailed.
- In Tor Browser, go to http://unsalted6caw6w7gmuw2yurzzpyww3qcf634ner3k4s6e2h5n7y64zqd.onion. This will only work in Tor Browser.
- Enter your submission text in the text box. If there are any files to include in the submission, add them with the “Browse…” button.
- Click “Submit”. You’re done!
The submission is one-time and anonymous, make sure you don’t forget anything! (zip file passwords, etc.) Once submitted, you can’t access it again. By default, no identifiable information is collected. If you want to be contacted about the submission, you must leave contact information. However, this will compromise the submission’s anonymity.
Non-Anonymous Submissions
Our Protonmail email inbox (unsaltedsubmissions (at) proton [dot] me) is open for submissions. Many submissions don’t require anonymity, email is easy and universal, and rare cases may warrant some brief back-and-forth conversation.
You can use tools like Tor, with an at-rest encrypted email service like Protonmail for improved anonymity. Remember, Protonmail has been forced to give police information in the past.
Single use throwaway email services like tempr.email have also worked, but don’t always get through. Submissions requiring anonymity should use our Onion Service as described above.