Sourcing & Citations Policy

Radio Free America's credibility depends on the integrity of our sourcing. This document explains how we gather information, evaluate sources, protect confidential sources, use emerging tools like AI, and how our Wire service differs from our original reporting. Readers and sources deserve to understand these distinctions clearly.

1. Core Editorial Principles

2. Named vs. Anonymous Sources

Named Sources

The default at RFA is named sourcing. When a person makes a factual claim on the record, their name and relevant professional role or relationship to the subject matter are included in the story. Readers are entitled to know who is speaking and why their perspective carries weight.

Anonymous Sources

RFA will grant anonymity to a source only when:

• The source faces credible risk of retaliation — professional, legal, or physical — if identified
• The information is of clear public interest and cannot be obtained on the record
• The source's account is corroborated by at least one additional independent source or documentary evidence
• A senior editor has approved the decision to grant anonymity

When anonymous sources appear in our reporting, we describe their relationship to the subject matter in terms specific enough to help readers assess their credibility without compromising their identity. We do not use phrases like "sources say" without more specific description.

Sources may not use anonymity to make statements they would not be willing to defend under their own name, launch personal attacks without factual basis, or advance political agendas without disclosure.

3. Source Protection

RFA takes source protection seriously. Journalists at this publication do not disclose the identities of confidential sources — not to colleagues who don't need to know, not to advertisers or wire sponsors, not to government officials or law enforcement without a legal order, and not to subjects of our investigations.

If you are concerned about digital security when submitting a tip, we recommend using Signal or another end-to-end encrypted messaging application. Contact information is available on our About page. We strongly encourage sources handling sensitive information to review basic operational security practices before reaching out.

4. Tips and Incoming Information

We accept tips via email, secure messaging, and our online contact form. Submitting a tip does not guarantee coverage. RFA evaluates tips based on public interest, newsworthiness, our capacity to verify the underlying claims, and fit with our editorial focus areas.

Tips are reviewed internally and handled with discretion. We do not share tip information with subjects of investigations, government agencies, or other third parties without the tipster's consent, except as required by law.

5. AI-Assisted Research

RFA journalists may use artificial intelligence tools to assist with research tasks such as identifying patterns in large document sets, summarizing background material, and generating search queries. However, RFA's policy is unambiguous: AI-generated output is never published as fact without independent verification against primary sources.

Specifically:

• AI tools may suggest leads, but those leads must be verified through traditional reporting methods before publication
• AI-generated summaries of documents are cross-checked against the actual documents
• AI tools are not used to quote individuals or attribute statements
• AI-drafted text, if used as a starting point for any publication, must be substantially revised, fact-checked, and editorially reviewed before appearing on the site

We do not use AI systems to fabricate sources, fill gaps in our knowledge, or generate the appearance of reporting without underlying factual work.

6. The RFA Wire — How It Differs from Reporting

Wire Submissions Are Not RFA Reporting

The RFA Wire publishes press releases and public-interest announcements submitted by external organizations — nonprofits, civil society groups, government offices, labor unions, and others. Wire content is clearly labeled as submitted material and attributed to the originating organization.

Review, Not Independent Verification

Wire submissions are reviewed before publication for obvious factual problems, compliance with our submission terms, and fit with our editorial standards. However, RFA does not independently investigate or verify every factual claim in a wire submission prior to publication. The submitting organization is responsible for the accuracy of its content.

If RFA has reason to question a factual claim in a wire submission — based on our own reporting or other credible information — we may:

• Decline to publish the submission
• Request corrections from the submitter before publication
• Publish the submission with an editor's note flagging the disputed claim

External Civil Society Releases

Releases from established civil society organizations — such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and similar bodies — are clearly attributed to those organizations. Publication of such releases indicates RFA considers the organization credible and the subject matter within our public-interest coverage areas. It does not constitute RFA's independent endorsement of every claim in the release.

7. Citations and Linking Standards

In original reporting, RFA links to or cites primary source documents wherever possible — court filings, legislative records, agency reports, peer-reviewed research. We do not cite secondary sources as primary authorities. When linking externally, we prefer linking to the original document rather than another outlet's summary of it.

When we rely on reporting from another news organization, we attribute that reporting clearly and link to it. We do not republish others' scoops as our own.

8. Corrections Policy

We correct errors. When a factual error appears in our reporting, we:

• Correct it promptly after it is confirmed
• Add a clearly labeled correction notice to the original article, with the date of the correction and a description of what was wrong
• Do not silently edit articles to remove errors without notation
• Append the correction at the bottom of the article, not buried in metadata

Corrections to wire submissions are handled differently: the submitting organization is notified and given the opportunity to submit a corrected version. RFA may add an editor's note to the original if the error is material.

To request a correction, email corrections@radiofreeamerica.press. See also our Corrections page for a running log of corrections to original RFA reporting.

9. Contact

Questions about our editorial standards, sourcing decisions, or requests for corrections should be directed to:

Radio Free America — Editorial
Corrections & Standards: corrections@radiofreeamerica.press
Tips & Secure Communications: See our About page