Information practices
Information should
be collected for a reason.
Where does my information go, and what
requires separate permission?
Our approach
Clear paths. Intentional use.
We collect information to understand your request, determine next steps, and, with appropriate permission, support potential case work, research or future publication. Different information serves different purposes and follows different paths.
Your information is handled with care, used for the purposes you authorize.
Information flow
PublicInitial contact & review
RestrictedBy permission only
- 01
Public contact
You share basic information through our contact form or other public channels.
- 02
Invitation & review
Our team reviews your request and may invite you to provide additional information.
- 03
Private case work
If invited, you may share more detailed information to support potential case work.
- 04
Specifically authorized counsel
With your permission, information may be shared with specifically authorized counsel.
- 05
Affiliated investigative/research system
With your permission, information may be shared with our affiliated investigative/research system for approved research and analysis.
- 06
Separate publication permission
If a story is considered for publication, we will ask for separate permission. Participation alone does not authorize it.
Key principles
Six principles guide how we handle information.
Purpose driven
We collect information only for a clear and legitimate purpose related to your request or authorized use.
Separate permissions
Case work, affiliated investigative/research system access, and publication each require appropriate permission.
Human decisions
Requests and next steps are reviewed by our team. Automated tools do not independently make membership decisions.
Limited access
Information is shared only with people and partners authorized for a specific purpose.
Identity verification is deferred during BETA.
We do not request identity-verification documents or face captures for this deferred BETA step.
Your control
You can choose what to share and what to allow. We may request additional information. Governing rights and procedures will be described in approved policies.
Example scenario
A fictional example.
Alex submits a contact form with a brief description of their situation. After review, our team invites Alex to share more information for potential case work.
Alex gives specific permission for information to be shared with authorized counsel and the affiliated investigative/research system. Later, Alex separately permits a portion of their story to be considered for publication. Each permission and review remains distinct.
Each step is a choice.
Each use has a reason.
Your information
Used for the right reasons.
Your information helps us understand your request, evaluate next steps and, with appropriate permission, support case work, research or publication. This page describes intended information boundaries, not the full governing policy.
Governing information
Additional details.
Our approved Privacy Policy and Terms of Use are pending. Those documents will describe handling, choices and applicable details. This plain-language explanation does not replace the governing Privacy Policy, Terms, Participant Agreement or other applicable agreements.