How we conduct our research

1. Public interest first

We pursue questions that matter to the public: accountability of institutions, public safety, misinformation, and the integrity of the information environment. Every project is reviewed for public-interest justification before work begins.

2. Lawful and honest methods

• We use only information that is lawfully and publicly accessible, or that is shared with us voluntarily by sources.
• We do not hack, bypass access controls, purchase stolen data, or use deceptive pretexts to obtain information.
• We comply with applicable laws and the terms governing the data we use.

3. Respect for privacy

• We do not investigate private individuals' personal lives, and we do not compile or publish personal dossiers.
• We minimize collection of personal data to what a project strictly needs and store it securely.
• We redact identifying details of bystanders and non-public persons from published work.

4. Human sources

• Sources speak with us voluntarily and with informed consent about how their information will be used.
• We honor agreed confidentiality and protect source identities with secure communication and handling practices.
• We never place a source at risk to advance a project, and we do not pay for information.

5. Verification

No single source is sufficient. Findings are corroborated across independent sources, our reasoning is documented, and conclusions are peer reviewed internally before publication. We clearly distinguish what is confirmed from what is assessed or unknown.

6. Transparency and corrections

We explain our methods and sourcing wherever doing so does not endanger people. When we make a mistake, we correct it promptly and note the correction publicly.

7. Independence

Our conclusions are not for sale. Funders and partners have no editorial control over our findings, and we disclose significant funding sources and any conflicts of interest.

Reporting concerns

If you believe we have fallen short of these standards, please write to spgpublicworks@proton.me. Every concern is reviewed.