Send a Tip — Dismal Freedom Press

Dismal Freedom Press relies on tips from community members, public employees, and other sources to investigate wrongdoing and hold institutions accountable. Whether you have documents, data, or firsthand knowledge of something the public should know about, we want to hear from you.

We take source protection seriously. You can reach us through several channels, each with different levels of security. Choose the method that best fits your situation.

How to Reach Us

Most Secure

Signal (Encrypted Messaging)

(209) 425-2677

Signal provides end-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. Messages cannot be read by anyone except you and our reporters — not even Signal itself. For maximum security, enable disappearing messages.

Download Signal for free at signal.org. Add our number and send a message describing what you know.

Email

tips@dismalfreedompress.org

Standard email is not encrypted and may be accessible to your employer if sent from a work account. For sensitive tips, we recommend Signal or postal mail instead. If you must use email, consider creating a new email account from a personal device on a non-work network.

Postal Mail

Dismal Freedom Press
249 Commerce Ave #1042
Manteca, CA 95336

Physical mail is a secure way to send documents. Do not include a return address if you wish to remain anonymous. Consider mailing from a post office away from your home or workplace. Handle documents with care — fingerprints and printer metadata can sometimes be used to identify senders.

Phone

(209) 425-2677

You can call our main number to speak with a reporter. Note that standard phone calls are not encrypted. For sensitive conversations, we recommend using Signal calling instead.

Sending Documents Securely

If you have documents that support your tip, here are the safest ways to share them:

Signal: You can attach files directly in Signal messages. They are encrypted in transit.
Postal mail: Print documents and mail them to our address. Avoid printing from a workplace printer, as many printers embed tracking dots that identify the device.
In person: If you are in the Central Valley area, we can arrange to meet in person to receive documents. Contact us via Signal to set up a meeting.

A note about digital documents: Many digital files contain hidden metadata — including author names, edit history, GPS coordinates, and device identifiers. Before sharing digital documents, consider whether this metadata could identify you. When possible, print documents and re-scan them, or ask us for guidance on stripping metadata.

Your Legal Protections

California has one of the strongest journalist shield laws in the country. Under California Evidence Code § 1070, journalists cannot be held in contempt for refusing to disclose the identity of a confidential source or unpublished information obtained in the course of newsgathering.

This means:

If you share information with us confidentially, we will not reveal your identity without your explicit consent.
California courts cannot compel our reporters to identify you as a source.
This protection covers both professional journalists and the people who provide them with information.

If you are a government employee, you may also be protected by California's whistleblower statutes (Government Code §§ 8547-8547.12 and Labor Code § 1102.5), which prohibit retaliation against employees who report waste, fraud, abuse, or violations of law.

What to Expect After Submitting a Tip

Here is what happens after you contact us:

Acknowledgment: A reporter or editor will review your tip, typically within one to three business days. If you provided contact information, we may reach out with follow-up questions.
Evaluation: We assess each tip based on its public interest significance, the strength of the evidence, and our capacity to investigate. Not every tip results in a published story.
Investigation: If we pursue your tip, we will independently verify the information through public records, additional sources, and reporting. We will not publish information based solely on a single anonymous tip.
Confidentiality: If you request confidentiality, we will honor that request throughout the reporting process and will not identify you in any published material without your consent.
Publication: If our investigation results in a story, we will publish it on our website and through our newsletter. We may contact you before publication to verify details, but we will not reveal your identity to the subjects of the story.

If you submitted a tip anonymously and did not provide contact information, we may not be able to follow up. Including a way for us to reach you — even an anonymous email address — significantly increases the likelihood that your tip leads to published reporting.

Questions?

If you have questions about the tip process or need guidance on the most secure way to share information, contact us via Signal at (209) 425-2677 or email tips@dismalfreedompress.org.