Journalists’ Reflections on Using Home Addresses in Reporting

Abstract

This survey of 63 investigative reporting journalists highlights the various ways they use home addresses in public service reporting. Most use home addresses for fact checking and verifying sources. As well, 54% said they never, and 43% said they rarely, publish or broadcast those details. This preliminary study’s results provide important context in the current debate over how much personally identifiable information is released in government documents and data through public record laws. As legislatures and courts consider restrictions on the release of home addresses to protect people from doxing, harassment, and other harms, these findings indicate a need for caution and the inclusion of journalists in the discussion, based on the public value of home addresses in journalistic reporting.