Confidential
Send a tip
If you have information about how power moves in Lansing or mid-Michigan, we want to hear from you. The two channels below are end-to-end encrypted. We do not run a web form, and we do not accept tips at any address that ties to a single named person.
Sensitive information should never be sent from work email or workplace networks. Many employers monitor email and can see what you send.
Encrypted messaging
Signal
Free at signal.org. Best for ongoing conversation. Phone number stays private.
@rhinocerostips.01
What to include
- What you observed or know, in your own words.
- Documents, photos, or recordings if you have them — strip metadata before sending where possible.
- Whether you're willing to be contacted further, and how.
- Any deadline or context that affects how time-sensitive this is.
How to stay safe
- Don't use work email or workplace networks. Use a personal device on your home network, or a public network you don't normally connect to.
- Use a fresh Proton account if you want to stay anonymous. Don't reuse an address that ties to your real name.
- Strip metadata from documents. PDFs, Word documents, and photos can carry author names, GPS coordinates, and device identifiers. Tools: mat2, ExifTool.
- Don't tell people you've sent a tip. The fewer people who know, the safer the source. That includes colleagues, family, and social media.
What happens next
We read every tip. We don't always reply — sometimes silence protects the source. If we publish anything based on your information, we never identify you without explicit permission. The editorial standards we follow on sourcing, attribution, and confidentiality are documented at Ethics.