Do not publish
Raw medical records, diagnosis documents, private addresses, third-party participant names, private account identifiers, and sensitive evidence are not public archive materials.
Confidentiality
Privacy protection is part of the archive structure.
The archive is designed to support public-interest review while avoiding exposure of sensitive participant-level records, medical details, private addresses, third-party identities, and controlled evidence.
Use summaries first
When a record supports a public-interest question, summarize the category, date range, and issue without exposing unnecessary private detail.
Control distribution
Materials needed for formal review can be kept outside the public site and shared through appropriate controlled channels.
Check identifiability across sites
Withholding a name is not always enough to protect someone's identity. Exact dates, recognizable sequences, roles, and links to a public first-person account can identify a participant when combined across Housing Accountability Archive, Administrative Displacement, and a personal portfolio.
Before publishing additional participant material, review the combined public record, minimize unnecessary identifying details, and obtain appropriate informed permission when an account is identifiable. Do not promise anonymity that cross-referencing could defeat.
Verification without unnecessary disclosure
Documentary precision and privacy both matter. Maintain sensitive originals through controlled channels, publish only what readers need to evaluate a claim, and keep the distinction between consented publication, de-identification, and source verification explicit.
Read the companion project's case-study publication standard →
Consent and controlled information
Advocacy permission is not publication permission.
HAA treats individual representation, source interviews, and investigative publication as separate decisions with different information needs.
Participant authority
Participants determine whether HAA may contact a provider or agency and what issue HAA may raise. They retain authority over their housing decisions.
Separate editorial consent
Permission to assist or review material does not automatically permit public identification, quotation, or publication. Any proposed use in an investigation requires a distinct editorial assessment and informed permission where identifiable private information would be shared.
Minimize initial intake
Do not send medical documents, identification, financial-account details, or unrelated third-party files in an introductory email. HAA can discuss an appropriate method and scope before receiving sensitive evidence.
Access, retention, and corrections
Limit sensitive-record access to a legitimate purpose, separate private originals from redacted public copies, review retention needs, and document disclosure decisions. Requests to correct a published characterization should be checked against the underlying record.
Contact HAA without sending sensitive records → · Evidence status labels →
Publication rule:
Public transparency does not require publishing every underlying record. The archive favors verification, redaction, summary, and controlled availability when raw publication would create privacy risk.