How we handle names and faces
Our working rules for consent, anonymity, and taking material down on request.
A few readers have asked how we decide whose name and photograph to publish. Here is the current working practice. It will change as we learn; when it does, we will note it here.
Before
Everyone in a story is told, before we start, what the story is, where it will appear, and how their words and image might be used. If someone is unsure, that is a no until it is a clear yes.
Names
We use full names only with explicit agreement. We will use a first name, an initial, a role (“a ward clerk in Bago”), or nothing at all, if that is what keeps someone comfortable and safe. A pseudonym is always labelled as one.
Faces
Where a recognisable face in a recognisable place could create risk — professional, legal, or personal — we crop, angle, or omit. We do not run a photograph someone has not seen.
After
If you have contributed and your circumstances change, contact us and we will remove or alter the material. There is no time limit on that and no need to explain why.