Anonymity Policy

Anonymity Policy

  1. Purpose
    The purpose of this policy is to address requests for anonymous authors and anonymous sources in the published works of the Peak Publications Society.
  2. Definitions
    “Anonymous author” refers to an author who wishes to publish their work without attaching their legal name.
    “Anonymous source” refers to a person who supplies information and wishes to have said information published without a connection to their legal name.
    “Pseudonym” refers to a name other than the author’s or source’s legal name, under which they wish to be published or known.
  3. Policy and Procedure
    1. Anonymous authors should be avoided whenever possible, with the following exceptions, subject to the review of the Copy Editor and the Editor-in-Chief:
      1. The author would be put in physical/emotional danger, or in danger of losing their livelihood directly due to the publication of their work
        1. This policy does not protect authors whose reputations may be affected by the publication of their work
      2. The author would be put in potential physical or emotional danger directly due to the publication of their work
    2. Authors who wish to publish under a pseudonym in work(s) published by the Peak Publications Society should not be allowed to do so UNLESS
      1. The author would be put in potential physical or emotional danger directly due to the publication of their work
      2. Their work is published in the humour section
    3. Anonymous sources should be avoided whenever possible, with the following exceptions, subject to the review of the Copy Editor and the Editor-in-Chief:
      1. The source would be put in physical or emotional danger directly due to the publication of the work in which their information is used
        1. This policy does not protect sources whose reputations may be affected by the publication of the work in which their information is used
      2. The source would be put in potential physical or emotional danger directly due to the publication of the work in which their information is used
      3. The information supplied by the anonymous source must not be able to be obtained using any other legal method
    4. Anonymous sources who wish to be referred to via a pseudonym in work(s) published by the Peak Publications Society should not be allowed to do so UNLESS
      1. The source would be put in physical/emotional danger, or in danger of losing their livelihood directly due to the publication of the work in which their information is used
    5. In cases where full anonymity may not be granted, the section editor, Copy Editor, and Editor-in-Chief can discuss degrees of anonymity, including
      1. Publication by last name only
      2. Publication by first name only
      3. Publication by initials
    6. If an author or source has been granted any degree of anonymity or a pseudonym, at least two people in the Peak Publications Society must know the legal identity of the author or source.
      1. One of these people must be the Editor-in-Chief
    7. Anonymity may not be granted in retrospect.
    8. No section editor, without consulting the Copy Editor and the Editor-in-Chief, may grant an author or source anonymity or a pseudonym.