The Sun has launched a secure drop system for people to provide the tabloid with information anonymously as part of a “whistleblowers’ charter”.

An article in Monday’s Sun says the system is a response to the police’s use of Ripa powers to access call records of three Sun journalists to identify the source of leaks about the Andrew Mitchell “Plebgate” scandal.

The “Sun SecureDrop” requires anonymous browsing software Tor to use. Anything sent through it will be “automatically encrypted in the same system used by dissidents in oppressive regimes”, according to the newspaper.

“Over the last four years the establishment – including police and prosecutors – have conspired to make it harder than ever for their secrets to be exposed,” the piece says.

“We are giving whistleblowers – the unsung heroes of a free society – renewed confidence their anonymity will be protected.”



In a longer online article describing the system the newspaper says that reporters will only read messages on a “ring-fenced laptop not linked to the internet”, a security measure designed to stop more advanced surveillance or hacking.

Though the Sun has been a vociferous opponent of the use of Ripa powers and other crackdowns on government officials leaking information to the press, it has repeatedly criticised NSA files whistleblower Edward Snowden and the Guardian for publishing revelations about mass surveillance.

Leader articles in the paper have described Snowden’s leaks as “the gravest threat to [security services’] battle to protect British lives” and have referred to “the treachery of CIA leaker Edward Snowden”.

A Sun spokesperson said: “The Sun is encouraging all whistleblowers to use our secure system. How the information is then used and whether it is published is subject to our usual editorial decision-making and checks and balances.”