Why We Remain Anonymous — and How This Platform Is Built to Protect You

Tri-Lakes Town Square is anonymous by design. Not for branding. Not for mystery. Because in a small town, telling the truth can cost you.

In a community where everyone knows everyone, a byline is not just a name — it is a target. A reporter who covers the school board lives down the street from the school board. A source who tips off a journalist about misconduct at town hall may work at town hall. The social and professional consequences of local journalism fall hardest on the people closest to the story.

We operate under the byline “The Editors” and do not disclose the identity of anyone involved in producing this platform. This is not a limitation — it is a feature.

The Legal Foundation

This platform operates under New York Civil Rights Law §79-h, which provides the strongest journalist shield protection available under state law — protecting the identity of confidential sources. Journalist anonymity is maintained as an operational security practice, not a statutory claim: we use pseudonyms, secure infrastructure, and compartmentalized workflows to ensure that the identity of anyone involved in producing this platform cannot be compelled or discovered through legal or technical means. We are not affiliated with any corporate media entity, which means we answer to no advertiser, no parent company, and no board.

The Technical Foundation

Anonymous publishing is only meaningful if the infrastructure backs it up. Tri-Lakes Town Square is built so that it cannot betray its readers or sources — not by policy, but by architecture. No IP addresses are logged at any layer of the stack. All uploaded images are stripped of EXIF metadata — including GPS coordinates — before being stored. The Ghost CMS admin interface is air-gapped from the public internet and only accessible from the local network. Docker log rotation is capped. MySQL query logging is disabled. The platform costs approximately $10 per year to operate and is funded entirely by the operator — no advertisers, no investors, no grants.

Editorial Standards

We verify information before publishing. When something is unverified — scanner traffic, community tips, developing situations — we label it clearly. We correct errors promptly and publish corrections openly. We do not accept sponsored content. We do not allow outside interests to influence coverage. We do not publish content designed to harm private individuals.

What We Cover

Local government, schools, public safety, courts, taxes, property assessments, and community life in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, and the surrounding Adirondack communities. Every story is free — no subscription, no paywall, no account required.

Contact

Tips, corrections, and press inquiries: editors@trilakestownsquare.com

All tips are confidential. We do not ask for your name. We do not log your IP. If you are concerned about digital safety, contact us from a device and network not associated with your identity.

Speak without fear. Stay informed without a paywall.