Leaks: How Do Codes of Ethics Address Them?

In this article I analyze how journalistic codes of ethics in the United States wrestle with the matter of leaks. After assessing how leaks—particularly from government sources—can compromise journalistic independence, I discuss strengths and weakness of ethics codes. Four research questions are explored via a systematic analysis of 47 codes. Although leaks are never explicitly addressed in these codes, the treatment of confidential sources and the need to maintain journalistic independence are addressed.