The words "according to documents" in a news story signal investigative journalism of the highest caliber.
We want to celebrate reporting based on government or corporate reports, emails, private chat messages or something equally tangible—as opposed to that based on unnamed sources or rumors.
The idea is imperfect, of course, and some excellent reporting will be based on no documents and some terrible reporting will be based on many documents. But ultimately, it's a great rule of thumb.
According to Documents was created by investigative reporters Girish Gupta and Alexandra Ulmer.
SAS unit repeatedly killed Afghan detainees
BBC citing military reports.
Uber broke laws, duped police and secretly lobbied governments
The Guardian citing internal documents.
Uvalde school shooting video showing police response
The American-Statesman and KVUE citing video.
‘Clear the Capitol,’ Pence pleaded, timeline of riot shows
The Associated Press citing a previously undisclosed document prepared by the Pentagon for internal use.
Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo’d Teen
The Daily Beast citing Venmo transactions.
The Washington Post citing a video of a meeting to discuss Facebook's goal of hiring more Black engineers.
Google AI scientist Bengio resigns after colleagues' firings
Reuters citing an internal email.
Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century
The New Yorker citing a recording of a Jan. 8 call between a policy adviser to McConnell and the leaders of several conservative groups.
Amazon’s Twitter army was handpicked for “great sense of humor,” leaked document reveals
The Intercept citing 2018 Amazon documents produced under the codename “Veritas."
UK police barred from searching Queen's estates for looted artefacts
The Guardian citing documents obtained through FOIA requests.
Documents show Amazon is aware drivers pee in bottles, despite company denial
The Intercept citing Amazon policy documents.
Atlanta suspect entered first spa more than an hour before shooting
The Washington Post citing surveillance video.
More than 5,000 unaccompanied children are in US Customs and Border Protection custody
CNN citing government documents.
Former AT&T lawyer says company systemically overcharged neediest schools
The Washington Post citing internal AT&T notes and emails.
How Germany considered rescuing Wirecard days before its doom
Reuters citing a nine-page government memo.
The Washington Post citing an internal Facebook study.
Covid test kit supplier joked to British health secretary on WhatsApp he had 'never heard of him'
The Guardian citing WhatsApp messages.
‘Clueless' California Tree Crews Left Trees Near Power Lines
NBC Bay Area citing internal PG&E emails.
The Washington Post citing internal data.
McDonald’s Secretive Intel Team Spies on ‘Fight for $15’ Workers, Internal Documents Show
Vice citing internal McDonald's strategy documents.
ProPublica citing internal company emails.
High-End US Medical Provider Let Ineligible People Skip COVID-19 Vaccine Line
NPR citing internal emails.
Filipino stars, influencers get paid to boost Duterte propaganda, fake news
Rappler citing documents including bank transfers.
Amazon documents reveal company’s strategy to dodge India’s regulators
Reuters citing hundreds of internal Amazon documents.
Monsanto owner and US officials pressured Mexico to drop glyphosate ban
The Guardian citing emails from the Office of the US Trade Representative and other US agencies.
The Washington Post citing internal documents including a status report.
Feds now say right-wing extremists responsible for majority of deadly terrorist attacks last year
Yahoo News citing an internal report circulated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Queen lobbied for change in law to hide her private wealth
The Guardian citing documents unearthed at the National Archives.
How consultants like McKinsey took over France
Politico citing emails and recordings of online seminars.
The Washington Post citing a report by a digital forensics firm.
Google's $76 million deal with French publishers leaves many outlets infuriated
Reuters citing documents outlining the deals between Google and publishers.
Donald Trump’s Business Sought A Stake In Parler Before He Would Join
Buzzfeed News citing a December document in which Parler offers a 40% stake in the company.
UK put refugees in barracks after fears better housing would ‘undermine confidence’ in system
The Independent citing an internal Home Office document.
Lobbying Fortress Europe: The making of a border-industrial complex
ZDF Magazin Royale citing 142 documents from 16 meetings held by Frontex with industry representatives between 2017 and 2019.
Facebook Knew Calls for Violence Plagued ‘Groups,’ Now Plans Overhaul
The Wall Street Journal citing documents including internal presentations.
Oxford kept COVID-19 vaccine trial volunteers in dark about dosing error
Reuters citing a letter sent to trial subjects.
Rep. Madison Cawthorn Peddles a Different Kind of Trumpism in a Post-Trump World
Time citing an email.
Raging virus, few shots. How Brazil missed its chance to secure COVID-19 vaccines
Reuters citing group WhatsApp messages.
Silicon Valley Investment Firm Profits From Surveillance States
Bloomberg citing internal documents detailing deals with governments.
Seattle hospital donors got special access to COVID-19 vaccine
The Seattle Times citing an email from the hospital to top donors.
McKinsey Bans Moscow Staff From Attending Pro-Navalny Protest
The Moscow Times citing an email from McKinsey to staffers.
Prospect of Pardons in Final Days Fueled Market to Buy Access to Trump
The New York Times citing documents including copies of payment agreements.
Internal memo reveals Western Australia Police lost six years of sexual assault emails
WAToday citing an internal police memo.
How Trump supporters are radicalised by the far right
The Guardian citing far-right playbooks.
China Imports Oil Doctored to Skirt US Sanctions on Venezuela
Bloomberg citing invoices and emails.
The Washington Post citing an internal FBI situational information report.
Facebook Turned on Trump After Warnings That ‘Business as Usual Isn’t Working’
The Wall Street Journal citing internal reports and an Instagram presentation.
Trump and Aides Drove Family Separation at Border, Documents Say
The New York Times citing notes from two meetings.
Chinese Covid-19 Tests Were Pushed by Federal Agencies Despite Security Warnings
The Wall Street Journal citing internal documents.
The Washington Post citing an audio recording.
Justice Dept. Seeks to Pare Back Civil Rights Protections for Minorities
The New York Times citing a draft report by the department.
BuzzFeed News citing an internal ICE memo.
China clamps down in hidden hunt for coronavirus origins
The Associated Press citing documents from China’s cabinet and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
UAE emerges as hub for companies helping Venezuela avoid U.S. oil sanctions
Reuters citing internal shipping documents from Venezuela's state oil company.
Who’s getting rich off Mississippi's child support? (Hint: It’s not the moms)
Mississippi Today citing internal scoring sheets that show a wealthy government contractor received fewer points than its industry rival.
Leaked Documents Show How China’s Army of Paid Internet Trolls Helped Censor the Coronavirus
ProPublica citing directives to workers and news outlets.
Google told its scientists to 'strike a positive tone' in AI research
Reuters citing internal webpages explaining the policy.
Trump trashes McConnell to fellow Republicans
Axios citing an email from Trump to Republican Senators.
Bloomberg citing internal documents with details of transactions.
Police Spying on Israelis Online via Secret Backdoor
Haaretz citing internal documents.
China’s Oppressed Uighurs Made COVID-19 Protection Sold Throughout Europe
OCCRP citing communication between companies abuot Uighur workers.
The San Francisco Chronicle citing arson reports and interview logs.
Suspected Chinese hackers stole camera footage from African Union
Reuters citing a five-page internal memo.
Leaked documents reveal China's mishandling of the early stages of Covid-19
CNN citing internal documents from the Hubei province.
Twitter suspends Thai royalist account linked to influence campaign
Reuters citing internal army training documents.
The secret scheme to skim millions off central Asia’s pipeline megaproject
The Financial Times citing emails sent between 2008 and 2014.
Facebook to start policing anti-Black hate speech more aggressively than anti-White comments
The Washington Post citing internal Facebook documents describing the project.
Ortega media enrich first family, squeeze rivals across Nicaragua
Reuters citing undisclosed tax documents
Trump's FCC nominee sought to enlist Fox's Laura Ingraham in anti-tech fight
Politico citing internal emails.
Roiled by Election, Facebook Struggles to Balance Civility and Growth
The New York Times citing an internal employee survey and internal analysis of posts.
In the mercenaries’ own words: Documents detail TigerSwan infiltration of Standing Rock
The Intercept citing company documents, including WhatsApp chats, invoices and operational plans.
‘You Have Zero Privacy’ Says an Internal Royal Canadian Mounted Police Presentation
The Tyee citing internal communications
Video shows Australian SAS soldier shooting and killing unarmed man at close range in Afghanistan
ABC and 4corners citing footage captured on helmet camera
Prince Andrew Helped a Secretive Luxembourg Bank Woo Sketchy Clients
Bloomberg citing emails and internal documents
Trump Campaign Officials Started Pressuring Georgia’s Secretary of State Long Before the Election
ProPublica citing an internal email
Zuckerberg defends not suspending ex-Trump aide Bannon from Facebook
Reuters citing a recording of Zuckerberg at a weekly forum with Facebook employees.
Local GOP Pushes Trump Voters to Cast Ballots After Election
The Daily Beast citing an email from the Kenosha for Trump group.
Scotland's health secretary wanted to stop freedom of information legislation during Covid-19
The Ferret citing internal government emails.
They served alongside U.S. soldiers. Now they fear that Iran’s allies in Iraq will strike back.
The Washington Post citing documents that include personal information.
UK vaccine taskforce head shared UK plans with private firms
The Sunday Times citing a video of the webinar geared towards private equity firms.
Trump admin funds plasma company based in owner’s condo
The Associated Press citing internal government documents and emails.
UK spends £1bn on Johnson’s rapid testing ‘moonshot’
The Financial Times citing documents showing contracts awarded by the Department of Health.
Local GOP Pushes Trump Voters to Cast Ballots After Election
The Daily Beast citing an email from the Kenosha for Trump group.
Emails show how Pompeos mixed personal, official business
NBC News citing hundreds of pages of emails.
Guardian Australia citing internal emails.
Internal Documents Reveal COVID-19 Hospitalization Data The Government Keeps Hidden
NPR citing documents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
White House sidestepped FDA to distribute hydroxychloroquine to pharmacies
The Washington Post citing internal government documents, including emails.
As Local News Dies, a Pay-for-Play Network Rises in Its Place
The New York Times citing thousands of emails between reporters and editors.
White House looks at cutting Covid funds, newborn screenings in ‘anarchist’ cities
Politico citing a Department of Health and Human Services list.
19 women allege medical abuse in Georgia immigration detention
The Los Angeles Times citing a medical report.
The NRA Has Paid Millions to a Firm Tied to Shady Election Practices
The Trace citing internal documents including a spreadsheet.
Billionaire Leon Black paid at least $50 mln to Epstein after others deserted him
The New York Times citing documents about the transactions
Clear Conquered U.S. Airports. Now It Wants to Own Your Entire Digital Identity.
OneZero citing more than 3,500 internal documents and emails.
The Washington Post citing videos of dozens of hours of CNP meetings.
Wells Fargo Fires More Than 100 Workers for Abusing U.S. Aid
Bloomberg citing an internal memo.
Facebook Said It Removed A Militia Event Page Threatening Violence In Kenosha. It Didn’t.
BuzzFeed News citing screenshots of private messages.
Bloomberg citing internal planning documents.
Vatican used charity funds to bet on Hertz credit derivatives
The Financial Times citing fund documents.
‘We Need to Take Away Children,’ No Matter How Young, Justice Dept. Officials Said
The New York Times citing 86-page draft report.
To dodge sanctions Venezuela turns to Asia asphalt giant
Associated Press citing invoices, contracts, shipping records, and wire receipts.
Long-concealed records show Trump's chronic losses and years of tax avoidance
The New York Times citing tax-return data extending over more than two decade.
Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016
Channel 4 citing a database used by Trump's digital campaign team.
Barrett tied to faith group ex-members say subjugates women
The Associated Press citing documents including internal magazines.
How Amazon hid its safety crisis
Reveal citing documents including internal safety reports and weekly injury numbers.
UK Downing Street explores sending asylum seekers to Moldova, Morocco and Papua New Guinea
The Guardian citing documents containing advice from the Foreign Office.
Global banks defy U.S. crackdowns by serving oligarchs, criminals and terrorists
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists citing suspicious activity reports filed by banks and other financial firms.
Amazon Employee Warns Internal Groups They’re Being Monitored For Labor Organizing
Motherboard citing an internal email.
New Body-Cam Footage Raises Questions About Breonna Taylor Death Investigation
Vice News citing hours of body camera footage.
Threats and invective hurled at health director who sought to postpone Trump’s Tulsa rally
The Washington Post citing internal emails.
Emails show Pompeos knew their requests of State Dept. staff were personal tasks
McClatchy citing internal emails between Pompeo's wife and State Department officials.
Venezuela Defies U.S. Sanctions With First Iranian Oil Import
Bloomberg citing an internal report.
Trump’s first indoor rally in months staged as a rebuke to coronavirus restrictions
The Washington Post citing internal campaign documents.
Saudi Arabia may have enough uranium ore to produce nuclear fuel
The Guardian citing an internal survey report
C.D.C. Testing Guidance Was Published Against Scientists’ Objections
The New York Times citing internal emails.
Hundreds of Americans Planted 'Chinese Mystery Seeds'
Motherboard citing thousands of pages of emails, spreadsheets, reports, and documents, as well as audio voicemail recordings.
UK mining group arranged Paris trip for Kazakh prime minister’s family
Financial Times citing 2011 emails about the trip.
Emails show HHS official trying to muzzle Fauci
Politico citing internal emails.
U.S. Company Faces Backlash After Belarus Uses Its Tech to Block Internet
Bloomberg citing internal marketing and shipping documents.
North Korea seeks millions of dollars worth of hospital supplies
NK News citing government wishlist documents.
ABC News citing emails and a draft document.
Meatpacking was already a dangerous job for California workers. The pandemic made it worse
The Los Angeles Times citing internal documents including emails.
Facial recognition and bathtime bookings: How China's universities are reopening
Reuters citing government procurement documents.
Buzzfeed News citing an internal report.
Pompeo, who addressed GOP convention, warned diplomats not to 'improperly' take part in politics
CNN citing a July cable from Pompeo.
Instacart shoppers say they face unforgiving metrics: 'It's a very easy job to lose'
The Los Angeles Times citing internal reports and screenshots of worker metrics.
Dems outraged as Trump administration scales back election security briefings
Politico citing letters to members of Congress.
Cyprus sold passports to criminals and fugitives
Al Jazeera citing more than 1,400 approved passport applications.
USPS email tells managers not to reconnect sorting machines
CNN citing an internal email.
Pompeo aide orders State Department to provide Biden, Russia probe documents
Politico citing an internal memo.
Google giving far-right users' data to law enforcement, documents reveal
The Guardian citing internal company and government documents.
Lebanon's leaders warned in July about explosives at port
Reuters citing a confidential state security report.
QAnon groups have millions of members on Facebook
NBC News citing an internal Facebook investigation.
Big Tech Makes Inroads With the Biden Campaign
The New York Times citing documents including a list of advisers and rules provided to policy groups.
Morgan Stanley boss is frequent caller to SEC chairman
The Financial Times citing e-mails between Morgan Stanley and the SEC.
Internal USPS Documents Outline Plans to Hobble Mail Sorting
Motherboard citing internal planning documents.
What Happened When a Public Institute Became a De Facto Lobbying Arm of the Timber Industry
ProPublica citing internal documents, including thousands of emails.
India Is Undercounting Its COVID-19 Deaths. This Is How.
The Wire Science citing hospital reports, doctor notes, and X-rays.
Sensitive to claims of bias, Facebook relaxed misinformation rules for conservative pages
NBC News citing lists and descriptions of potential misinformation.
To Head Off Regulators, Google Makes Certain Words Taboo
The Markup citing internal training documents.
Inside a Crypto ‘Ponzi’: How the $6.5M Banana.Fund Fraud Unravelled
CoinDesk citing internal documents and emails.
The US' Department of Homeland Security analyzed protester communications
The Washington Post citing a DHS intelligence report.
Rite Aid deployed facial recognition system in hundreds of U.S. stores
Reuters citing thousands of pages of internal documents from Rite Aid and its suppliers.
Exxon made managers dub more employees poor performers as the oil giant sought to quietly cut staff
Business Insider citing internal documents and leaked audio files.
U.N. experts warn Venezuela it could be in breach of North Korea sanctions
Reuters citing two letters to the Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations.
This Hospital Cost $52 Million. It Treated 79 Virus Patients.
The New York Times citing internal documents including a hospital log.
NSO Group Pitched Its Spyware to the Secret Service
Motherboard citing emailed pitches.
A Saudi Spy Chief Hid Abroad. With Appeals and Threats, M.B.S. Tried to Bring Him Back
The New York Times citing text messages and legal documents.
Migrant kids held in US hotels, then expelled
The Associated Press citing government records.
FBI used Trump's candidate briefing to advance Russia probe
Politico citing a declassified summary of a Trump intelligence briefing.
ProPublica citing documents from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
Saudi Arabia Wants Its Fugitive Spymaster Back
The Wall Street Journal citing internal documents.
Coronavirus-Gear Broker Used Political Ties to Sell Goods to States, Data Show
The Wall Street Journal citing emails and contract documents.
Federal stockpile is thin amid coronavirus surge
NBC News citing internal administration documents.
How the Mafia infiltrated Italy’s hospitals and laundered the profits globally
The Financial Times citing financial documents and Italian legal filings.
KTVU citing internal police documents.
How U.S. restrictions drove Deutsche Telekom and Huawei closer together
Politico citing internal company records.
Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek touted Russian nerve gas documents
The Financial Times citing an investigation into the Salisbury attack.
Zuckerberg once wanted to sanction Trump. Then Facebook wrote rules that accommodated him
Washington Post citing internal Facebook documents.
How the U.S. and European Union pressured South Africa to delay copyright reform
Politico citing dozens of internal European Commission documents.
Trump’s 'strong wall’ to block COVID-19 from China had holes
The Associated Press citing Commerce Department travel entry records and aviation data.
Documents show how two environment ministers diluted India's green law
HuffPost India citing internal government documents.
The Huffington Post citing internal documents including emails, reports, and text messages.
Asylum Outsourced: McKinsey’s Secret Role in Europe’s Refugee Crisis
Balkan Insight citing internal documents.
In Tulsa, Trump Campaign Subverted Social Distancing One Sticker at a Time
Billboard citing a video of Trump staffers.
Top UK private school asks teachers to exaggerate exam predictions
The Guardian citing minutes of internal meetings and the 2019-20 teachers’ handbook.
Inside Iran’s secret project to produce aluminium powder for missiles
Reuters citing over a dozen documents relating to a secret facility.
Rancor Erupts In 'LA Times' Newsroom Over Race, Equity And Protest Coverage
NPR citing internal Slack messages and emails.
The Intercept citing emails to Accenture's content moderation teams.
U.S. Trade Officials Sought Consulting Work on Rules They Wrote
Bloomberg citing emails to industry members.
Tulsa motel guard’s deadly encounter with guest raises issues of race, private-security oversight
The Washington Post citing surveillance footage.
Texas police chase ends in black man's death as cameras roll
The Austin American-Statesman citing documents, including an internal investigative report, and a police video.
How China got shipments of Venezuelan oil despite U.S. sanctions
Reuters citing internal PDVSA documents.
Malaysian 1MDB’s Suspected Mastermind Found New Ways to Move Money in Kuwait
The Wall Street Journal citing invoices and other documents.
Fresh Swiss investigation targets ex-FIFA president Blatter
The Associated Press citing a Swiss prosecution document.
Indonesia's hundreds of suspected child virus deaths highlight danger
Reuters citing a health ministry document.
BuzzFeed News citing a two-page government memorandum.
China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO
The Associated Press citing recordings of internal WHO meetings.
BuzzFeed News citing an internal agency review.
El País citing internal emails from the Madrid regional government.
Huawei hid business operation in Iran after Reuters reported links to CFO
Reuters citing internal Huawei documents.
Facebook Ran Multi-Year Charm Offensive to Woo State Prosecutors
Bloomberg citing emails between company officials and state prosecutors.
The US Military Is Monitoring Protests in 7 States
The Nation citing Defense Department documents.
U.S. takes aim at the power behind Venezuela’s Maduro: his first lady
Reuters citing a Justice Department document.
The rapid spread of coronavirus in a South African hospital, and how it could have been prevented
Bhekisisa citing a report on an outbreak in Durban.
Pompeo's elite taxpayer-funded dinners raise new concerns
NBC News citing master guest lists and internal State Department calendars.
Documents show China's secret extradition request for Uighur in Turkey
Axios citing a Chinese government request.
China eyes tougher national security regime for Hong Kong
Reuters citing a draft of a new national security law.
Employees at the US' Environmental Protection Agency allege leadership interference with science
The Hill citing an internal watchdog report.
Syrian government orders seizure of assets of Assad's cousin Makhlouf
Reuters citing a government document signed by the Syrian finance minister.
Emails offer look into whistleblower charges of cronyism behind potential COVID-19 drug in U.S.
Science Insider citing internal emails.
JetBlue’s Founder Helped Fund A Stanford Study That Said The Coronavirus Wasn’t That Deadly
BuzzFeed citing a whistleblower complaint.
NSO Group Pitched Phone Hacking Tech to American Police
Motherboard citing a brochure and emails.
SaharaReporters citing internal documents.
EU to halve pesticides by 2030 to protect bees, biodiversity
Reuters citing a draft document.
Trump administration buries detailed CDC advice on reopening
Associated Press citing a report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team.
From a Miami condo to the Venezuelan coast, how a plan to ‘capture’ Maduro went rogue
The Washington Post citing a confidential agreement, a video, and text messages.
Australian government stops listing major threats to species under environment laws
The Guardian citing a 2019 government briefing document.
Russian mercenaries act as "force multiplier" in Libya
Bloomberg citing a report by United Nations experts.
Russia Is Coercing Medical Students Into Coronavirus Fight
The Moscow Times citing a message from the First Moscow State Medical University administration
Secret Service paid Trump’s D.C. hotel more than $33,000 for lodging to guard treasury secretary
The Washington Post citing billing records
The US military’s plans to cement its network of African bases
Mail & Guardian citing internal documents from the US military’s Africa Command
Cyber-intel firms pitch governments on spy tools to trace coronavirus
Reuters citing company email pitches
Trump cuts U.S. research on bat-human virus transmission over China ties
Politico citing internal emails
“Really Want to Flood NY and NJ”: Internal Documents Reveal Team Trump’s Chloroquine Master Plan
Vanity Fair citing Trump administration documents
Internal EU report on coronavirus disinformation was harsher on China than public release
CyberScoop citing an internal European Union report
Secret Recording Reveals NRA's Legal Troubles Have Cost The Organization $100 Million
National Public Radio citing a recording of the group's board meeting
British PM adviser Cummings is on secret scientific advisory group for Covid-19
The Guardian citing a list of the scientific group's members
Internal Documents Show Federal Agencies Supported the WHO Before Trump Was Against It
ProPublica citing a draft report from the U.S. Agency for International Development
China didn’t warn public of likely pandemic for 6 key days
Associated Press citing internal Chinese government documents
Last call of an Indian migrant who died walking: "If you can, come get me"
Indian Express citing audio files
UK government using confidential patient data in coronavirus response
The Guardian citing British National Health Services documents
China is tightening its grip on coronavirus research
Nature citing Chinese Ministry of Education documents
Coronavirus spreads in US immigrant detention center
San Diego Union-Tribune citing detention facility documents
Help us highlight worthwhile reporting by submitting it below or emailing us. We welcome work by freelancers, smaller publications and journalists covering underreported issues or countries.
© 2020 Girish Gupta and Alexandra Ulmer