Off the record
Off the record is the provision of confidential information, for example, to a journalist. The information cannot or should not (yet) be released, but the source wants, on the basis of good faith, to lift a corner of the veil. This trust may include, for example, not publishing the information, or not naming the source.
Even if it cannot be published, "off the record" information is often of interest to media. For example, the information can provide a perspective for interpreting and interpreting facts that can be written about. Or a tip may prompt a journalist to investigate further. An agreement can also be made with the tipster that a newspaper or website will have the scoop as soon as certain information can be brought out.
Often the source has an interest in sharing the information. This may be innocent (explaining why a question cannot be answered), or it may be a strategic form of leaking. In the second case, consider a spin doctor who wants to put a political opponent in a bad light.
