Chatham House Rule

The Chatham House Rule is a non-attribution rule that allows participants to share information from a meeting without identifying the speaker. The rule is designed to encourage open discussion and facilitate the sharing of ideas that might otherwise be controversial or unpopular.

What does the rule say?

• Participants can use information from the meeting, but they can't identify who said it
• The rule applies to both in-person and online events
• The rule is not legally binding, but it's an expectation of attendees' behavior

Why is the rule important?

• The rule allows people to speak freely, even if their views differ from their organization's
• The rule can help create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas, even if they're controversial

How does the rule apply?

• The rule can be applied to social media sites like Twitter
• The rule can be used to guide how event information is shared, both online and offline

Where does the rule come from?

• The rule was created in 1927 and named after Chatham House, the headquarters of the Chatham House Institute