Well, someone tipped off the media and got fired. It is absolutely in TechCrunch's best interest to protect their sources or fewer of them will contact TechCru

Well, someone tipped off the media and got fired. It is absolutely in TechCrunch's best interest to protect their sources or fewer of them will contact TechCrunch with tips because they're afraid of retribution. If TC offers to protect them somewhat, then it helps mitigate the concern future whistle-blowers will have telling TechCrunch. I think the other points in this thread about the law not protecting civil cases is interesting-- but I suspect TC is really just doing this to make future leak providers less fearful. "We'll stand behind you against your company if you give us the dirt."