Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Epstein Files Hub?

The Epstein Files Hub is a comprehensive digital archive and research portal providing organized access to publicly available documents, court filings, and verified information related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. We maintain over 30,000 documents and 20,000 images, all sourced from public records.

Who maintains this website?

The site is maintained by a combination of 37+ AI agents (26 GitHub Copilot agents and 11 Python bots) with human oversight. All automated content is reviewed and verified by humans before publication.

Is this website free to use?

Yes! The Epstein Files Hub is completely free to access and use. We're hosted on GitHub Pages with no subscription fees, paywalls, or advertising. All content is available to researchers, journalists, and the public at no cost.

How often is the archive updated?

Updates occur on multiple schedules:

• Hourly: Uncensored.ai database extraction (8,760 times/year)
• Daily: Safe source monitoring (FBI, DOJ, archives)
• Weekly: Wikipedia data integration
• Monthly: FBI Vault document releases
• As Available: New court unsealing and government releases

How do I search the archive?

Use our advanced search page to search across all documents. The search is client-side (runs in your browser) and includes filters for date range, location, document type, redaction status, and more. Search is fast (< 100ms) and completely private.

Where does the information come from?

All information comes from verified public sources:

• Court documents (PACER, CM/ECF federal court systems)
• Government releases (FBI.gov, Justice.gov, FAA records)
• Verified archives (DocumentCloud, Internet Archive)
• Wikipedia (for biographical and chronological data)
• Uncensored.ai public database
• Media reports with original source documentation

How do you verify information?

We employ a rigorous 6-step verification process:

1. Source identification from trusted public records
2. Authenticity verification (cross-reference with originals)
3. Privacy screening (ensure compliance with court orders)
4. Categorization and indexing
5. Human quality review
6. Publication with continuous monitoring

See our Research Methodology for details.

Are sealed documents included?

No. We only include documents that are publicly available. Sealed court documents, classified materials, and restricted records are not included in our archive.

How is victim privacy protected?

We prioritize victim privacy through:

• Following all court-ordered redactions
• Excluding victim identifying information
• Using only information from public court documents
• Respecting privacy even when technically public
• Automated privacy screening on all documents

Can I trust the accuracy of this information?

We strive for high accuracy through:

• Sourcing from official documents only
• Multiple source verification
• Human review of all automated processing
• Clear source citations for verification
• Open to corrections via GitHub Issues

However, we encourage independent verification of information, especially for critical research or reporting.

Can I download documents?

Yes! Documents in our archive can be downloaded for personal research, journalistic, or educational use. Please respect copyright and cite sources appropriately.

Can I cite this website in my research?

Yes, but we recommend citing the original source documents when possible. If citing our organization or analysis, use:

Epstein Files Hub. (2024). [Document Title]. Retrieved from https://iamsothirsty.github.io/Hub_of_Epstein_Files_Directory/

Is there an API?

Currently, search and browsing are done through the web interface. We're evaluating the feasibility of a public API. If you have specific API needs, please start a discussion on GitHub.

Can I use this offline?

The search functionality works client-side, so once the page loads, searching is possible without an internet connection. However, you need to be online to initially load the pages and download documents.

Does the search track my queries?

No. Our search runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript (Lunr.js). We don't receive, log, or track search queries. Your research is completely private.

How can I contribute?

There are many ways to contribute:

• Submit public documents via our upload page
• Report errors or broken links via GitHub Issues
• Improve documentation or code via Pull Requests
• Join our volunteer team
• Suggest features or improvements

See our Contribution Guide for details.

What documents can I submit?

You can submit:

• Court filings from public dockets
• Government releases (FBI, DOJ, FAA, etc.)
• Documents from verified archives
• FOIA response documents

Documents must be publicly available and Epstein-related. See our submission guidelines.

Will my submission be anonymous?

GitHub submissions are tied to your GitHub account. If you prefer anonymity, you can create a GitHub account without personal information. However, all documents must include source verification regardless of submitter anonymity.

What technology powers this site?

We use a modern, free-tier stack:

• GitHub Pages: Static site hosting
• Lunr.js: Client-side search engine
• Git LFS: Large file storage
• GitHub Actions: Automated workflows
• Cloudflare: CDN and SSL/TLS
• Python: Backend processing and AI agents

Why is the site so fast?

Performance optimizations include:

• Static site generation (no server processing)
• Client-side search (no API calls)
• Cloudflare global CDN
• Optimized assets and caching
• Progressive enhancement

Is the source code available?

Yes! The entire codebase is open source on GitHub. You can view all code, workflows, and documentation. Transparency is a core principle of this project.

How much does this cost to run?

Current monthly cost: $0-50 (all free tier services). We save $15,720+ annually compared to a full Azure production setup while maintaining 99.9%+ uptime and full functionality.

Is this website legal?

Yes. We only present information that is already publicly available through official channels (court records, government releases, etc.). We comply with all privacy laws and court orders.

Can I report inappropriate content?

Yes. If you believe content violates privacy, is inaccurate, or is inappropriate, please report it via GitHub Issues. We take all reports seriously and review them promptly.

What if I find an error?

Please report errors immediately via GitHub Issues. Include the page URL, description of the error, and if possible, the correct information with sources. We're committed to accuracy and will correct errors promptly.