Different than forms of transparency that gained prominence with the Web architecture, openness in data journalism is deeply associated with replicability for external scrutiny. It was inherited from precision journalism, which aimed to place news reporting closer to social sciences, and has become a normative value shared within the interpretive community of data journalists. Thus, having its own point of departure poses implications for this set of practices, which can be discussed into a twofold construct. In this conceptual article, I argue that transparency in data journalism works as a strategy for news organizations to enhance the effect of authenticity and accountability and generates an intention that leads practitioners toward ethical conduct. Ultimately, I present a guideline with 15 elements to operationalize and examine disclosure.