WHISTLEBLOWER GUIDE

You saw something. You have evidence. You want to do the right thing without getting destroyed. This is how.

This is not legal advice. This is general information about your constitutional rights. Laws vary by state. For specific legal situations, contact an attorney or the ACLU.

Read this entire page before taking any action. The order of operations matters. Protect yourself first, then act.

STEP 1: SECURE YOURSELF FIRST

Before you contact anyone, before you copy any documents, before you tell anyone what you know:

1. Do NOT use your work phone, computer, or email for anything related to this.
2. Do NOT tell coworkers, friends, or family until you have legal counsel.
3. Do NOT post on social media. Not even vaguely.
4. Get a burner phone or use a public library computer with Tor Browser.
5. Contact a whistleblower attorney FIRST — before contacting media or agencies.

SECURE COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Signal

End-to-end encrypted messaging. Use for all sensitive communications. Disappearing messages ON.

Tor Browser

Anonymous web browsing. Use when researching or submitting tips.

SecureDrop

Used by major newsrooms (NYT, WaPo, Guardian) for anonymous document submission.

Tails OS

A portable operating system that leaves no trace. Boot from USB.

ProtonMail

Encrypted email based in Switzerland. Create an anonymous account via Tor.

LEGAL PROTECTIONS THAT EXIST

Whistleblower Protection Act (1989)

Federal employees reporting waste, fraud, abuse, or dangers to public health/safety.

Dodd-Frank Act (2010)

Financial industry whistleblowers. SEC pays 10-30% of sanctions over $1M recovered.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002)

Corporate fraud whistleblowers at publicly traded companies.

False Claims Act (qui tam)

Anyone reporting fraud against the government. Whistleblower can receive 15-30% of recovered funds.

OSHA Section 11(c)

Workers reporting safety violations. Protected from retaliation.

Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act

Intelligence community employees reporting urgent concerns to Congress.

WHO TO CONTACT

Government Accountability Project

Legal defense and advocacy for government and corporate whistleblowers since 1977.

National Whistleblower Center

Legal support, advocacy, and connections to qui tam attorneys for financial fraud cases.

ExposeFacts

Supports whistleblowers in national security and human rights. Works with journalists.

ACLU

Takes cases involving government retaliation against whistleblowers and free speech.

Project On Government Oversight (POGO)

Investigates government corruption and supports those who report it.

SUBMITTING TO JOURNALISTS

If you want to go to the press, use SecureDrop. Major newsrooms that accept anonymous submissions:

The New York Times — nytimes.com/tips
The Washington Post — washingtonpost.com/securedrop
The Guardian — theguardian.com/securedrop
ProPublica — propublica.org/tips
The Intercept — theintercept.com/source

NEVER email documents directly. NEVER use your real name on first contact. Let the journalist establish a secure channel.

The truth is the only thing that can't be classified. Tell it safely.