Know How to Protect Yourself.

Being a whistleblower is not always easy; companies and individuals facing civil or criminal liability will often preemptively retaliate to intimidate potential whistleblowers, even though US laws offer many strong protections for whistleblowers. However, it’s critical that you proactively take steps to protect yourself, your anonymity as well as your legal rights.

The Ethic Alliance works to protect you and your identity through a combination of the strongest technology and legal protections available, including encrypted reporting and messaging platforms, and attorney-client privilege that attaches the moment you file your report on our platform.

Anonymity can often be maintained by an attorney filing suit under seal. When a whistleblower is discovered, it is often due to simple mistakes they make themselves. Here are some of the basic steps you can take to protect yourself:

 
 

Never do the following:

  1. Never use your corporate email or phone number for communication.

  2. Never use a company-provided device (computer, tablet, phone, etc.) to file your report or for communication.  Devices are often monitored by the company remotely.

  3. Never file a report or communicate while connected to a company network on any device (personal or company provided); company networks usually monitor all devices that are connected to them.

 

Always do the following:

  1. Always use personal devices connected to non-company networks to file your report and for ongoing communications  

  2. Use Ethic Alliance’s web messaging platform or consider using encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal and Telegram for communication. 

  3. Consider using a VPN or purchasing a pre-paid phone with cash.

  4. If you are truly want to maximize your privacy, the Ethic Alliance web messaging service works well on the Tor browser. Download the Tor browser.

 

What are my protections under law?

  • The Ethic Alliance will take all possible steps to protect whistleblower tip submissions from public disclosure. This includes protection from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act when the source is identifiable from the whistleblower tip submission.

  • The Ethic Alliance also endeavors to protect whistleblower tip submissions during investigations and litigations, to the extent possible under the law.

  • Legally, your employer cannot retaliate against you for reporting illegal conduct either internally to your employer, or a federal, state, or local government authority or law enforcement agency.