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Comment by zthrowaway79875 | Hacker News Reader

I am a whistleblower in the UK. The issue is large enough it could get into the papers or the dismantling of an organisation. It is not a comfortable position to be in and I'm fully cognizant of the risks to my future employability. Nonetheless it has to be done. I would urge people to speak up even over little things.

Bad things happen when good men do nothing, is succinct and appropriate.

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Disclosure: I'm an engineer working at the Guardian on investigations tools.

In your opinion, what can newspapers and their technology teams do to improve the process of whistleblowing. Any perspective is really interesting!

I appreciate the work you are doing although there is nothing in my experience that I think can assist you. I went through legal channels and it is starting to have the desired effect. The most important thing you can do as a newspaper is be a newspaper. That way I can give my story and shame them publicly as a last resort if needed. Your work will be invaluable for others I have no doubt!

I guess Julian Assange did with Wikileaks was the correct technology and process - and why the establishment has scared everyone away from replicating what he did by his most poor treatment.

So, do what Assange did.

Assange worked with Rusbridger, Guardian's editor in chief at the time, I think. So .... the guardian should go to the guardian and get their help! :-)

So it's a human courage problem, then.

It's worth noting that The Guardian's response to Assange's persecution left a lot to be desired[0-2] from a whistle-blowing perspective, especially against a powerful organization. That's not to say one should avoid a journalist publication for telling their story, just that it can backfire in its own way if (presumably) that publication starts to get heat from law man.

0: https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2016-02-05/no-fair-hearin...

1: https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2018-11-28/guardian-vilif...

2: https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2020-09-26/guardian-assan...

I think I speak on behalf of just about everybody except those you are blowing the whistle about: good for you, thank you for doing the right thing.

Many people say they’d do the right thing even if it’s really hard and potentially will harm their careers. Very very few actual do it. Thank you.

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