Fierce Protection for Whistle Blowers through Digital Anonymity

Whistle-blowers play a vital role in exposing corruption, fraud, and other wrongdoing in both the public and private sectors.

However, coming forward with information that threatens the interests of powerful individuals or organizations can be extremely dangerous, with potentially severe consequences for whistle-blowers and their families.

We cannot forget the death of Babitha Deokaran who was assassinated at around 08:00 SAST on 23 August 2021 while she was returning home from dropping her daughter off at school. The case caused significant controversy in South Africa given Deokaran's status as an anti-corruption whistleblower and the lack of protection afforded to her by the state. At the time of her death, Babitha Deokaran was the acting chief financial officer at the Gauteng Provincial Government Department of Health.

Here are some of the dangers that whistle-blowers face:

1. Retaliation: Whistle-blowers often face retaliation from their employers, colleagues, or other individuals implicated in their disclosures. This can take many forms, including harassment, intimidation, job loss, physical violence, and even death.
2. Legal consequences: In some cases, whistle-blowers may face legal consequences for their disclosures, particularly if they have breached confidentiality agreements or other legal obligations. They may also face charges of defamation or other forms of legal harassment.
3. Social isolation: Whistle-blowers may also face social isolation, ostracism, and stigma for their actions, making it difficult for them to find new employment or integrate into their communities.
4. Lack of protection: Whistle-blowers often lack adequate protection from retaliation, with insufficient legal and institutional safeguards to ensure their safety and anonymity. In many cases, whistle-blowers are left to fend for themselves, with little support from the authorities or civil society.
5. Fear of consequences: Perhaps the most significant barrier to whistle-blowing is the fear of consequences. Whistle-blowers must weigh the potential benefits of their disclosures against the risk of retaliation and other negative outcomes, including harm to their families and loved ones.
6. Lack of trust: Finally, whistle-blowers may also lack trust in the authorities and institutions that are supposed to protect them. Many whistle-blowers have reported being betrayed or abandoned by those they had hoped would support them, leading to further disillusionment and mistrust.

These dangers and barriers to whistle-blowing can have severe consequences for accountability and transparency, leaving corruption and other forms of wrongdoing unchecked. Governments and civil society organizations must work together to provide greater protection and support for whistle-blowers, including legal and institutional safeguards, anonymity, and counselling services.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty towards a solution to safeguarding whistle-blowers in the digital era, Effectualness (Pty) Ltd is fully committed to taking the transparent fight against corruption as we wish to enable whistle-blowers and journalists, let us gain some insights into whistle-blowing.

What is whistle-blowing?

Whistle-blowing is the act of reporting or disclosing information about illegal, unethical, or otherwise harmful activities by an individual or organization, with the intention of preventing or stopping those activities. Whistle-blowers may be employees, former employees, or other insiders who have knowledge of wrongdoing, and they typically disclose this information to authorities, the media, or other third parties who can take action to address the issue.

What the are forms of whistle-blowing?

Whistle-blowing can take many forms, including reporting financial fraud, workplace safety violations, human rights abuses, corruption, or other forms of wrongdoing. The act of whistle-blowing is often a difficult decision for individuals to make, as it can have serious personal and professional consequences, including retaliation, ostracism, and even physical harm. Nonetheless, whistle-blowing plays a crucial role in exposing corruption and promoting accountability, transparency, and good governance.

Examples of Whistle-blowing:

• Edward Snowden: Edward Snowden is a former contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) who leaked classified information about the agency's surveillance programs to the media in 2013. Snowden's disclosures sparked a national and international debate about government surveillance and privacy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most significant whistle-blowers of our time.
• Jeffrey Wigand: Jeffrey Wigand is a former tobacco industry executive who became a whistle-blower in the 1990s, exposing the industry's efforts to cover up the harmful effects of smoking. Wigand's disclosures led to significant changes in the tobacco industry and helped to hold tobacco companies accountable for their actions.
• Sherron Watkins: Sherron Watkins is a former executive at Enron, the energy company that collapsed in 2001 after revelations of massive financial fraud. Watkins blew the whistle on Enron's fraudulent accounting practices and helped to expose the extent of the company's wrongdoing, leading to criminal charges against top executives.
• Chelsea Manning: Chelsea Manning is a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst who leaked classified military documents to the website WikiLeaks in 2010. Manning's disclosures included evidence of war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and her actions have been hailed as a courageous act of whistle-blowing by some and condemned as treasonous by others.
• Erin Brockovich: Erin Brockovich is a legal clerk and environmental activist who became a whistle-blower in the 1990s, exposing a water contamination scandal in a small California town. Brockovich's efforts helped to hold the responsible parties accountable and led to significant improvements in environmental regulation and public health.

What are the consequences that whistle-blowers may face?

The consequences of being a whistle-blower can be significant and can vary depending on the context and nature of the disclosure. Here are some common consequences that whistle-blowers may face:

• Retaliation: Whistle-blowers may face retaliation from their employers or colleagues, including harassment, demotion, suspension, or termination of employment. In some cases, they may also face blacklisting or difficulty finding new employment.
• Legal action: Whistle-blowers may face legal action from their employers or other parties, including lawsuits, criminal charges, or defamation suits. Even if they are ultimately vindicated, the process of defending themselves can be costly and time-consuming.
• Personal harm: Whistle-blowers may face threats or physical harm, either directly or indirectly, as a result of their disclosures. In extreme cases, they may even face violence or assassination.
• Emotional toll: Whistle-blowing can be a stressful and emotionally taxing experience, as individuals may feel isolated, stigmatized, or anxious about the consequences of their actions.
• Social consequences: Whistle-blowers may face social consequences as a result of their disclosures, including damage to their reputation or personal relationships.

Despite these potential consequences, many individuals still choose to blow the whistle on wrongdoing, motivated by a desire to expose the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. It is important for governments and organizations to provide support and protections for whistle-blowers, in order to ensure that their disclosures can be made safely and without fear of reprisal.

How To Protect Yourself as a Whistleblower Through Digital Anonymity?

The Tails operating system is a powerful tool that provides fierce protection for whistle-blowers through anonymity. Its unique design and features make it an essential tool for those who want to keep their identity hidden while exposing sensitive information.

Tails, which stands for "The Amnesic Incognito Live System," is a privacy-focused operating system based on Linux. It is designed to be used from a USB stick or DVD, without requiring any installation on the computer's hard drive. Tails are equipped with several security features that make it the perfect tool for whistle-blowers.

One of the primary features of Tails is its ability to route all internet traffic through the Tor network. Tor, which stands for "The Onion Router," is a decentralized network that allows users to browse the internet anonymously. By routing all internet traffic through Tor, Tails makes it virtually impossible for anyone to track the user's online activities, including their location and IP address.

Tails also come pre-loaded with several encryption tools that allow users to secure their data. The operating system includes the GNU Privacy Guard (GPG), free and open-source software that provides encryption and digital signature capabilities. With GPG, whistle-blowers can encrypt their emails and other documents, making it impossible for anyone to read them without the proper decryption key.

In addition to encryption, Tails also includes the Tor Browser, a modified version of Firefox that has been optimized for use with the Tor network. The Tor Browser blocks scripts and other tracking technologies that can compromise a user's anonymity. It also allows users to access websites that may be blocked in their country, such as those that are critical of the government.

Another unique feature of Tails is its ability to operate in "amnesic mode." When Tails is used in amnesic mode, all data is stored in RAM, and nothing is written to the hard drive. This means that when the user shuts down the computer, all traces of their activities are erased, leaving no evidence behind.

Finally, Tails has been endorsed by Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who leaked classified information in 2013. Snowden praised Tails for its security features, including its use of the Tor network and its focus on privacy.

So, wait for a second we at Effectualness are recommending Tails but how does it actually work? Good Question, let's find out how below :)

Tails work by running entirely from a USB drive or DVD and does not require installation on a computer's hard drive. When the user boots Tails, the operating system loads into the computer's RAM, and all data is encrypted and stored in memory, rather than on the hard drive.

Tails include a suite of security and privacy tools, such as the Tor Browser, which allows users to browse the internet anonymously, and the GnuPG encryption tool, which can be used to encrypt and sign emails and other messages. Tails also include additional security features, such as a built-in firewall and tools for securely deleting data.

One of the key features of Tails is its focus on preserving user anonymity and privacy. By running entirely from a USB drive or DVD, Tails does not leave any traces of the user's activity on the computer they are using. Additionally, Tails routes all internet traffic through the Tor network, which helps to mask the user's IP address and location.

Overall, Tails is designed to provide users with a secure and private computing environment and is often used by journalists, activists, and others who need to protect their online activities from surveillance or other forms of monitoring.

In conclusion, Tails is the perfect tool for whistle-blowers who need fierce protection through anonymity. Its unique design and features make it a powerful tool for those who want to keep their identity hidden while exposing sensitive information. With Tails, whistle-blowers can encrypt their data, browse the internet anonymously, and operate in amnesic mode, all while keeping their activities hidden from prying eyes. The fact that it is approved by Snowden only adds to its credibility and reliability.

Learn more about Tails here

Have a day, please share this with everyone you know as you never know if you could just be saving their lives when it comes to coming forward in pseudonymic (our own unique word for using a pseudonym name together with Tails OS) anonymity powered by Tails OS.

Well wishes to everyone.

The Effectualness Team

Durban, South Africa