Contributors

Connect directly with the organizations and individuals fighting for workers every day.

The Tech Worker Handbook was created for two primary reasons: to make resources more accessible for tech workers hoping to protect themselves, and to highlight organizations and individuals focused on supporting workers.

Understanding basic options and terminology is important, but not nearly as critical as working with a knowledgeable and dedicated team. The experts below have supported countless workers before, during, and after a whistleblowing experience. Consider this your contact list if you ever find yourself asking, “Who do I go to for help telling my story?”

If you would like to contribute to the Handbook, please email [email protected]. Everything included in this Handbook can be reposted and repurposed freely with proper attribution (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The Whistleblowers

I am so appreciative of every single whistleblower who spent time speaking with the contributors of this Handbook. It’s exhausting to retell and relive some of the most traumatic experiences of your career and life, but these individuals did so to provide advice to workers who access this Handbook. Thank you to Chelsey Glasson for your contributions to these resources, as well as the suggestion of using this space to name every whistleblower who shared a story or a quote across the different guides. Thank you all for paying it forward and improving things for everyone.

Legal: Tyler Shultz, Dr. Jack Poulson, Erika Cheung, Meredith Whittaker

Media: Chris Smalls, Brittany Kaiser, Chelsey Glasson

Stories: Clarissa Redwine, Thomas le Bonniec

Creator

Earthseed

Ifeoma Ozoma is the Founder and Principal of Earthseed, a consulting firm advising individuals, organizations, and companies on the issues of tech accountability, public policy, health misinformation, and related communications.

Earthseed, along with the California Employment Lawyers Association and Equal Rights Advocates, is a co-sponsor of the Silenced No More Act. This legislation, authored by California State Senator Connie Leyva, will allow every individual in the State to share information about discrimination or harassment they have faced on the job, even after signing an NDA.

Earthseed is also leading a campaign with Open MIC and Whistle Stop Capital to push tech companies to extend the protections from the Silenced No More Act to all workers globally. The campaign is focused on engaging shareholders of each company, as they have a financial incentive to know about wrongdoing at portfolio companies.

Funder

Omidyar Network

Omidyar Network is a social change venture that reimagines critical systems to build a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient society. We invest in new models and policies to ensure individuals have the social, economic, and democratic power to thrive.

We believe digital technology can and should have a positive impact on society. This belief comes from our Silicon Valley DNA. We aspire to build a global technological ecosystem that reaches and works for everyone: One that balances innovation with responsibility, regardless of whether technology is deployed by individuals, companies, or governments.

That’s why Omidyar Network makes strategic investments and promotes ideas, technologies, and policies that help ensure a digital world that is safe, fair, and compassionate. We support organizations committed to making positive changes— and apply pressure to those that may be more resistant. In doing so, we can ensure that future technological innovation promotes well-being and individual liberty, while building in safeguards to manage its risks and unintended consequences.

LEGAL

The Signals Network

The Signals Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that directly supports whistleblowers who have shared public interest information with the press — and enables whistleblowers and international journalists to work seamlessly together to hold powerful interests accountable.

The Signals Network currently operates in 12 countries (US and Europe) where we are actively supporting dozens of selected whistleblowers who have provided information on the most important media stories of our time — including malfeasance by tech companies, #MeToo, corruption, tax evasion, bribery, political propaganda online, health hazards, government-related human rights violations, and COVID-19 — to media outlets ranging from The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, BBC, and NPR to Der Spiegel and Radio France. Already, we have coordinated the publication of three major investigations through media in the US and across Europe, reaching hundreds of millions of readers.

Media

Lioness

Lioness is a storytelling platform.

Lioness helps individuals bring untold stories to the world via its storytelling platform and the media. Lioness has worked with hundreds of whistleblowers, former employees, and other storytellers speaking truth to power.

Security (Information)

Matt Mitchell

Matt Mitchell is a hacker and security researcher. Matt was recently awarded a 2021 PIONEER Award by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Matt was listed as a WIRED magazine WIRED25 and a Human of The Year by VICE Motherboard. Matt is the founder of Cryptoharlem, a nonprofit anti surveillance, cybersecurity education & advocacy group.

Security (Physical)

Elite Strategy Global

Elite Strategy Global, Inc. (ESG), is a certified, 100% minority-owned and female-led risk management and security consulting firm based out of the DC metro area. With over 120 years of collective experience, ESG is uniquely poised to deliver “Excellence Without Excuses.”

Representing a diverse mix of multi-talented professionals including executive strategists, advanced IT specialists and former law enforcement personnel, ESG’s team members are highly proficient in the identification, analysis, and removal of insider threats. As recognized subject-matter experts in counterintelligence, disaster preparedness, critical infrastructure, and security operations, ESG understands both the needs and challenges faced in today’s security landscape.

Stories

Whistleblowing International Network

Whistleblowing International Network (WIN) developed from a small group of NGOs that had built up legal, policy, and advocacy expertise on whistleblowing and had supported each other’s work from as early as 1979. Over the years, other civil society actors sought the expertise of these more established NGOs who did their best to share their experiences and knowledge.

In early 2013, five of the leading expert organizations on whistleblowing in the world signed a formal agreement to establish WIN. WIN now has over 40 members and associates and is the leading center of civil society expertise on whistleblowing law and practice.

CREATIVE

Jason Lorne Giles Branding

Jason has created and redefined brand standards for companies such as Black and Brown Founders, Course from Scratch, Project Northstar, Apps Without Code, Nickelodeon, Backcountry.com, Case Logic, Hyland’s Homeopathy, The Geological Society of America, Gaiam, Bula, Nomis, Wahl Pet Clippers, Beyond Clothing, Pharmstrong, Gruppo Campari, Hines, and more.

With over a decade of experience under his belt, he creates streamlined systems for generating, refining, and implementing massive quantities of unique ideas. His philosophy on empowering businesses is the same as empowering people: begin with authenticity and go from there. When he isn’t working, he spends his spare time surrounded by fiercely intelligent and passionate peers, writing, composing music, mentoring, and counseling those in need.

Editor

Sienna Latham

Sienna Latham copyedited this entire website. We are so thankful for her partnership on this important project.