Observer launches "whistleblower" platform
The Swiss online magazine Beobachter is launching its own Wikileaks platform. Whistleblowers can report grievances anonymously there. The web agency Snowflake Productions is to guarantee security and discretion.
On the new Platform is intended to support people who want to report and publicize abuses such as tax evasion and corruption, writes the Observer in a statement on Wednesday. These so-called "whistleblowers" are important for society because errors and grievances can only be identified and remedied with their help.
The Observer advises whistleblowers not to submit reports to the platform out of revenge against companies or the state. The primary motivation should be the public interest or the well-being of the state, entire organizations and companies. To this end, it is important to first clarify the motivation for the report. It is also important to consider the private consequences of such a report for the whistleblower and their family. The reporting of serious wrongdoing or corruption can bring with it great burdens that are difficult to assess at first.
Anyone who wants to report grievances anonymously must take care from the outset not to leave any traces, the observer continues. For this, an online platform with a view to maximum security and discretion is essential. The Swiss Internet agency Snowflake Productions ensures the secrecy of anonymous data on the Wikileaks platform with state-of-the-art online systems. The hosting of the servers is also specially designed to keep data secret.
But data security is only one side of the coin. On the other side are the whistleblowers themselves. It is primarily those who betray themselves through their own actions who are exposed. To prevent this, the Observer offers numerous tips and advice.
