So You Wanna Be A Whistleblower?

Shortly after Libby Liu joined Whistleblower Aid as CEO in spring 2021, the legal nonprofit got a new client: Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager who, with the organization’s help, would soon become quite famous (or infamous—depending on your point of view).

Founded in 2017, Whistleblower Aid is dedicated to supporting whistleblowers by providing a slew of resources—including legal representation, mental health services, physical security and a comprehensive media strategy—at no cost to private- and public-sector employees who expose wrongdoing.

In Haugen’s case, the organization was instrumental in helping her reveal how Facebook and Instagram had repeatedly prioritized their own interests over the safety and well-being of their users. Whistleblower Aid helped redact the tens of thousands of documents she eventually released to the public and managed the media rollout—that fall, The Wall Street Journal published its Facebook Files series of stories, which relied on her documents, and Haugen revealed her identity to the public on “60 Minutes.” The organization also helped organize a high-profile Senate hearing and flew Haugen out to Washington to testify.