Public Interest Tech Lab Launches Myprivacypolls To Safeguard Anonymous Whistleblowers

(MENAFN- PR Newswire)


Dr. Latanya Sweeney, Professor and Lab Director
Public Interest Tech Lab at Harvard (PRNewsfoto/Tech Lab, Harvard University)

–Powerful new tool also delivers frictionless website messaging

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a digital world in which whistleblowers face growing threats–and web forms often go unread– the Public Interest Tech Lab today unveiled MyPrivacyPolls -a new free tool that puts anonymity, accountability, and responsiveness within reach of everyone.

Two Challenges. One Breakthrough Solution.

New tech for anonymous messaging and to safeguard whistleblowers

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PROBLEM #1: Whistleblowers Need Protection.
As government shifts accelerate, and tech companies tighten their grip on transparency, insiders are more crucial-and more vulnerable-than ever. Fear of exposure prevents vital information from reaching the public. Meanwhile, journalists struggle to shield their sources in an increasingly hostile landscape.

PROBLEM #2: Website Form Responses Are Ignored.
Too often, web and app developers rely on feedback or incident forms that go unchecked-requiring someone to manually log in and look for submissions. Critical messages get lost, ignored, or delayed.

Enter MyPrivacyPolls -Private by Design, Powerful by Nature.

This patent-pending , privacy-first platform is purpose-built to guarantee anonymity . Unlike traditional survey or contact tools, MyPrivacyPolls Gray cannot track, store, or re-identify respondents -not even at the system level.

With its carefully designed forward-only submission model , user responses are sent directly to a provided email address , bypassing all storage or logging. No accounts. No tracking. No digital trail.

Whether a staff member is blowing the whistle, filing an incident report, or just leaving a message on a website, MyPrivacyPolls Gray ensures that the person's voice is heard-securely and immediately.

"In an age where data privacy is too often treated as an afterthought, MyPrivacyPolls puts it front and center-empowering people to speak up without fear," said Latanya Sweeney, founder of the Public Interest Tech Lab and a pioneer in data privacy. "This tool ensures that the public can benefit from the courage of whistleblowers and the accountability their voices bring."

Key Use Cases:

• Anonymous whistleblowing and misconduct reporting
• Journalist-source communications
• Secure contact forms for websites
• Feedback tools for universities, workplaces, and public institutions
• Privacy-conscious community engagement

Available Now at myprivacypolls

The "Gray level" of myprivacypolls is available to the public now. The Gray level provides an entry-level platform that gives people the ability to submit information anonymously-without creating an account, revealing their identity, or leaking digital copies-making it ideal for whistleblowing, incident reporting, and secure website contact forms.

Because MyPrivacyPolls is built to scale with a suite of privacy levels tailored for different needs, more levels are already in development . "Blue level," for example, enables joint statistical analysis while protecting the privacy of individual contributors and is currently in beta testing with industry partners.

Backed by Privacy Leadership and Whistleblower Insight

MyPrivacyPolls was inspired by data privacy pioneer Latanya Sweeney and is the latest innovation from the Tech Lab that brought over 20,000 leaked Meta documents-shared by whistleblower Frances Haugen-to the public via fbarchive .

"Whistleblowers take enormous personal risks to bring truth to light, and the tools they rely on should be built with that reality in mind," said Frances Haugen, Facebook Whistleblower and Tech Accountability Advocate.

MyPrivacyPolls also benefits from the guidance of Mark MacGann, the Uber Whistleblower, currently embedded in the Tech Lab as a Knight Fellow. MacGann brings firsthand insight into what insiders need to safely speak out and drive change.

" Together, we're reimagining anonymous communication to serve the public interest - building a safer, more transparent digital future." said Mark MacGann, Knight fellow, the Public Interest Tech Lab.

About the Public Interest Tech Lab

The Public Interest Tech Lab addresses society's greatest technology challenges and advances technology that serves democracy and civil society. The Lab also conducts real-time, data-driven research to improve public systems, increase accountability, and strengthen participation in democratic institutions. For more information, visit: techlab

Media Contact:
Max Boland
Public Interest Tech Lab
[email protected] Tel 617-998-1726

SOURCE Tech Lab, Harvard University

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