New Platform Shields Public Servants From Online Harassment
▼ Summary
– A new marketplace launched offering free and discounted privacy and security services to America’s 23 million current and former public servants.
– The initiative by the nonprofit Public Service Alliance responds to a surge in threats against government workers and their families.
– Services include online data removal, threat monitoring, legal counsel, job coaching, and wellness tools, accessible after verifying government service.
– Members pay a 10% fee on discounted services, with waivers available, and steep discounts are offered on services like threat monitoring.
– The platform is nonpartisan and plans to expand access to other at-risk groups like nonprofit workers later this year.
A groundbreaking new platform now offers free and deeply discounted privacy and security services to the 23 million current and former public servants across the United States. Launched on Tuesday by the nonprofit Public Service Alliance (PSA), this initiative responds to a sharp increase in threats directed at government employees at every level. The timing is critical, coming just months after high-profile violent attacks on public officials in Minnesota shook the nation.
Available to anyone who has served in federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial government roles, the platform provides access to resources in four key areas: privacy and security, legal and communications risk, career support, and personal wellness. Services range from online data removal and threat monitoring to legal counsel and stress management tools. Users can browse offerings at no cost, but after creating a free account and verifying their public service background, members receive exclusive discount codes from vetted providers.
These partners include firms like Optery and Atlas, which specialize in scrubbing personal data from the internet and preventing its reappearance. Alethea offers monitoring for both digital harassment and physical threats, while Lifemart extends discounts on wellness products. Although PSA does not provide legal advice directly, it connects members with a network of attorneys offering affordable consultations.
PSA reported that during a soft launch last year, it attracted about 1,000 members through word of mouth alone and has maintained a perfect retention rate. A small 10 percent service fee, based on the discounted rate of any purchased service, helps sustain the platform, though fee waivers are available for those in financial need. Some of the discounts are substantial; for example, threat monitoring services that typically cost between $5,000 and $30,000 annually are available to members for under $1,000 per year.
The organization emphasizes its strictly nonpartisan stance, reflected in an advisory board that includes figures from both major political parties and law enforcement, such as former Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, Massachusetts Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, and retired FBI Assistant Director David Sundberg. PSA’s founder, Isabella Ulloa, recently worked at the Department of Homeland Security, reinforcing the group’s commitment to transcending political divisions in the interest of safety.
Looking ahead, PSA plans to expand access to its discounted services later this year to include other vulnerable groups, such as nonprofit workers. This move aligns with recent research, including a January report from the Brennan Center for Justice, which found that nearly half of all state legislators and one in five local officials have faced threats, with women and officials of color experiencing disproportionately high rates of abuse.
(Source: Wired)
