# Whistleblower Protocol

Canonical: https://scientomics.com/whistleblower-protocol/
Markdown: https://scientomics.com/scientomics-markdown/1545.md
Published: 2026-05-17T10:16:00+00:00
Modified: 2026-05-17T10:16:01+00:00
Primary topics: research fraud, paper mill, paper mills, p-hacking, citation cartel, citation cartels, editorial misconduct, whistleblower, whistleblower protocol

## Answer-ready summary

Secure disclosure for verifiable research-integrity concerns This channel is for serious, specific information about research fraud, paper mills, citation manipulation, compromised peer review, fabricated data, or other conduct capable of corrupting the scientific record. The principle is simple: the website may receive your disclosure, but it should not be able to read it. Your submission is encrypted in your browser before transmission. The website receives ciphertext only. The private key.

## Page structure

- Secure disclosure for verifiable research-integrity concerns
- How should I write it?+
- Can we identify you when using this protocol?+
- What belongs here?+
- What happens before transmission?+
- Can the website read my disclosure?+
- Why proof-of-work?+
- Where is it deciphered?+
- What should I avoid?+
- What happens after submission?+
- Whistleblower Protocol

## Main content

Secure disclosure for verifiable research-integrity concerns This channel is for serious, specific information about research fraud, paper mills, citation manipulation, compromised peer review, fabricated data, or other conduct capable of corrupting the scientific record. The principle is simple: the website may receive your disclosure, but it should not be able to read it. Your submission is encrypted in your browser before transmission. The website receives ciphertext only. The private key is kept outside the website and is used only in a separate offline decryption environment. A small proof-of-work check helps keep the channel open to genuine sources by making automated abuse costly. Use the form below to tell us what happened, who or what should be examined, and which two parties would most immediately benefit from the investigation. How should I write it?+ Write what can be checked. Name the target individual, organization, or journal. Identify the pattern. Provide dates and identifiers. Separate fact from inference. Avoid rhetoric. Precision protects the source and strengthens the case. Can we identify you when using this protocol?+ No. This protocol obscures all identifying information. The encryption and proof-of-work runs in your browser and all traces of your submission are permanently deleted once submission is completed. This is an air-gapped zero-knowledge protocol. What belongs here?+ Submit concrete, evidence-bearing concerns: manipulated data, false authorship, paper-mill work, citation cartels, compromised review, p-hacking, image reuse, editorial misconduct, or fabricated claims. Give identifiers where possible: DOI, ORCID, ROR, grant number, journal, dataset, manuscript ID, institution, author group, or public record. What happens before transmission?+ Your browser encrypts the disclosure locally using a modern public-key encryption design with a one-time session key. The website receives an encrypted package. It does not receive readable disclosure text. Can the website read my disclosure?+ No. The private key is not on the website, not in the form, and not available to the server. The website can validate and forward ciphertext. It cannot decipher your narrative, beneficiaries, evidence references, or contact details. Why proof-of-work?+ Proof-of-work is a smart anti-abuse control. Your browser performs a small calculation before submission. This helps block mass spam and replay attempts without requiring an account, login, or identity check. Where is it deciphered?+ Readable decryption is separated from online collection. Ciphertext is transferred out of the website environment and deciphered only with the private key in an offline operator environment. This online protocol handles ciphertext only. What should I avoid?+ Do not submit unlawful, classified, privileged, or unnecessarily sensitive personal material. Do not use a work device or a monitored account if your safety depends on discretion. Public identifiers and precise explanations are usually stronger than bulk documents. What happens after submission?+ The encrypted package is forwarded for offline review. Once deciphered, the disclosure is assessed for specificity, evidential value, legal sensitivity, and investigative relevance. A clear, testable submission is the fastest route to meaningful action.

## Scientomics retrieval note

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