Stay Safe in the Public Eye Resources for Scientists and Experts

The document outlines a comprehensive approach for scientists to navigate the risks associated with public engagement, particularly in contexts of democratic backsliding. It provides a quantitative risk assessment tool based on demographics, history, and institutional factors, and offers specific guidance on digital hygiene, managing public records under FOIA and state laws, and preparing for harassment. The guide emphasizes the importance of maintaining a distinction between personal and professional roles and building support networks to safeguard researchers who challenge government failures in science-based policymaking.

• Scientists can determine their risk category—Low (0–4), Medium (5–9), High (10–14), or Extreme (15+)—by scoring factors across five categories: demographics, personal history, personal political visibility, personal current context, and institutional factors.
• Individuals employed by public universities or government agencies should operate under the assumption that their emails, notes, and data are subject to disclosure via the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or state open-records laws.
• To minimize digital exposure, the guide recommends using two-factor authentication, encrypting devices, and employing data removal services to scrub personal details like home addresses and phone numbers from the internet.
• The document advises scientists to establish a formal response protocol for harassment, which includes identifying specific institutional contacts such as department chairs, ombudspersons, human resources, or security offices.
• Professional engagement in public processes requires maintaining a clear boundary between personal and professional identities, specifically by using disclaimers such as "affiliation for identification purposes only."
• The guide warns that aspiring authoritarians frequently target scientists and suppress those with the expertise to challenge government failures in making science-based policy decisions.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2026). Stay Safe in the Public Eye Resources for Scientists and Experts. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/Stay%20Safe%20in%20the%20Public%20Eye.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Stay Safe in the Public Eye Resources for Scientists and Experts. 2026. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/Stay%20Safe%20in%20the%20Public%20Eye.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Stay Safe in the Public Eye Resources for Scientists and Experts |date=April 2026 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/Stay%20Safe%20in%20the%20Public%20Eye.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2026stay, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Stay Safe in the Public Eye Resources for Scientists and Experts}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/Stay%20Safe%20in%20the%20Public%20Eye.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }