About the program

What is Intelexit?

Intelexit is an initiative that motivates and supports people working in the secret services to quit their jobs, mostly for ethical reasons.

Why?

Many employees of the secret services experience moral distress when they witness or inadvertently become part of crimes, lies and abuses. These people typically have no support networks to lean on and cannot talk about their concerns with anyone. They might think about leaving their job but are unsure how to go about it or where to seek advice, without jeopardizing their career or relationships.

What Intelexit does

Intelexit is first and foremost a campaign to show the human side of surveillance. We reach out to spies through public communications campaigns and also offer more individual consultation.

What we can offer

A caring human at the end of the encrypted channel of communication to us.
An attempt to support whoever contacts us by matching them with the relevant experts on legal, psychological and whistleblowing matters related to a potential exit.
Publishing information as we find it to help people who have questions or need help deciding.

What we cannot offer

A platform or assistance with whistlebblowing or leaks (although we can recommend who can help with that)
A retreat house in the mountains where spies can recuperate.
Guaranteed global help for anyone who contacts us.

Getting in touch

For a first assessment of potential support measures, we rely on enough information about individual needs and context. Of course it is crucial that anyone from the intelligence community reaching out to us makes sure to use secure communication if they don't want their departments to know about it.

An Intelexit drone dropping advertising material over Dagger Complex, US military base, Darmstadt, Germany.

The story of Intelexit

Intelexit was started by activists from Peng! Collective in September 2015 as a media campaign with public support from ex-NSA officer Thomas Drake. The campaign was so successful that Intelexit is now building a community of people who want to support.

What the press says

not convinced?
here are 6 arguments for an exit.

Self-surveillance

People working in secret services are the most surveilled in society. This is because they have access to classified information... and knowledge of the structures and scandals within intelligence. They are not only scrutinized and controlled by their employers but also by other secret services. Families and friends are exposed to this surveillance, too. This level of surveillance leads to extreme self-policing which is detrimental to one's psyche.

Family

Not only are the families of people working in the secret service highly observed and controlled, they are often not allowed to know any details about what their loved ones do. They can experience deep distress reading the leaks about secret service activities in the press, and not being sure how their loved ones are involved. The damage of this job to family and partnership is immense. In Berlin, for example, there is a self-help group for children of secret service employees.

Freedom and Democracy

Because of the level of secrecy given to them by the state, and the lack of oversight, secret services can easily start to abuse their power and threaten fundamental freedoms. Citizens now know for example that if they attend a protest march, join a debate, or visit certain websites, they are likely being profiled. In a report by PEN network, American writers admitted being fearful about discussing military affairs, the Middle East North Africa region, mass incarceration and drug policies, pornography, the Occupy movement, the study of certain languages, and criticism of the U.S. Government. The targeting of the communications of humanitarian organisations such as Amnesty International and Doctors without Borders and press such as the New York Times and Der Spiegel weakens their ability to act as governmental watchdogs and provide information to the public.

Secret services are ineffective against terrorism

Looking at the NSA for example, there is good reason to believe that mass surveillance is a completely overestimated solution to the problem of terrorism. Keith Alexander, former General of the NSA admitted that only one or two terrorist plots had been foiled by the bulk surveillance of phonecalls in and to the United States. This was confirmed by a study by the New America Foundation which compiled and examined a database of 225 individuals in the United States, as well as of U.S persons abroad, who have been indicted, convicted or killed since September 11, 2001. The study found that only 4 cases out of 225 were investigated through the NSA's bulk collection of Americans' phone metadata – none of which lead to the detection and prevention of terrorist attacks. It also suggests that traditional methods of investigation might be more useful.

Out-of-control data collection

Secret services collect information in order to profile people and evaluate their potential threat to the state. Information about their history and possible mistakes in life, for example drug problems or infidelities, are highly valued. This information holds power over people and the secret services can use this power to control and silence them. This sets up a dynamic where people are forever accountable for their past and the history about them documented online, and this can even influence personal careers and job opportunities. Data accumulated outside of any democratic control can be instrumental to political manipulations, abuses of power, and is a powerful tool for social control. This data is also being shared between states with no form of accountability.

Dangerous and unreliable information

Information collected by surveillance is used to inform government and military actions. However this information is not always reliable and can lead to unnecessary conflicts and death. In the case of the United States's targeted killing program, which is supported by the satellite relay station Ramstein, in Germany, drone targets are identified by the metadata analysis and phone-tracking technology. Terror suspects are often pinpointed and killed based on the location of their mobile phone alone. In early 2015 a 13 year old Yemeni boy named Mohammed Tuaiman was killed because he was in a car together with people suspected to be terrorists.

Self-surveillance

People working in secret services are the most surveilled in society. This is because they have access to classified information...

and knowledge of the structures and scandals within intelligence. They are not only scrutinized and controlled by their employers but also by other secret services. Families and friends are exposed to this surveillance, too. This level of surveillance leads to extreme self-policing which is detrimental to one's psyche.

Family

Not only are the families of people working in the secret service highly observed and controlled, they are often not allowed to know any details about what their loved ones do.

They can experience deep distress reading the leaks about secret service activities in the press, and not being sure how their loved ones are involved. The damage of this job to family and partnership is immense. In Berlin, for example, there is a self-help group for children of secret service employees.

Freedom and Democracy

Because of the level of secrecy given to them by the state, and the lack of oversight, secret services can easily start to abuse their power and threaten fundamental freedoms.

Citizens now know for example that if they attend a protest march, join a debate, or visit certain websites, they are likely being profiled. In a report by PEN network, American writers admitted being fearful about discussing military affairs, the Middle East North Africa region, mass incarceration and drug policies, pornography, the Occupy movement, the study of certain languages, and criticism of the U.S. Government. The targeting of the communications of humanitarian organisations such as Amnesty International and Doctors without Borders and press such as the New York Times and Der Spiegel weakens their ability to act as governmental watchdogs and provide information to the public.

Secret services are ineffective against terrorism

Looking at the NSA for example, there is good reason to believe that mass surveillance is a completely overestimated solution to the problem of terrorism.

Keith Alexander, former General of the NSA admitted that only one or two terrorist plots had been foiled by the bulk surveillance of phonecalls in and to the United States. This was confirmed by a study by the New America Foundation which compiled and examined a database of 225 individuals in the United States, as well as of U.S persons abroad, who have been indicted, convicted or killed since September 11, 2001. The study found that only 4 cases out of 225 were investigated through the NSA's bulk collection of Americans' phone metadata – none of which lead to the detection and prevention of terrorist attacks. It also suggests that traditional methods of investigation might be more useful.

Out-of-control data collection

Secret services collect information in order to profile people and evaluate their potential threat to the state.

Information about their history and possible mistakes in life, for example drug problems or infidelities, are highly valued. This information holds power over people and the secret services can use this power to control and silence them. This sets up a dynamic where people are forever accountable for their past and the history about them documented online, and this can even influence personal careers and job opportunities. Data accumulated outside of any democratic control can be instrumental to political manipulations, abuses of power, and is a powerful tool for social control. This data is also being shared between states with no form of accountability.

Dangerous and unreliable information

Information collected by surveillance is used to inform government and military actions. However this information is not always reliable and can lead to unnecessary conflicts and death.

In the case of the United States's targeted killing program, which is supported by the satellite relay station Ramstein, in Germany, drone targets are identified by the metadata analysis and phone-tracking technology. Terror suspects are often pinpointed and killed based on the location of their mobile phone alone. In early 2015 a 13 year old Yemeni boy named Mohammed Tuaiman was killed because he was in a car together with people suspected to be terrorists.

How to exit

Make a decision

Assess your own values against the activities of your organisation. If you find a deep dissonance there, you need to ask yourself how long you can tolerate it. Allow yourself to imagine an alternative, a life of self-assuredness and authenticity. Exit now!

Public or private exit?

Decide if you want to leave quietly or if you want to expose the wrongdoings you have witnessed. If you choose to share information, you should think carefully who you give it to and only communicate about this through secure channels. Please consider consulting an organisation specialized in handling and protecting whistleblowers like Wikileaks and Courage Foundation.

Seek advice and support

Study the examples of people who have left before you and learn from their mistakes. Consult your trusted friends and family outside of the intelligence community who know you well and can support you through this process. Seek legal counsel too, whether you are planning to whistleblow or not. Contact us for advice.

Plan the future

What comes next? You could ask for a transfer to another civil service body or have a completely clean break with a new job. Take your time to build up your future and the support networks you will need to live an ethical and rewarding life. Read our FAQ!

Start a new life

Your resignation letter is handed in. Your last days in intelligence are counted: bake a cake for your colleagues and have a goodbye-party. Begin your new life without paranoia, distrust and mystery-mongering.

Become an Intelexit ambassador!

Your experience during your exit are essential. Help others in the intelligence community to leave. Talk about your reasons. Convince others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I find another job?

With the skills you have acquired during your career in intelligence, you should not have a problem finding another job. You could shift to a more open branch of the civil service or you could apply your skills to a completely new field like research or investigative journalism. Developers of surveillance systems can continue building software for schools or hospitals for example, or join an IT security firm.

Will I lose my friends?

Don't worry. Real friends should stick with you if you leave your job. If your colleagues really care about you, they will understand and respect your decision. Maybe your actions will even inspire some of them to stand by their values too. Anyone who judges you for trusting your conscience is not really a friend at all, and probably not someone you want to be your friend because they are clearly afraid of social pressure and afraid of losing their privileges.

Will it affect my family?

Yes. Any life-changing decision will also affect your loved ones but on the positive side it will probably bring you closer to them; in your new life you will be able to share more about your work without frightening them. Living with less stress can also have very positive effects on personal relationships. The main difficulty for your family is if the state decides to obstruct your exit and your chance to start afresh. This can happen if you intentionally whistleblow or even if you choose to speak openly about your work when you leave. It could then be difficult to find a new job in the civil service but there are certainly other fields who would be sympathetic. Intelexit is working on a network of companies and organisations that can support Intelligence dropouts with great job offers - reach out to us!

Are there legal consequences?

It is of course not illegal to quit your job. The main issue of legality depends on whether you choose to whistleblow about the activities of the intelligence or not. If you leave quietly and stay silent about your reasons for leaving then you should not encounter any legal issues. However if you become an advocate against the intelligence agency's work, there are laws each country has which can be used against you. And if there is no law, they will likely find another way to sabotage your life. As experience has shown, they tend to not take this kind of behavior lightly. So think about this carefully and don't hesitate to consult us and our partners on a strategy.

What do I need to make a decision?

Time and deep thinking. Such a decision is not an easy one. It can take between two months and two full years to get to the point where you decide to leave. During this time, you can expect to experience a range of emotions: fear, guilt, confusion and anxiety. Try to take care of yourself during this time and make sure you stay informed about the issues you are troubled by. Also read the stories and study the strategies of those who left before you, you can learn a lot. If you can talk to someone you trust, who is not from the intelligence community.

What is a life without special privileges?

No longer having access to classified information and even arbitrary information from regular citizen's email accounts could seem daunting. However with the regular release of whistleblower documents and hacks of intelligence agencies, you shouldn't have a problem.

Will I find another job?

With the skills you have acquired during your career in intelligence, you should not have a problem finding another job.

You could shift to a more open branch of the civil service or you could apply your skills to a completely new field like research or investigative journalism. Developers of surveillance systems can continue building software for schools or hospitals for example, or join an IT security firm.

Will I lose my friends?

Don't worry. Real friends should stick with you if you leave your job. If your colleagues really care about you, they will understand and respect your decision.

Maybe your actions will even inspire some of them to stand by their values too. Anyone who judges you for trusting your conscience is not really a friend at all, and probably not someone you want to be your friend because they are clearly afraid of social pressure and afraid of losing their privileges.

Will it affect my family?

Living with less stress can also have very positive effects on personal relationships. The main difficulty for your family is if the state decides to obstruct your exit and your chance to start afresh. This can happen if you intentionally whistleblow or even if you choose to speak openly about your work when you leave. It could then be difficult to find a new job in the civil service but there are certainly other fields who would be sympathetic. Intelexit is working on a network of companies and organisations that can support Intelligence dropouts with great job offers - reach out to us!

Are there legal consequences?

It is of course not illegal to quit your job. The main issue of legality depends on whether you choose to whistleblow about the activities of the intelligence or not.

If you leave quietly and stay silent about your reasons for leaving then you should not encounter any legal issues. However if you become an advocate against the intelligence agency's work, there are laws each country has which can be used against you. And if there is no law, they will likely find another way to sabotage your life. As experience has shown, they tend to not take this kind of behavior lightly. So think about this carefully and don't hesitate to consult us and our partners on a strategy.

What do I need to make a decision?

Time and deep thinking. Such a decision is not an easy one. It can take between two months and two full years to get to the point where you decide to leave.

During this time, you can expect to experience a range of emotions: fear, guilt, confusion and anxiety. Try to take care of yourself during this time and make sure you stay informed about the issues you are troubled by. Also read the stories and study the strategies of those who left before you, you can learn a lot. If you can talk to someone you trust, who is not from the intelligence community.

What is a life without special privileges?

No longer having access to classified information and even arbitrary information from regular citizen's email accounts could seem daunting.

However with the regular release of whistleblower documents and hacks of intelligence agencies, you shouldn't have a problem.

About the program

What is Intelexit?

Why?

What Intelexit does

What we can offer

What we cannot offer

Getting in touch

The story of Intelexit

What the press says

Test your ethics! Do you actually want to leave?

Fill in the form and generate your resignation letter.

The intelligence agency I work for...

Working in intelligence makes me feel...

The current structure of intelligence...

Abuses of intelligence result in...

I disagree with mass surveillance because it...

Congratulations!

not convinced?here are 6 arguments for an exit.

Self-surveillance

Family

Freedom and Democracy

Secret services are ineffective against terrorism

Out-of-control data collection

Dangerous and unreliable information

How to exit

Make a decision

Public or private exit?

Seek advice and support

Plan the future

Start a new life

Become an Intelexit ambassador!

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I find another job?

Will I lose my friends?

Will it affect my family?

Are there legal consequences?

What do I need to make a decision?

What is a life without special privileges?

Connect with us

about us

reach out to us

Press contact

not convinced?
here are 6 arguments for an exit.