<story><title>I refused to become an FBI informant, the government put me on the no fly list</title><url>https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/i-refused-to-become-an-fbi-informant-and-the-government-put-me-on-the-no-fly-list/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>busterarm</author><text>I think people here will probably underestimate how common your story is in the security industry.&lt;p&gt;Just from DEFCON connections, I&amp;#x27;m on a first name basis with a roughly four different FBI employees who are constantly trying to recruit myself or friends as informants.&lt;p&gt;We discuss, openly, what a bad deal it is to be an informant and how I don&amp;#x27;t have any useful information for them anyway.  But they persist.  Thankfully lightly.  Nothing like what you mentioned, but I fully believe that your story happens.  And regularly.</text></item><item><author>lrvick</author><text>I refused to be an FBI informant once. They threatened to make up false charges on me. I held my ground.&lt;p&gt;They harrassed me at home twice, talked to my employer and made a huge stink trying to create pressure.&lt;p&gt;I didn&amp;#x27;t cave and they eventually went away, because I committed no crimes and they knew it.&lt;p&gt;As a security researcher I sometimes make contact with controversial people in order to get information, like a journalist might. They wanted those contacts. Too bad.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>dccoolgai</author><text>I feel like this is a good time to remind you, and everyone: never talk to federal agents. FBI, Fish and Game, Secret Service. Don&amp;#x27;t. They can say you told them anything, and guess what? It&amp;#x27;s a felony to lie to them. They will push a pre-written statement in front of you and if you refuse to sign it they will threaten you with saying you lied to them. Don&amp;#x27;t. Talk. To. Feds. Ever.</text></comment>
<story><title>I refused to become an FBI informant, the government put me on the no fly list</title><url>https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/i-refused-to-become-an-fbi-informant-and-the-government-put-me-on-the-no-fly-list/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>busterarm</author><text>I think people here will probably underestimate how common your story is in the security industry.&lt;p&gt;Just from DEFCON connections, I&amp;#x27;m on a first name basis with a roughly four different FBI employees who are constantly trying to recruit myself or friends as informants.&lt;p&gt;We discuss, openly, what a bad deal it is to be an informant and how I don&amp;#x27;t have any useful information for them anyway.  But they persist.  Thankfully lightly.  Nothing like what you mentioned, but I fully believe that your story happens.  And regularly.</text></item><item><author>lrvick</author><text>I refused to be an FBI informant once. They threatened to make up false charges on me. I held my ground.&lt;p&gt;They harrassed me at home twice, talked to my employer and made a huge stink trying to create pressure.&lt;p&gt;I didn&amp;#x27;t cave and they eventually went away, because I committed no crimes and they knew it.&lt;p&gt;As a security researcher I sometimes make contact with controversial people in order to get information, like a journalist might. They wanted those contacts. Too bad.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>proffan</author><text>I know others who are in exactly the same situation (DEFCON connections). Astonished to see that it is &lt;i&gt;that&lt;/i&gt; common.</text></comment>