2 weeks ago
Bribes.fyi Indefinitely Pauses Submissions After Viral Surge
Bribes.fyi was a website where people in India could anonymously report alleged demands for bribes.
Users could describe the department, official role, and amount involved.
The site also let people compare reports from different government departments.
It became extremely popular very quickly.
More than five million requests and nearly 200,000 new users arrived within 48 hours.
The creators said they did not have enough technology or safeguards to manage so much sensitive information safely.
They also worried that the platform could be misused.
The developers therefore stopped accepting new reports indefinitely.
Some users said the project should continue with better privacy rules, legal oversight, and decentralisation.
Bribes.fyi stopped accepting submissions indefinitely after receiving more than five million requests in 48 hours.
The platform attracted nearly 200,000 new users, exceeding the developers’ operational capacity.
Its creators said they lacked the infrastructure and safeguards to manage sensitive reports responsibly and prevent misuse.
Manish Sahani confirmed the shutdown, while developer Aryan Nishad sought advice from lawyers and chartered accountants.
Users called for stronger privacy protections, legal oversight, transparency, and a decentralised model to keep the service operating.
- Who
- Bribes.fyi’s creators, including developer Aryan Nishad and product and strategy contributor Manish Sahani, along with the platform’s users.
- What
- The anonymous anti-corruption reporting website paused submissions indefinitely and said it had no immediate plan to reopen them.
- Where
- Online, covering alleged bribery demands connected to government departments in India.
- When
- After the platform received more than five million requests and nearly 200,000 new users during a 48-hour period.
- Why
- The surge exceeded the platform’s capacity and raised concerns about safely managing sensitive data, privacy, verification, and potential misuse.
Developers’ rationale
Users’ proposals
Whether the platform should continue
Developers’ rationale
The developers said they lacked the infrastructure and safeguards to handle the volume and sensitive nature of the data, and shut the service to reduce potential misuse.
Users’ proposals
Users argued that the problems could be addressed through stronger safeguards, legal governance, transparency, and decentralisation rather than closing the project.
Responsibility for public allegations
Developers’ rationale
The creators said they were not the right custodians for such a large repository of public reports and chose not to keep collecting information without adequate protections.
Users’ proposals
Users said the platform had significant public value and should continue in a formally governed structure that protects privacy and supports reporting.
Key facts
- Platform
- Bribes.fyi
- Purpose
- Anonymous reporting of alleged bribery demands
- Traffic surge
- More than five million requests in 48 hours
- New users
- Nearly 200,000
- Current status
- Submissions paused indefinitely, with no immediate plan to reopen
- Submitted details
- Department, official role, and allegedly demanded amount
- Listed departments
- Police, Regional Transport Office, revenue and land records, passport offices, municipal corporations, GST offices, electricity boards, income tax, and food and drug administration
Quotes
Social media user
Anonymous online commenter
“If scale and misuse are the reasons for you to shut it down, it's really unfortunate. Those problems can be solved.”
NDTV
“We have decided to shut it down to prevent any misuse of the platform. Thanks for support!”
NDTV
Bribes.fyi website developers
Developers of the anti‑corruption platform
“Thanks for all the feedback and insights - we are taking an indefinite break and have no plans to enable the submissions again.”
NDTV
Platform team
Developers of the Bribes.fyi anti‑corruption website
“Thanks for all the feedback and insights - we are taking an indefinite break and have no plans to enable the submissions again.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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