ProPublica nonprofit explorer and nine other public-data tools

This transcript lists public, searchable databases and privacy-sensitive tools the speaker used to show how to verify institutions and find hidden or deleted information. Each tool is named and exemplified with concrete data from records so you can reproduce the checks yourself.

• Edgar / proxy statements: Use Edgar to read proxy statements and 8-K filings to find a CEO's salary, bonuses, stock options, private-jet perks and immediate legally binding disclosures when major events occur.

• ProPublica nonprofit explorer: Search a charity's most recent Form 990 to see exact revenue, program spending, fundraising costs, and executive pay. Example: the CEO of the 'Humane Society of the United States' has made over $400,000 a year; some cancer charities were found to spend '80 cents of every dollar' on more fundraising; check part seven, Compensation of officers, directors, trustees.

• ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database: The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists built a public database from the Panama/Pandora leaks; it contains information on 'over 800,000 offshore entities' (shell companies, trusts, foundations) and shows raw network connections between named people and those entities.

• Lumen: A public archive of takedown notices (DMCA and similar) that preserves URLs Google removes. Use Lumen to see what links have been asked to be deleted from search results.

• Yasi: A decentralized, peer-to-peer search engine that indexes parts of the web ignored by Google; the speaker praised its resilience, calling it 'like a digital cockroach' and noting it has run for 'nearly 20 years'.

• Ahmia + Tor browser: Ahmia (Ahmia.fi) indexes the Tor network (dot onion addresses). To search legally and access hidden-service sites use the Tor browser; many outlets (BBC, The New York Times, Facebook) maintain official dot onion sites for censored regions.

• archive.ph: A time machine for web pages. Paste a URL to make a permanent snapshot or use archive.ph/in front of a URL to view saved copies; the site has been blocked in some countries.

• true people search: A people-finder site that assembles current/home addresses, cell numbers, past addresses and relatives from public records in about '30 seconds' for free. Example in transcript: searching 'John Miller in Austin, Texas' could reveal street address, family names, and a working cell number. The site offers an opt-out but the speaker warns this is limited.

The speaker closes with an explicit privacy caution: these tools are powerful for verification and accountability, but they also expose individuals and can be abused. Practical steps named: use Edgar, ProPublica nonprofit explorer, ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database, Lumen, Yasi, Ahmia with Tor browser, archive.ph, and true people search when appropriate.