Most Founders Would Hide a Secret Service Investigation From Customers - Here's Why I Didn't (and How It Paid Off) | Entrepreneur

"In 2012, just after wrapping up a late-night hackathon with my small team, I received an email that sent my heart leaping into my throat: Our domain was being suspended due to a U.S. Secret Service investigation. At the time, Jotform was still a scrappy startup. We had no legal team, no PR advisor, no crisis plan whatsoever. I had a terrible, sinking feeling that everything we had worked so hard to build was suddenly at risk."

"I kept it brief and to the point. "I wish we could provide more details about what happened, but we are also in the dark. We have not been given any information by GoDaddy or the Secret Service, other than our domain being suspended 'as part of an ongoing law enforcement investigation,'" I wrote, before directing them to the media coverage quickly proliferating across the web."

"What happened next surprised me. Instead of backlash, we saw an outpouring of support. Users stood by us. It turned a crisis into a moment of trust. In the age of AI, where decision-making and product experiences are increasingly being handed over to algorithms, transparency matters more than ever. Users want to know what's happening behind the scenes - and who they're trusting with their data, time and business. If you want loyalty, transparency isn't just a good habit: It's your most powerful PR tool."

In 2012 a startup experienced sudden domain suspension due to a U.S. Secret Service investigation, with no legal team, PR advisor, or crisis plan. The company alerted users quickly via a brief blog post and direct emails, stating limited information and directing users to media coverage. Users responded with support, transforming the incident into a moment of trust. As AI increasingly shapes decision-making and product experiences, transparency about operations and data handling becomes essential. Users seek clarity about behind-the-scenes processes and custodianship of their data, time, and business. Transparency functions as a powerful PR tool for building loyalty.

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