You don’t need to look much farther than the constant feed of news headlines to see interviews of “former” bodyguards detailing salacious personal information about their former celebrity clients. Blackmail plots by former bodyguards like Markus Fritsche or tell-all interviews by Mark Behar, Bill Whitfield, and Javon Beard are unfortunately commonplace in today’s executive protection marketplace.
Fritsche is accused of extorting £ 12 million from Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher for personal photographs Fritsche intended to leak on the dark web. Behar, Kris Jenner’s former bodyguard, made statements to media outlets regarding Kris Jenner and her family, and Whitfield and Beard penned a book on Michael Jackson’s personal life after performing protection duties for him for a short time.
Whether the motivation is financial gain or the need for public notoriety and personal celebrity, the degradation of trust within the ranks of protectors significantly impacts the entire executive protection industry.
The executive protection career field faces growing challenges in maintaining confidentiality in an era marked by continuously growing digital exposure. This article examines the need for discretion and confidentiality in protective operations, emphasizing each protector’s critical role in preserving the trust of employers, supporting the safety and privacy of high-profile individuals, and the negative consequences of failing to uphold these basic principles.
Differing Standards and Expectations
Within the wide career field of protection, federal agents in U.S. law enforcement agencies are issued credentials that identify them, their agency, and their law enforcement powers. Many reading this refer to these credentials as the “Magic Badge” because they allow federal agents to give direction with legal authority.
Unique to the U.S. Secret Service is the additional inscription stating “and is commended as being worthy of Trust and Confidence.” This is a point of pride with most Secret Service agents and those who violate that trust within its ranks are considered pariahs. In federal service, you are held to a personal and professional standard that provides you with access that few have. Trust is implied by your successful completion of an SCI Top Secret National Security background check. If you cannot be trusted, your clearance is removed, and you simply don’t have a job. There’s a reason they call it the Secret Service.
In the private sector of the executive protection career field, privacy is much less regulated and more inferred for business survival than legally mandated. Your reputation precedes you even before you sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, and discussing a client’s personal behaviors while under your care is a quick way to destroy any chance of working in this industry again.
So why with the inevitability of losing future employment and personal reputational damage do executive protection professionals continue to violate the trust of their protectees in articles, books, interviews, and promotional advertising?
The nature and proximity of those actively working in executive protection play a critical role in safeguarding the safety, well-being, and privacy of high-profile individuals, including corporate executives, government officials, and celebrities. In carrying out their responsibilities, executive protection professionals must prioritize discretion and maintain a high level of secrecy or lose the access needed to remain close to their protectee.
You can’t provide close protection if you aren’t close. When protectees choose executive protection professionals and firms, they often select them based on personal referrals. Using a protectee’s likeness in your advertising or posting videos on YouTube reflecting your EP Cool Guy prowess (or proximity) is a fast way to establish publicly the limited emphasis you place on client privacy.
Privacy and Confidentiality as a Norm
For starters, EP professionals must understand that privacy is a fundamental aspect of their positions. To be recognized as a professional, it must be understood that protecting a client’s privacy is part of your core duties. Protectees hire EP professionals for their skills AND their commitment to confidentiality.
Discretion extends beyond contractual obligations and should permeate personal communications, advertising, and future employment considerations. Upholding the trust of a client is crucial for maintaining your professional integrity and establishing a reputation as a professional protector.
UHNW protectees “talk” to each other and your “silent service” may open doors to future employment by simply doing your job and remaining discreet. Outside of the contract sector of executive protection, Fortune 500 companies routinely select future employees as protection agents from the roles of former federal agencies or experienced corporate security professionals. It is implied at this level that your employment is connected to your trust but is reinforced by corporate policies on information security.
Generally, as your protectee becomes more familiar and comfortable in your presence, they begin to be less apprehensive and expose personal behaviors that are intended to be private. UHNW clients have small circles of trusted staff and friends, and to remain in that circle, protectors have to assume the responsibility of maintaining confidentiality. This does not mean you must accept criminal behaviors in your presence, but all people have embarrassing or personal moments that do not need exposure to the public.
Domestic arguments, intoxication, and socially awkward moments do not rise to the level of crimes but can damage a client’s reputation based on the public’s interest. Additionally, the people you were hired to protect often have sensitive personal and professional information or lifestyles that, if exposed, could lead to reputational harm, security breaches, or even potential threats.
Executive protection professionals must handle this information with utmost care and ensure that it remains confidential to maintain the trust and safety of their clients.
Information Security Concerns
The potential risks associated with information exposure should never be underestimated. Adversaries can exploit leaked schedules, logistics, or security protocols to undermine protection operations and target corporate leaders. By prioritizing confidentiality, protection teams can reduce the chances of adversaries identifying weaknesses or exploiting vulnerabilities. Similarly, clients should exercise caution in their own social media presence to avoid telegraphing their location to potential attackers.
The importance of discretion and information security in personal protection has once again taken center stage. Recently, Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, was tragically shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown.
At the time of his murder, Thompson lacked a protective detail, and it’s believed that publicly accessible schedules and logistics for his upcoming appearance at the company’s annual investor conference may have played a role in the incident. The absence of protective coverage for such a public event, coupled with known security concerns, will likely spark ongoing debate for years to come. In light of this tragedy, how can executives safeguard themselves without a physical security presence?
The first step in preventing adversaries from effectively targeting corporate leaders or undermining executive protection operations is to prioritize discretion and confidentiality. While additional protective measures—such as operational coverage, advance planning, and counter-surveillance—are essential for executives at this level, they must be built on a foundation of privacy.
Minimizing Unwanted Public Attention
Your clients may attract significant public and media attention based on their celebrity or position alone. Security starts with you as a protector, but your client should not flaunt their lavish lifestyle on social media by posting pictures with luxury vehicles and handfuls of cash.
Just ask social media influencer @iishtheceo who was attacked at his home in Hollywood. By prioritizing confidentiality as a part of your operational planning, executive protection professionals can minimize unwanted public attention through operational planning and avoid unwanted attention by those with malicious intent.
Detailed logistical planning can also reduce distractions and support a more controlled environment for those under your protection, allowing them to focus on their professional responsibilities without unnecessary disruptions. The significant time spent by your clients in avoiding and mitigating these incidents can be better spent on business or personal endeavors.
The Problems with Personal Electronics Use
One of the many ways that protectors degrade trust is through the use of their personal electronics. Whether using Facebook, YouTube, or other social media posts before or during current protective operations or communicating personal and publicly unavailable information to others without consent, protectors can cause unimaginable damage and client embarrassment with a simple photo or post. You should always consider the possibility that you and your team are the target for exploitation by others because of your access to your protectee.
The use of metadata in photographs can also have unintended negative consequences. Sharing images online, even seemingly benign ones, can inadvertently reveal sensitive information such as location or routines.
Adversaries can exploit this data for surveillance or targeted attacks. Protectors should be mindful of their personal electronics usage and ensure that their actions do not compromise the privacy and security of their clients.
Metadata is routinely utilized to track and monitor individuals, just look at the marketing and advertisements you receive on your cell phone based on your cellular use and personal location. When photos are shared online, the embedded metadata can be exploited to create a digital trail of a person’s movements and activities. As a protector, a potential bad actor doesn’t need the protectee to post information (even though many do), they simply have to monitor “your” activity.
Cellular tracking applications, which rely on GPS technology to pinpoint the real-time location of a device or individual, are another electronic protection concern. If cellular tracking applications are not properly secured, they can be vulnerable to hacking or unauthorized access.
If malicious actors gain access to the tracking data, they can potentially follow individuals without their knowledge or consent. Adversaries don’t need to install GPS trackers or Air Tags on vehicles, they just need to exploit your personal devices. This unauthorized access can result in stalking, harassment, or even targeted attacks. Here are the ten most popular cell phone tracking applications using GPS technology:
- Find My iPhone (iOS)
- Find My Device (Android)
- Life360
- mSpy
- FlexiSPY
- GPS Phone Tracker
- Family Locator & Safety App – Life360
- FamiSafe
- Cocospy
- Spyzie
Having educated discussions with your protectee about electronic security protection and use is the new norm in modern protective operations. Protectors must move outside of their focus on physical protection to address the intangible threats. It is also important to remember to always adhere to the legal and ethical guidelines when using any tracking applications associated with your protectee that you may have access to.
Reputational Risks
Social media has become a fundamental aspect of our everyday lives, transforming the way we communicate, connect, and share information. However, the widespread influence of these platforms also has drawbacks, especially concerning protective operations. A primary risk for corporations is reputational damage.
Negative comments, viral posts, or online campaigns can swiftly harm a company’s reputation. Instances of customer dissatisfaction, product recalls, or unethical behavior can rapidly gain traction in today’s information-driven world, leading to significant public backlash and a decrease in consumer trust.
The fast-paced and uncontrollable nature of social media amplifies these challenges, making reputation management a complex task. Compounding this issue, younger protection professionals have grown accustomed to constant online availability as a cultural norm. For many Gen X – Gen Z protectors, working without immediate access to their mobile devices seems almost unfathomable. This combined with the temptation for some to promote their EP company through the celebrity of others creates a struggle between acceptable and unacceptable personal information releases.
Public comments and posts by executive protection professionals discussing a business or protectee can create significant issues that are completely avoidable and unnecessary. Protectors represent their protectee and their company in executing their duties and in all communications. To mitigate these issues, organizations must establish clear social media policies and guide employees on responsible online conduct.
Conclusion
For both operational and personal privacy reasons, it is clear that executive protection professionals must remain vigilant in limiting the exposure of intimate personal information and the private communications of their clients. Despite what you see or hear online, PROTECTION ISN’T ABOUT YOU.
Protection isn’t a “Lifestyle” or cool tagline to promote yourself or your social media presence,…it’s your duty. When you begin to think you’re an EP Cool Guy because of your proximity to actual UHNW clients, you’ve already failed. Your protective operational coverage should be seamless, unspoken, and unnoticed, even after you complete an assignment.
Your dedication to privacy and professional service will be rewarded later in continued employment and future contracts. Every protector should support confidential service as the norm and remain steadfast in denigrating those who violate trust in this industry. We all know it’s a dangerous world (at least some do), so don’t create security issues through your lack of privacy. Discretion isn’t just the better part of valor, it’s the necessary ingredient of close protection.
