Michael Lawrie

Michael Lawrie (born 17 April 1968) is a British computer security specialist and early Internet systems and policy manager. He is known for his involvement in multi-user systems, academic networking, early Internet security investigations, domain name disputes, and later work in online safety, trust and safety, and digital preservation.

Lawrie has been involved in networked computing since the early 1980s, including the development and operation of public-access systems, investigations into unauthorised access across academic and commercial networks, and the management of early JANET-connected services. In later years, his work has focused on online abuse prevention, behavioural analysis, digital investigations, and the preservation of historic computing systems.

In 2025, Lawrie became a whistleblower regarding safety practices at Match Group, following his work in senior trust and safety roles at OkCupid and its parent company. His public disclosures formed part of a joint investigation by The Guardian and partner organisations, and were later discussed in broadcast media, where he said that after nearly a decade attempting to effect change from within the company, he decided to speak publicly in the hope of prompting improvements to user safety practices.