Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing refers to the act of exposing any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public. The information of alleged wrongdoing can be classified in many ways: violation of company policy/rules, law, regulation, or threat to public interest/national security, as well as fraud, and corruption. Those who become whistleblowers can choose to bring information or allegations to surface either internally or externally.

Origins

The term whistleblowing is a metaphor, alluding to a referee (or similar) blowing a whistle during a sports game - indicating an illegal or foul play. The term originated in the United States and it has been adopted widely in the English-speaking world, including the United Kingdom and Australia.

Internal Whistleblowing

Internal whistleblowing is when the whistleblower reports misconduct to a senior person within the organization. The whistleblower may feel that there is an ethical obligation to preserve the integrity of the organization by reporting the misconduct internally first. This is often the first step in a whistleblowing procedure.

External Whistleblowing

External whistleblowing is when the whistleblower reports misconduct to an entity outside of the organization. This could be a regulatory body, a law enforcement agency, the media, or groups concerned with the issues. External whistleblowing is often seen as a last resort, when internal whistleblowing has failed or is not possible.

Legal Protection for Whistleblowers

Many jurisdictions have laws that protect whistleblowers from retaliation for reporting an organization's misconduct. These laws can protect whistleblowers from various forms of retaliation, including dismissal, demotion, discrimination, harassment, and threats or other forms of reprisal. The Whistleblower Protection Act in the United States and the Public Interest Disclosure Act in the United Kingdom are examples of such laws.

Criticism and Controversy

While whistleblowing is generally viewed as a positive action to keep organizations accountable, it is not without controversy. Critics argue that whistleblowers can be motivated by personal gain, including financial rewards or the desire for revenge. There is also the risk that a whistleblower's accusations are false or misleading.

See Also

• Whistleblower Protection Act
• Public Interest Disclosure Act
• Internal whistleblowing
• External whistleblowing

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  Libor Michálek at a conference in Prague
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  Mordechai Vanunu in 2009
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  Captain Silas S. Soule
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  Edward Snowden