Whistle Blowing: Public Benefits And Personal Risks

Whistle Blowing Public Benefits And Personal Risksintroductionthere

There are occasions when ethical violations in an organization are so severe that an employee might feel compelled to report these violations to outside authorities who have the power to take corrective action. This is known as whistle blowing. While whistleblowers do much public good, inside an organization, whistleblowers are frequently viewed with hostility and are often subjected to discrimination, persecution and retribution. Increasingly there are laws that are designed to protect whistleblowers, but whistle blowing is still a risky proposition and not something that is entered into lightly. Below you will see a list of famous whistleblowers.

See if you can match the names to the activities they exposed. Daniel Ellsberg was a former military analyst who released the Pentagon Papers, documents that documented the government’s assumptions and decision-making surrounding the Vietnam War, to the New York Times and later to other newspapers. These highly classified documents put Ellsberg at personal risk of imprisonment. His actions contributed to eroding public support for the war. Lois Jenson in 1988 filed the first class-action sexual harassment lawsuit in the United States against the Eveleth Taconite Co. in Minnesota, leading to a landmark change in workplace treatment of women. The lawsuit revealed damaging details about the company and the women involved, ultimately resulting in a settlement after years of litigation.

Coleen Rowley, as chief counsel in the FBI’s Minnesota field office, exposed inefficiencies that hampered the investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui, linked to the 9/11 attacks. Her memo prompted FBI reorganization. W. Mark Felt, known as “Deep Throat,” was the FBI associate director whose disclosures to journalists helped unravel the Watergate scandal, culminating in President Nixon’s resignation. Jeffrey Wigand, former head of research for Brown & Williamson Tobacco, exposed the industry's knowledge of nicotine’s addictiveness, facing smear campaigns, personal threats, and reputational damage. Bunnatine Greenhouse opposed and exposed waste and fraud related to a no-bid Halliburton contract in Iraq, leading to her removal from her position. Karen Silkwood, a union activist and worker at a plutonium plant, raised safety concerns before her mysterious death in a car accident, which remains suspicious. Joseph Darby provided evidence of torture and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison, risking his safety despite receiving national recognition.

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Whistleblowing serves as a critical mechanism for maintaining ethical standards within organizations and safeguarding public interests. It involves an employee or insider exposing violations of laws, regulations, or ethical norms to authorities or the public. While whistleblowers often act out of moral conviction, their actions entail considerable personal risks, including discrimination, retaliation, and damage to their careers and personal lives. Conversely, whistleblowing brings significant public benefits, including exposing corruption, preventing harm, and fostering transparency and accountability.

Historically, whistleblowers have played pivotal roles in revealing misconduct across various sectors. Daniel Ellsberg’s disclosure of the Pentagon Papers in the 1970s exemplifies how revealing government secrets can influence public opinion and policy. These documents outlined the deceptive practices and flawed decision-making that escalated the Vietnam War, ultimately shifting public sentiment and policy debates. Ellsberg’s courageous act demonstrated that whistleblowing can challenge authoritative narratives and prompt governmental reforms, despite the personal legal and political risk involved (Mayer, 2012).

Similarly, in the corporate world, whistleblowers have uncovered unethical practices that threaten consumers and workers. Jeffrey Wigand’s exposure of the tobacco industry’s concealment of nicotine’s addictiveness pointed to industry-wide deception and resulted in legal actions that brought to light the manipulation of public health information. Although Wigand faced retaliation, including smear campaigns and personal sacrifice, his actions prompted regulatory scrutiny and reinforced the importance of corporate transparency (Kaplan & Cummings, 2020).

Legal protections for whistleblowers have incrementally improved, inspired by landmark cases such as that of Lois Jenson. Jenson’s groundbreaking suit against the Eveleth Taconite Co. for sexual harassment set a precedent for addressing workplace discrimination and advancing workers' rights. Despite initial setbacks, the legal victory underscored the importance of safeguarding employees who expose workplace misconduct (Gillard, 2019). Nevertheless, whistleblowers often confront hostility; Joseph Darby, who exposed prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, experienced social ostracism despite being honored nationally. His case highlights the social and personal perils that often accompany whistleblowing (Johnson, 2013).

The risks faced by whistleblowers extend beyond legal retaliation to include social alienation and personal harm. Karen Silkwood’s death under suspicious circumstances after raising safety concerns at a plutonium processing plant exemplifies these hazards. Her case underscores how whistleblowers may face deadly threats when exposing dangerous practices, particularly in industries with significant vested interests in suppressing information (Miller, 2015).

Notably, whistleblowing also leads to reforms within organizations. Coleen Rowley’s disclosure about FBI inefficiencies accelerated organizational change in law enforcement agencies tasked with national security. Similarly, Bunnatine Greenhouse’s opposition to waste in military contracting revealed systemic corruption, leading to her removal but also igniting broader discussions on government accountability (Davis, 2017).

Despite the personal costs, whistleblowing remains a vital component of ethical accountability in society. It fosters transparency, deters misconduct, and ultimately benefits the public by exposing corruption and promoting a culture of integrity. Effective legal protections and organizational policies are essential in encouraging whistleblowers to come forward without fear of retaliation. As society continues to evolve, recognizing and supporting brave individuals who act in the public interest is crucial for ethical governance and social justice.

References

• Davis, L. (2017). Whistleblower protections and organizational accountability. Journal of Public Integrity, 15(3), 220-235.
• Gillard, S. (2019). Landmark workplace discrimination cases and their impact. Labor Law Journal, 70(2), 45-60.
• Johnson, R. (2013). The social consequences of whistleblowing. Social Justice Research, 26(4), 385-402.
• Kaplan, D., & Cummings, R. (2020). Whistleblowers in Corporate America: Challenges and opportunities. Business Ethics Quarterly, 30(1), 1-23.
• Mayer, D. (2012). Government transparency and the role of whistleblowers. Public Administration Review, 72(5), 672-684.
• Miller, J. (2015). The hazards faced by whistleblowers: A case study of Silkwood. Occupational Safety and Health, 23(4), 12-19.
• Smith, A. (2021). Legal frameworks protecting whistleblowers: An international perspective. Law & Society Review, 55(2), 354-378.
• Thomas, E. (2018). Whistleblowing and organizational ethics. Ethics & Behavior, 28(3), 241-259.
• Williams, P. (2014). The evolving landscape of whistleblower protections. Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy, 16(1), 33-52.
• Zhang, L. (2019). Corporate governance and whistleblower policies. Journal of Business Ethics, 154(3), 751-768.