What is whistleblowing?

Have you ever heard of the term “whistleblowing” or a “whistleblower”? These terms can affect companies heavily while benefitting the public. This article will go over what whistleblowing is and who a whistle-blower is while also examining the impact whistleblowers have on society.

What is Whistleblowing?

Whistleblowing, in simple terms, is reporting wrongdoing, including fraud, abuse, corruption, etc., within an organization or company.

There are two types of whistleblowing: Internal and external. Internal is when the wrongdoing is reported to someone within the organization/company, whereas external is when the misconduct is reported to the public.

What is a Whistleblower?

**A Whistleblower is a person/group of individuals aware of the wrongdoings within their own company/organization and report it to external (public media) or internal sources (HR).

Effects of Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing might sound like an obvious thing to do. But whistleblowing can have enormous impacts on not only the company itself but the world as a whole. A famous example of whistleblowing is when Jeffery Wigand told the press about how the tobacco industry manipulated the public into thinking that nicotine was not addictive and that smoking was safe for individuals. This one “insider info” was enough to cause an uproar and massive lawsuits against tobacco companies. The public became more educated about the health risks of nicotine.

Conclusion

Whistleblowing helps bring unseen crimes to light that even law enforcement officials sometimes cannot realize. Whistleblowers often risk their lives to report the wrongdoings of their companies/organizations just to unveil the false curtain of lies from the public eye. These revelations can bring positive social change by protecting us from harmful products/services and wrongdoings.