Legal Definitions - whistleblogger

Whistleblogger

A whistleblogger is an individual who publicly exposes wrongdoing, misconduct, or unethical practices by an organization, company, or government entity by sharing information through an online platform, such as a blog, social media site, or internet forum. This person acts as a whistleblower, but specifically leverages the internet to disseminate their concerns, often aiming to inform the public or prompt investigation into matters affecting the public interest, such as corruption, fraud, or legal violations.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of a whistleblogger:

• Imagine a former software engineer who worked for a major social media company. They discovered that the company was intentionally designing its algorithms to promote addictive content to teenagers, despite internal warnings about the mental health impact. Feeling ethically compelled to act but fearing legal repercussions, they launched an anonymous blog. On this blog, they meticulously detailed the company's internal discussions, shared redacted memos, and explained the technical aspects of the algorithms, all to expose the company's practices to the public.

  This engineer is a whistleblogger because they are exposing corporate misconduct (designing addictive algorithms despite harm) by using an online blog as their primary platform for disclosure.

• Consider a healthcare administrator who uncovered evidence that their hospital was systematically overbilling government insurance programs for services never rendered. After attempts to raise the issue internally were ignored, they created a secure website under a pseudonym. On this site, they posted anonymized patient records, billing codes, and internal communications that clearly demonstrated the fraudulent scheme, hoping to alert regulatory bodies and the public.

  This administrator acts as a whistleblogger by using a dedicated website (an internet-based forum) to reveal fraudulent activities within a healthcare institution.

• Picture a concerned citizen living near a manufacturing plant who noticed a significant increase in unusual odors and discolored discharge into a local river. After local authorities dismissed their complaints, they started a community blog dedicated to documenting the environmental issues. They regularly posted photos, videos, and scientific reports from independent tests, along with personal testimonies from other residents, to highlight the plant's alleged pollution and pressure environmental agencies to investigate.

  This citizen functions as a whistleblogger by using a community blog to expose potential environmental misconduct by a company, bringing public attention to a matter affecting the public interest.