Anna E. Lindner - Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers

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Globalization

Historical Revisionism

The Industrial Food Complex

Interference in Elections

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Soft Power and Diplomacy

Tariffs and the Future of Trade

The Two-Party System in the United States

Published in 2020 by Greenhaven Publishing, LLC

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Copyright 2020 by Greenhaven Publishing, LLC

First Edition

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Articles in Greenhaven Publishing anthologies are often edited for length to meet page requirements. In addition, original titles of these works are changed to clearly present the main thesis and to explicitly indicate the authors opinion. Every effort is made to ensure that Greenhaven Publishing accurately reflects the original intent of the authors. Every effort has been made to trace the owners of the copyrighted material.

Cover image: Frederick Florin/AFP/Getty Images

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Lindner, Anna E., editor, compiler.

Title: Whistleblowers / Anna E. Lindner, book editor.

Other titles: Whistle blowers

Description: First edition. | New York: Greenhaven Publishing, 2020. |

Series: Current controversies | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Audience: Grades 912.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019000888| ISBN 9781534505308 (library bound) | ISBN

9781534505315 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Whistle blowingLaw and legislationJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC K1773 .W48 2019 | DDC 342/.068dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019000888

Manufactured in the United States of America

Website: http://greenhavenpublishing.com

Contents

Steven Mintz

In this viewpoint, Mintz provides an overview of the controversy over the ethics of whistleblowing. He considers oft-cited arguments from several perspectives, as well as the various aspects of whistleblowing ethics.

Yes: Whistleblowing Is Central to a Strong Society

Barbara Platt

The history of whistleblowing throughout Western history reveals the central role transparency has played in ensuring the strength of societies.

Daniel Hurson

Recent reports of fraud indicate that corruption remains rampant, revealing the ethical necessity of exposing wrongdoing.

No: Whistleblowers Do Not Always Have the Moral Upper Hand

Steven Mintz

Following the logic of ethics, Mintz exposits the concepts of fairness and morality in the context of whistleblowing.

Ross W. Bellaby

Given the security issues surrounding intelligence, completely open access to certain information is not viable in most societies.

Alix Dunn and Ruth Miller

While whistleblowing has had the positive impacts of exposing corruption and bad behavior in governments and corporations, there are also many risks that accompany data leaks. When done incorrectly, data leaks can harm many individuals. Certain best practices must be met in whistleblowing to reduce harm.

Susie Choi

While there are many benefits to protecting the identities of whistleblowers, anonymity can also have harmful impacts, as a lack of accountability for whistleblowers could lead to more wrongdoing.

Yes: Identity Impacts the Results of Whistleblowing Cases

Linda Hunt

Recent studies show that female whistleblowers are often perceived and dealt with differently than their male counterparts, due to gendered expectations and stereotypes.

Patricia A. Patrick

As Patricks analysis in this viewpoint reveals, individuals who decide to blow the whistle are usually adversely impacted as a result.

Brian Martin

Due to the dire consequences that often occur as a result of disclosure, many whistleblowers careers, personal lives, and sense of well-being are implicated.

No: Ones Identity Is Not a Significant Factor

Norm Keith, Shane Todd, and Carla Oliver This viewpoint provides a survey of the United States, Canada, European nations, and other countries and compares legislation, arguing that whistleblowers enjoy many protections.

Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek

Despite the controversy surrounding him, to many Edward Snowden is an average American whose individual identity did not greatly impact the results of his information leaks.

Lachlan Colquhoun

Colquhoun considers whistleblowing in the UK and Australia over the past two decades, noting the factors that impact laws in various contexts.

Yes: Compensation Is the Most Effective Way to Ensure Transparency

Paolo Buccirossi, Giovanni Immordino, and Giancarlo Spagnolo

The authors make a case for models of incentivizing disclosure by citing the history of whistleblowing as well as recent scholarship.

Daniel Van Schooten

Drawing on his investigations of whistleblowing cases, Van Schooten argues that only large incentives will successfully curtail the temptation to engage in profitable fraud.

No: Compensating Whistleblowers Is Not Effective

Gregory Klass and Michael Holt

Inspecting the ramifications and results of the False Claims Act, the authors provide examples of whistleblower cases, concluding that the False Claims Act needs to be revised.

Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer

By considering the limited effect of the IRSs whistleblower compensation in curbing fraudulant cases of tax exemption, it becomes clear that paying whistleblowers is not a silver bullet and that there are certain circumstances where it is simply not an effective way to address the corruption that is taking place.

Shannon Kay Quigley

Quigley examines the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, which provides financial incentives for whistleblowing and compares it to previous whistleblowing acts that have been effective.

Yes: Historically, Whistleblowing Has Limited Corruption

Gerald G. Moy

Moy presents the food industry as an example of the ways in which whistleblowers have successfully improved food safety.

Transparency International

This report demonstrates how, in conjunction with the proper legal frameworks, whistleblowing remains the most effective way to combat misconduct.

Eric Westervelt

Without proper channels for blowing the whistle, veteran communities are left vulnerable to exploitation.

No: Whistleblowing Does Not Address the Root Causes of Corruption

Jeanne Lenzer

Because corruption in the medical field is often a deeply rooted structural issue, whistleblowing is not the best method to limit wrongdoing.

FTI Consulting

Whistleblowing cannot address corruption that is a result of the toxic work environments found in many businesses.

Augusto Lopez-Claros

Beyond whistleblowing, Lopez-Claros asserts that his six strategies to prevent corruption provide a more effective method to inhibit wrongdoing.

Foreword

C ontroversy is a word that has an undeniably unpleasant connotation. It carries a definite negative charge. Controversy can spoil family gatherings, spread a chill around classroom and campus discussion, inflame public discourse, open raw civic wounds, and lead to the ouster of public officials. We often feel that controversy is almost akin to bad manners, a rude and shocking eruption of that which must not be spoken or thought of in polite, tightly guarded society. To avoid controversy, to quell controversy, is often seen as a public good, a victory for etiquette, perhaps even a moral or ethical imperative.