In any large organisation, whether it's a government agency or a private corporation, there is a potential for wrongdoing to occur in secret. Sometimes, the only way for this
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-07-16
Introduction
In any large organisation, whether it's a government agency or a private corporation, there is a potential for wrongdoing to occur in secret. Sometimes, the only way for this misconduct to come to light is for a person on the inside to speak out. This act of exposing illegal, unethical, or harmful activities within an organisation is known as whistleblowing. Whistleblowers often act out of a sense of public duty, but they frequently pay a heavy personal price for their courage. This article will explore what whistleblowing is, the motivations behind it, and the complex ethical and legal dilemmas it creates.
Learning objectives
After reading this article, you should be able to:
- Define whistleblowing and distinguish it from other types of leaks.
- Identify the common types of wrongdoing that whistleblowers expose.
- Analyse the ethical conflict between loyalty to an employer and duty to the public.
- Understand the personal and professional risks faced by whistleblowers.
- Describe the role of whistleblower protection laws.
What is a Whistleblower?
A whistleblower is an employee or insider of an organisation who reports misconduct or wrongdoing to people or entities that have the power to take corrective action. What distinguishes a whistleblower from someone who is simply complaining or leaking information is their motive: they are typically acting in the public interest. They believe that the harm being done by the secret activity is so great that it outweighs their duty of loyalty to their employer. …