How to Work with Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers who reach out to journalists with information generally aren’t activists. They are typical employees who have tried to raise concerns with their management and were frustrated by the response and perhaps harassed. However, because of their unique knowledge, they pose a unique threat to their employers and are especially vulnerable to reprisal. Journalists need to understand not only the value of a whistleblower’s information but also the unique challenges and risks faced by sources who are employees. 

What is

Whistleblowing?

Understand the

Risk of Reprisal

Reconsider Anonymity

Classified

Information

Protecting 

Your Source

Information

Security

Develop

Trust

Share

Best Practices

Contact Government Accountability Project

 We are the international leader in whistleblower protection and advocacy.

A non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Government Accountability Project actively promotes government and corporate accountability by providing legal representation to whistleblowers and ensuring their disclosures make a difference. Our longstanding work with more than 8,000 whistleblowers has involved working for decades in the areas of public health, food safety, national security, human rights, immigration, energy and the environment, finance and banking, and international institutions, as well as expanding whistleblower protections domestically and internationally.

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Reach out to us; it won’t kill the story. Because the risk of reprisal for whistleblowers is high and the legal landscape is complex, both journalists and sources would be well served to consult or coordinate with Government Accountability Project or other lawyers versed in whistleblower law before acting on information supplied by an employee source. Lawyers can be important resources, serving as useful partners in their understanding of the facts and implications of the issues while also maintaining your exclusivity and nurturing your relationship with the whistleblower.