4 - The Facebook Whistleblower and the Journalist

Summary

Public whistleblowers typically depend upon journalists and reporters to take an interest in their story. But help from responsible and committed media professionals is elusive. Even when available, media support is challenging to manage. When whistleblowers speak to the press, it is usually necessary that they be the ‘human face’ of the story; there is no opting out of the spotlight in the battle for credibility. This brings further attention and stress. Journalists can have different agendas to the whistleblowers with whom they work. Some care for their sources, conscious of the challenges of speaking in public. Others do not. The exemplar case of Frances Haugen at Facebook is invaluable in how she planned and executed her disclosure, leading to international scrutiny of her firm’s practices and changes to laws across the globe.