The term whistleblower carries a lot of baggage – but you
wouldn't know this from its dictionary definition.
The
Merriam Webster dictionary defines a whistleblower as "one
who reveals something covert or informs against another."
Specifically, it describes "an employee who brings wrongdoing
by an employer or other employees to the attention of a government
or law enforcement agency."
But whistleblowers, and whistleblowing by extension, have other
problems more rooted in cultural perceptions. Despite the essential
role whistleblowers play in exposing dangers and protecting
organizations and the public from illegal or unethical behavior,
they are often seen as creating problems where there were none.
This has led to a common misconception of whistleblowers as
troublemakers and informants who speak out in malicious, disruptive
and unwelcome ways.
