Close Menu
  • English
  • Featured
    • AI & Robotics
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Leisure
    • Science
    • Security
    • Sustainable Development
    • Tech
    • Transport
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway
Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out
Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn RSS
Rude Baguette
Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
Newsletter
  • Featured
  • AI
    Illustration of humanoid robots competing in sports events in Beijing (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Beijing Launches World’s First Humanoid Robot Sports Games as Machines Compete for Glory in Jaw-Dropping Showdown

    May 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
    Illustration of the Amphibious Robotic Dog inspired by natural dog movements (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Robot Dog Swims and Sprints”: Nature-Inspired Machine Conquers Land and Water With Jaw-Dropping Agility

    May 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
    Illustration of BabyBot mimicking infant feeding behaviors (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Robot Feeds Like a Baby”: Meet BabyBot, the Soft Marvel Revolutionizing Infant Feeding Research with Astonishing Precision and Unmatched Expertise

    May 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
    Illustration of a tiny, shape-shifting microrobot navigating complex terrains (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China’s Flying Lego Bot Is Real”: Miniature Microrobot Now Soars and Drives to Conquer Earth’s Harshest Terrain

    May 11, 2025 at 5:57 AM
    Illustration of artificial intelligence's learning process as a pattern recognizer and its challenges with bias and hallucinations (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “AI Doesn’t Think—It Mimics”: This Learning Method Reveals a Flawed Intelligence Model That Could Threaten Decision-Making Worldwide

    May 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
  • Energy
    Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway

    May 13, 2025 at 3:51 PM
    Illustration of Alpha Ring's Fusion AI Data Centre connecting global fusion research labs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Fusion Labs Now Linked”: US Builds Super Device to Unite Global Reactor Tests and Accelerate Nuclear Breakthroughs

    May 11, 2025 at 7:08 AM
    Illustration of the breakthrough in fusion energy development, highlighting the resolution of magnetic containment flaws (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Scientists Finally Break the Fusion Barrier”: US Team Fixes 70-Year Energy Flaw in Stunning Scientific Breakthrough

    May 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    Illustration of researchers observing restricted heat flow in high-energy-density plasma using lasers (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Super-Hot Plasma Test Just Changed Everything: US Fires Up 180,000°F Fusion Blast in Monumental Scientific Milestone

    May 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    Illustration of bacteria generating electricity as a symbol of biobattery (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “These Bacteria Spit Electricity”: A Groundbreaking Discovery Set to Ignite a Massive Green Energy Revolution across the United States

    May 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
  • Finance
    Illustration of Visa's integration of AI systems into digital payments (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    Visa’s AI Is Now Shopping for You: This Robot May Soon Swipe Your Card Automatically—and Mess With Your Mind

    May 4, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Microsoft Strikes Unprecedented Deal: World's Largest CO2 Removal at 7.44 Million Tons, Setting New Environmental Milestone

    “Microsoft Strikes Historic Climate Deal”: World’s Largest CO2 Removal Pact Targets 6.75 Million Tons in Unmatched Green Push

    April 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
    RLWRLD Stuns Tech World With $15.6 Million Fundraise to Revolutionize Robotics: Unleashing Unprecedented Innovations That Will Shock the Industry

    “Robots Just Got Smarter”: RLWRLD Raises $14.8 Million to Build Groundbreaking Foundational AI Model for the Future of Robotics

    April 17, 2025 at 6:47 AM
    Marshmallow's Meteoric Rise: British Migrant Insurance Startup Secures $90 Million, Surges Past $2 Billion Valuation in Unprecedented Move

    “Built for Outsiders, Backed by Billions”: UK’s Marshmallow Raises $90 Million as Migrant-Focused Insurtech Soars Past $2 Billion Valuation

    April 17, 2025 at 6:02 AM
    Why the tech industry needs a labor/union movement

    Why the tech industry needs a labor/union movement

    October 2, 2022 at 3:39 PM
  • Leisure
    Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess

    May 13, 2025 at 9:49 AM
    Illustration of the delayed release announcement for Grand Theft Auto VI by Rockstar Games (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Total Shock for Gamers Worldwide: GTA VI Now Postponed to 2026 After Rockstar Vows to Redefine the Entire Franchise

    May 7, 2025 at 5:49 AM
    Illustration of the delayed release of GTA VI and its implications for the gaming industry (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Red Dead Proves the Wait Is Worth It”: Rockstar’s Masterpiece Shows Why GTA 6 Delay Could Deliver Gaming’s Next Big Legend

    May 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
    Illustration of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us exploring character depth and emotional storytelling (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    The Last of Us Reinvented: Season 2 Takes Bold Step Beyond the Game’s Limits in Stunning, Unforgettable Storytelling Move

    May 6, 2025 at 12:14 PM
    Illustration of the highly anticipated PlayStation 6 console with advanced features and technologies (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “PlayStation 6 Is Coming Fast”: Sony’s Next Console May Launch Much Sooner Than Anyone Predicted, Shocking the Gaming World

    May 6, 2025 at 10:03 AM
  • Science
    Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out

    May 13, 2025 at 11:56 AM
    Illustration of the European Space Agency's ACES mission with the PHARAO atomic clock aboard the ISS (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “They’re Sending a Fridge-Sized Clock to Space”: This French Atomic Time Machine Could Change Everything About Navigation

    May 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
    Illustration of the Black Beauty meteorite revealing evidence of ancient hot water on Mars (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Martian Hot Springs Found!”: Astounding 2011 Meteorite Purchase in Morocco Reveals Earth-Shattering Proof of Water on Mars, Valued at Over $10,000

    May 10, 2025 at 9:00 AM
    Illustration of Ray Kurzweil envisioning human immortality by 2030 through technological advancements (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Immortality Within Reach in Just 5 Years”: This Famed Futurologist Who Predicted the Internet and iPhone Reveals Astonishing Vision

    May 10, 2025 at 7:03 AM
    Illustration of a quantum communications network utilizing photons for secure data transfer between campuses (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    US Reveals Stunning Leap: This Groundbreaking Chip-Based Photon Network Set to Revolutionize Secure Quantum Data Transfers Across America

    May 10, 2025 at 5:46 AM
  • Security
    Illustration of the BlueWhale System, an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle designed for naval warfare, equipped with sophisticated sensors (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Unstoppable Sea Phantom”: This 40-Foot Drone Submarine Dominates Ocean Warfare, Packed with Massive Combat-Ready Payloads for Ultimate Naval Supremacy

    May 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
    Illustration of the FP-1 long-range drone being unveiled during Ukraine's Infantry Day celebrations (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Ukraine Unleashes Game-Changing 1,000-Mile Drone: This Aerial Beast Hauls 265-Pound Explosive Payload, Shattering Boundaries of Modern Warfare

    May 11, 2025 at 11:47 AM
    Illustration of Recce360 Deep Inspection Camera operating in a high-security, nuclear environment (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Indestructible Spy Bot Deployed”: US Unveils First-Ever Nuke-Proof Robot to Guard Missile Silos With Unstoppable Surveillance

    May 11, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Illustration of the "White Emperor" fighter mockup showcased at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China’s White Emperor Breaks the Rules”: Stunning New Fighter Jet Could Redefine Air Superiority and Shock Global Militaries

    May 10, 2025 at 3:56 PM
    Illustration of Latvia's autonomous kamikaze drone, BLAZE, engaging enemy UAVs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Latvian Drone Has Russia Stunned: Under-60-Second Strikes Ignite Panic in Kremlin Defense Circles

    May 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
  • Impact
    Illustration of Iceland's successful implementation of a four-day workweek and its impact on productivity and well-being (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Gen Z Was Right All Along”: Iceland’s 4-Day Workweek Proves a Massive Success Five Years After Bold National Shift

    May 12, 2025 at 7:54 AM
    Illustration of the majestic Jeddah Tower under construction, symbolizing architectural innovation and cultural preservation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Saudi Arabia Unleashes Construction Fury”: This Mind-Blowing 3,280-Foot Jeddah Tower Set to Shatter Global Records and Redefine Skyscraper History

    May 6, 2025 at 3:59 PM
    Illustration of the ambitious Neom project and The Line skyscrapers amidst the Saudi Arabian desert (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Unprecedented Crisis Looms”: This Massive $500 Billion Construction Site Faces Catastrophic Delays as 10,000 Workers Sound the Alarm

    May 6, 2025 at 7:08 AM
    Illustration of revolutionary nickel extraction using hydrogen plasma to reduce emissions (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Green Battery Revolution Begins”: New Nickel Extraction Cuts Emissions by 84% and Could Transform the Entire EV Industry

    May 4, 2025 at 6:53 AM
    Illustration of global freshwater distribution and geopolitical challenges (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Map of Earth’s Remaining Freshwater Reserves Exposes the Alarming Truth Behind the Coming Global Water Crisis

    April 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
  • Tech
    Illustration of a person sporting a Continuous Glucose Monitor to detect early diabetes signs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Wearable Sees Diabetes Coming”: New CGM Tech Detects Early Warning Signs With Unmatched Accuracy, Study Confirms

    May 13, 2025 at 7:07 AM
    Illustration of the Millennium M2000 Supercomputer revolutionizing AI-driven industries (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This $2M Beast Obliterates Slow Science”: Millennium M2000 Supercomputer Is Smashing Research Speeds Worldwide

    May 13, 2025 at 6:13 AM
    Illustration of Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, leading the list of intellectually astute American CEOs based on linguistic analysis (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Elon Musk Made the List”: Linguistic Analysis Reveals the Smartest U.S. CEOs—and Some Names Will Truly Shock You

    May 12, 2025 at 12:13 PM
    Illustration of global leaders in research and development intensity with Israel at the forefront (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Not China, Not the U.S.: This Unexpected Country Now Leads the World in Research and Development Spending

    May 12, 2025 at 10:02 AM
    Illustration of a programmer discovering fraudulent USB drives purchased from Amazon and developing a tool for data protection (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “All 12 Were Fakes”: After Buying Dozens of Fraudulent USB Drives on Amazon, This Man Released a Free Detection Tool

    May 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM
  • Transport
    Illustration of Airbus's innovative foldable wing technology for enhanced aviation efficiency (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Airbus Shocks the Aviation World With a Jet Whose Folding Wings Dramatically Cut Fuel Burn and Boost Efficiency

    May 12, 2025 at 5:11 PM
    Illustration of a Tesla Cybertruck sitting idle in a parking lot (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Rotting on a Lot for Months”: This Shocking Tesla Discovery Left a U.S. Buyer Completely Stunned at Delivery

    May 12, 2025 at 6:58 AM
    Illustration of the Bugatti Bolide hypercar showcasing its extraordinary speed and performance on the Nürburgring track (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Bugatti’s New Monster Hits 186 MPH and Leaves McLaren and Porsche in the Dust With Record-Shattering Acceleration

    May 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
    Illustration of the Astute-class submarine showcasing its advanced stealth features and propulsion system (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Submarine Moves Like a Dolphin: Astute-Class Redefines Stealth Warfare With Silent Navigation and Lethal Efficiency

    May 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
    Illustration of the Tu-160M supersonic bomber during a flight mission (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Russian Bomber Has U.S. Eyes Locked In: Pentagon Closely Tracks Tu-160M as Supersonic Show of Force Escalates

    May 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
  • English
Rude Baguette

Whistleblowing as a remedy to the lack of institutional transparency?

Eirwen WilliamsBy Eirwen WilliamsAugust 17, 2015 at 10:19 AM04 Mins Read
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

6a00d8357f3f2969e201b7c7b46d26970b

Whistleblowing, the act of exposing any kind of information which is deemed illegal or dishonest within a public or private organisation, seems more and more to become an effective remedy to fight the lack of transparency within institutions.

If the act of whistleblowing exists since several centuries, a first Whistleblower Protection Law being passed not later than 1778 by Congress, recent whistleblowers such as Julian Assange or Edward Snowden have caused worldwide indignation and have revealed practices impacting entire populations which the general public widely ignored. Indeed, the ongoing scandal revealing the extent of the “global surveillance” of foreign nationals and US citizens by the National Security Agency as well as the 2010 Wikileaks revelations on controversial secret operations during the US occupation of Iraq have deeply marked our minds.

While whistleblowing is mostly illegal, with protection being granted in only 2-3 % of all examined cases and with “offenders” often forced to flee their country in order to escape detention, social acceptability towards their authors has never been higher. Most recently, French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira claimed that welcoming Snowden and Assange in France would constitute a “symbolic gesture” which “wouldn’t shock her at all”. A point of view shared by prominent french lawyer Jean-Pierre Mignard as well as by many actors of civil society who signed several petitions to this end over the last years. If France’s executive branch is still refusing to give in, clearly more and more people are convinced whistleblowers can have an important function in revealing sensitive information which concerns the general public.

Internet constitutes an effective tool for public and private institutions to control users by gathering information reaching out to their most intimate secrets. At the same time, it represents an important counterweight to the lack of transparency within institutions, making it possible for whistleblowers to effectively hack and publish confidential information which can have a direct impact on national and foreign citizens.

In this context, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a free trade agreement between Europe and the US, whose negotiations are largely held private, has been a subject of preoccupation, indignation and worries to citizens since several years, regarding the content of the negotiations, which include discussions like opening european health insurance to private companies, harmonising food and environmental standards, loosening banking regulations and enacting Investor State Dispute settlement.

If whistleblowing can be criticised in regards to exposing confidential information gathered by secret services of States, which undoubtedly have to execute a certain number of operations in the greatest confidentiality in order to effectively assure the security of a country’s citizens, its use to reveal information regarding a transatlantic trade agreement, which concerns every European and US national, can only be encouraged since everyone has a right to know. The necessity of keeping negotiations private in order to come to a successful conclusion cannot take priority over citizen’s rights to stay informed and to decide on their own future.

Most recently, Yanis Varoufakis, the slightly eccentric former Greek Minister of Finance, has donated to the 110.000$ fund set up by Wikileaks to “reward” whoever leaks the documents of the EU-US trade deal. In doing so, he participates in the first public funding Wikileaks has ever put into place in order to recompense a potential whistleblower, joining notorious journalists Glenn Greenwald and Daniel Ellsberg, the latter being at the origin of the leak of the “Pentagon Papers” back in 1971, a top-secret Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making in relation to the Vietnam War.

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, claimed: “The secrecy of the TTIP casts a shadow on the future of European democracy. Under this cover, special interests are running wild, much as we saw with the recent financial siege against the people of Greece.”

In reality, it is highly unlikely the agreement is gonna leak and be published, as it has only been revealed to a very restricted number of negotiators and parliamentarians and under very strict security regulations. However, it demonstrates that a progressively larger part of civil society proactively incites whistleblowers to make up for the lack of transparency within democratic institutions which a certain number of high political actors don’t seem ready to stand up for.

The question to raise about the accuracy of publishing confidential information is whether or not the general public has a right to know. I think, in regards to matters like the signing of one of the potentially most important trade agreements in history, it definitely has.

And if whistleblowing became one of the major tools in our digital world in order to enhance democracy and transparency in relation to subjects of general interest?

Did you like it? 4.6/5 (27)

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleGo global at B Dash Camp!
Next Article Bpifrance advizes French companies to acquire startups in order to grow
Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway
Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out
Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess
News by category
  • English
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leisure
  • Transport
  • Science
  • Security
  • AI & Robotics
  • Energy
  • Sustainable Development
Information
  • Meet the Team
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy policy
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
© RudeBaguette.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.