Abstract
Big Tech whistleblowing is a distinct category that should prompt new theorizing and analysis within the fields of whistleblowing and organization research. I build this idea on two key characteristics of the Big Tech industry: (a) the opacity and intangibility that surrounds its digital technologies and (b) the deep, profit-driven impact it has on democracy and communicative infrastructure. These conditions identify a number of important differences between Big Tech and other “bigs” such as Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, etc. They also suggest, I argue, that whistleblowing within this industry comes with a set of rather specific responsibilities, prospects, and challenges. In order to delineate these, I combine a sociological understanding of the democratic role of whistleblowing with an analytical reading of Frances Haugen’s autobiography, The Power of One, written after she blew the whistle on Facebook’s algorithms in 2021. The analysis leads to the identification of a paradox of visibility. Seen from a democratic point of view, we are increasingly dependent on Big Tech whistleblowers to let us in on the inner workings of Big Tech. We have not been let down. Recent years have seen a steady trickle of Big Tech exposures. At the same time, whistleblower opportunities to make such an impact are circumscribed by the properties and powers of the Big Tech industry.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Organization |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| ISSN | 1350-5084 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub / Early view - 25 Feb 2025 |
Keywords
- Big Tech
- Frances Haugen
- democracy
- opacity
- whistleblowing