Question

Do you see any special moral issues raised by anonymous whistleblowing? Discuss potential consequences of anonymous whistle-blowing.

Answer 1

Whistleblowing can be considered an ethical act. Whether it is anonymous or not, it involves an actual or at least perceived intention to prevent something bad that would otherwise occur. The special issue it raises is that it is invariably accompanied by information that would not ordinarily be revealed by others. From the utilitarian perspective, whistleblowing is morally required when an individual perceives large-scale possible harm. Individuals have a moral obligation to prevent serious harm to others if they can do so with little costs to themselves.

A challenge that comes with anonymous whistleblowing is its perceived lack of credibility. It has been reported that audit committees or other bodies investigating whistleblower allegations find anonymous information to be less credible than non-anonymous ones. As a result, these committee members often choose not to investigate an anonymous allegation, even when the allegation indicates very serious threats to the integrity of the financial reporting system.