Corporate Crime Observatory: Exploring the Blurred Line of Whistleblowers and Informants
This article was penned by Government Accountability Project International Programs Director, Samantha Feinstein, and was originally published here.
Whistleblowers vs. Informants: Understanding the Difference
Government agencies get information from different human sources, and there is a variety of terminology used to classify these sources. Two terms for people who report corruption and illegality that are sometimes confused are “whistleblowers” and “informants,” which usually have legally distinct roles and responsibilities.
In the United States, whistleblowers and informants can make legally protected disclosures and, under certain circumstances, may receive financial support or rewards. There are increasingly more similarities that are causing the line between them to blur. The chart below outlines how they compare and contrast.
| Whistleblowers | Informants | |
| Audience | Internal reporting is protected. Each Act designates an external Agency to whom disclosures can be made.[i] Disclosures are protected if made in court, to Congress, Inspectors General, law enforcement agencies, or other designated agencies. Public disclosures are protected, unless the information is classified, or its release is specifically prohibited by statute.[ii] | Informants are protected for information they provide to designated external federal law enforcement agencies, to the police, or to a... |
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