The Best Warning System: Whistleblowing as A Contingency Plan for Censorship During Covid-19

Abstract

In the COVID-19 pandemic, whistleblowers have emerged as vital watchdogs, halting the control and suppression of information. Many governments have deliberately misled the people, promoted false beliefs, or neglected to provide timely or accurate answers to questions. Devoted public interest activists are resisting this oppression. The first whistleblowers in China to reveal that a new pandemic was probably starting were Drs. Fen and Wenliang. Since then, innumerable other whistleblowers worldwide have reported on the virus's growth, a shortage of medical supplies, and other facts of public concern. This study looks at relevant cases of whistle blowing in China, the US, Europe, and India and finds that many of them are initially silenced, face disciplinary measures, and eventually lose their jobs. On the other side, during the COVID-19 pandemic, whistle blowing has raised public awareness of institutional reporting systems' shortcomings and that whistleblowers are in a good position to spot risk early. Finally, during COVID-19, whistle blowing has become the "remedy" against censorship and is also becoming less troublesome as an openness approach.