News from 2026

Morocco: Whistleblower reveals how authorities used a web of surveillance to silence journalists and activists

Amnesty International | October 1, 2026

A new Amnesty International report looks at how Moroccan authorities have used surveillance to target journalists, activists and other critics. A former intelligence officer, known as Safir, describes how people were monitored through spyware, phone calls, recordings and other methods

Lawsuit winner hopes verdict will encourage whistleblowers

Hawaii News Now | October 1, 2026

Former Hawaii Tourism Authority executive Isaac Choy was awarded $500K after a jury found he was fired in retaliation for raising concerns about contracting irregularities. Choy says he hopes the verdict encourages other state workers to speak up when they see corruption or other problems.

Kansas City deputy fire chief alleges retaliation in whistleblower lawsuit against city

The Kansas City Star | September 30, 2026

A Kansas City Fire Department deputy chief is suing the city, saying he faced retaliation after raising concerns about compensation practices and pay differences among department leaders. The lawsuit says he was threatened, had his compensation reduced and was passed over for a promotion.

Contractor Played Down Contamination Risks After Ohio Train Disaster, Worker Says

The Wall Street Journal | September 30, 2026

A former environmental scientist who worked on the East Palestine train derailment response says a contractor pressured workers to downplay contamination and report “zeros” in their testing. The whistleblower, Peggy Dixon, has filed an affidavit with the EPA’s Inspector General through Government Accountability Project, while the contractor denies the allegations.

Senate Republican seeks to fast-track AI whistleblower bill

POLITICO | September 23, 2026

Sen. Chuck Grassley is pushing to fast-track a bill that would protect whistleblowers who disclose information about risks linked to AI development. The bill could move through the Senate by unanimous consent, but one senator has reportedly expressed opposition privately.

Amid whistleblower claims, advocates ask lawmakers to visit ICE office in Miramar

Miami Herald | September 23, 2026

Advocates and community leaders gathered outside an ICE office in Miramar following whistleblower allegations about overcrowding and poor conditions at the facility. They called on Florida members of Congress to visit the site and see the conditions for themselves.

Whistleblower wins $260K in police database dispute with suburban mayor

WGN | September 22, 2026

A village worker in suburban Illinois says he was fired after reporting an improper search of a law enforcement database to the Illinois State Police. A federal jury awarded him $262,500 in damages in his lawsuit against the village and its mayor, who denied that he was fired for unlawful reasons.

Whistleblower Reports USCIS Circumventing Court Orders

Government Accountability Project | September 14, 2026

Government Accountability Project and whistleblower Timothy Turner have filed an amicus brief raising concerns about how USCIS is handling FOIA requests. Turner says the agency is not fully complying with a court order to clear its FOIA backlog

A pilot of the Amazon cargo plane in Miami crash warned it was coming in too fast

NPR | September 10, 2026

A pilot on the Amazon cargo plane that crashed in Miami repeatedly warned that the plane was coming in too fast. Investigators said the warnings were not consistently acknowledged before the plane ran off the runway and hit a van, killing five people.

Scoop: Anthropic whistleblower gave up his equity to leave the company

Axios | September 9, 2026

An Anthropic researcher left the company over concerns about AI safety, just two months before he would have received company shares. He said the pressure to compete in AI could lead to cutting corners on safety and warned that increasingly powerful AI systems are becoming harder to monitor.

Netanyahu was warned of 7 October Hamas attacks, book claims

The Guardian | September 8, 2026

A book by two Haaretz reporters claims that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed warned Netanyahu about a planned Hamas attack more than a week before October 7. Netanyahu denies receiving the warning, while Israeli opposition leaders are questioning what he knew and whether he took action.

Iraq activates whistleblower rewards as corruption reports top 26,000

Shafaq News | September 8, 2026

Iraq has received more than 26,000 corruption reports, leading the government to restart a system that rewards people who report corruption. The law also provides protection for whistleblowers, including keeping their identities secret and offering protection when necessary

ICE whistleblower alleged agency was shortcutting vetting process for new hires

ABC News | September 5, 2026

An ICE official said the agency was rushing to hire new employees by skipping some required background checks. The whistleblower warned that this could allow people to be hired without proper checks and said he faced retaliation after raising his concerns.

USPS whistleblower alleges rushed mail ballot systems could disenfranchise voters

Votebeat | September 1, 2026

A USPS whistleblower has raised concerns about a new system for handling mail ballots, saying it was rushed and not properly tested. The whistleblower warned that problems with the system could prevent millions of voters from receiving their ballots

Meta whistleblower says $17B settlement doesn’t do enough to save kids’ lives

Politico | August 31, 2026

Meta has agreed to a $17B settlement over the harm its platforms can cause to children and teenagers. But Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar says the deal does not go far enough to make sure the changes actually reduce harm and protect young people.

The True Story Behind Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing

Time | August 19, 2026

A new documentary looks at Boeing’s safety problems and the whistleblowers who raised concerns about poor manufacturing, pressure from management and the company’s response to those who spoke up.

Whistleblower Arturo Béjar leads testimony in landmark trial against Meta

npr | August 19, 2026

A former Meta employee and whistleblower testified that the company’s focus on user numbers and revenue often came before the safety and wellbeing of young users. He said Meta knew about these risks but made it difficult to introduce changes to address them.

Whistleblower alleges political pressure, lack of evidence in antisemitism probes targeting schools

AP | August 19, 2026

A former Justice Department lawyer has raised concerns that investigations into antisemitism at several US universities were rushed and politically influenced. The whistleblower alleges that the government pushed schools to settle even when there was not enough evidence of wrongdoing.

The Cop Who Took On Flock

Wired | August 18, 2026

A police officer in Rhode Island spoke out against Flock surveillance cameras, saying they threatened people’s privacy. He was then subjected to several internal investigations and eventually left the police force, alleging that he was being punished for speaking out.

Former deputy alleges retaliation at Santa Fe County sheriff’s office in whistleblower lawsuit

Santa Fe New Mexican | August 14, 2026

A former sheriff’s deputy says he was fired in retaliation after exposing pressure from a captain to help get another supervisor fired. He has now filed a whistleblower lawsuit.

Colorado whistleblower’s suit against state judicial system falls flat

Courthouse News Service | August 11, 2026

A former executive director of Colorado’s Commission on Judicial Discipline says he was removed from his position after raising concerns about an alleged $2.7 million contract scheme involving state court officials. A federal judge has now dismissed his lawsuit, but he says he will continue to push for an investigation into the alleged misconduct.

University of Cambridge whistleblower who reported alleged bullying wins employment tribunal

The Guardian | August 11, 2026

A University of Cambridge professor who raised concerns about the treatment of female staff has won an employment tribunal against the university. The tribunal found serious failures in how his complaints were handled and ruled that he had faced retaliation after speaking up.

Côte d’Ivoire: The human cost of a “green” dam

Climate Whistleblowers | August 11, 2026

A new investigation by Climate Whistleblowers looks at the impact of a hydroelectric dam project in Côte d’Ivoire. Local residents say they have received little or no compensation, while construction delays and damage to homes have left the community struggling.

LAPD officer who recorded colleagues’ racist comments charged with felony eavesdropping

Los Angeles Time | July 31, 2026

LAPD officer Daniel Flores recorded colleagues making racist, sexist and homophobic comments and turned roughly 90 recordings over to his superiors. He has now been charged with 16 felony counts of eavesdropping, after prosecutors said the recordings violated California law.

Leak hunting with legal orders

Freedom of the Press Foundation | July 30, 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued 15 subpoenas and other legal orders to journalists and news outlets since President Donald Trump took office, with nearly all linked to leak investigations. The article highlights legal orders targeting reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, many of which were later withdrawn, and notes that arrests and detentions of journalists in 2026 have already surpassed the total recorded in 2025.

FAAA seeks whistleblower protection status

Financial Newswire | July 30, 2026

The Financial Advice Association of Australia (FAAA) has called on the government to extend whistleblower protections to professional bodies. In its submission to Treasury’s review of the corporate whistleblower regime, the FAAA said the current laws leave a gap that could expose both whistleblowers and professional bodies and proposed changes to better protect people who report misconduct and organisations that pass those disclosures to regulators.

Outa launches campaign to remember murdered whistleblowers by name

OFM | July 29, 2026

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has launched the They Have Names campaign in South Africa to honour whistleblowers who were killed after exposing corruption. The campaign was launched in support of Martha Rantsofu and other whistleblowers who lost their lives after reporting wrongdoing, calling for justice, stronger protection and accountability while ensuring they are remembered by name rather than as statistics.

Ex-ASIO source with information on Bondi gunmen denied visa to give evidence at royal commission

ABC News | July 22, 2026

A former ASIO source known as Marcus has been denied a visa to Australia, preventing him from giving evidence in person to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. Marcus says he warned ASIO about the Bondi gunmen years before the attack, and the royal commission has said it is eager to hear his evidence. The decision has prompted calls from politicians and whistleblower advocates for the government to ensure his testimony can be heard.

Ex-sheriff’s captain alleges cover-up culture in Riverside County jail deaths

The Press Enterprise | July 2, 2026

TSN-supported whistleblower Victoria Varisco-Flores, a former Riverside County Sheriff’s captain, has given sworn testimony in a lawsuit brought by the family of a woman who died by suicide while in custody. She alleges that a culture of retaliation discouraged staff from reporting misconduct and says families were kept in the dark about the circumstances surrounding inmate deaths.

A new documentary shows the central role of whistleblowers in providing anti-corruption evidence

GI ACE | June 30, 2026

The Whistleblower documentary by Marc Bauder featuring The Signals Network shows that exposing corruption is often just the first step. Real change only comes when whistleblowers’ evidence is used to drive deeper long-term reform, while many of those who speak out continue to face serious risks even after going public.

South Australia’s corruption watchdog calls for stronger whistleblower protections

The Point | June 30, 2026

South Australia’s corruption watchdog is calling for stronger whistleblower protections, saying the current system is too complex and difficult to navigate in practice. It highlights the need for clearer reporting channels, better support and stronger safeguards so people can safely speak up and report wrongdoing

DEC whistleblower recognized as activists pressure Goodyear to end carcinogen emissions

WXXI News | June 29, 2026

A former environmental regulator was recognized by activists after raising concerns about unsafe emissions at a Goodyear plant linked to a known carcinogen associated with bladder cancer. The case also raises ongoing concerns about whether regulators and the company are doing enough to fully address the risks and protect the surrounding community.

Whistleblower protection must work in practice, not only on paper, says EESC

European Economic and Social Committee | June 26, 2026

Whistleblower protection in the EU is still not working well in practice, according to the EESC, even though laws exist on paper. The report highlights the need for stronger safeguards, clearer reporting channels, and better support so people can report wrongdoing safely and with confidence.

Whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams sues Meta over attempts to ‘silence’ her

The Guardian | June 25, 2026

Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams is suing the company for attempting to silence her memoir Careless People, accusing them of coercive surveillance and First Amendment violations. Meta reportedly attended and documented her public appearances across the UK to enforce an arbitration ruling, while book sales increased 304%.

Whistleblower lawsuit says neurosurgeons left patients anesthetized and safety concerns ignored

FOX News | June 24, 2026

Three former surgical-services leaders at an Illinois hospital filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging patients were left under anesthesia without surgeons present and that administrators retaliated against employees who reported the safety concerns.

World Whistleblower Day: IFJ demands strong legislation to protect whistleblowers

International Federation of Journalists | June 23, 2026

On World Whistleblower Day, the International Federation of Journalists calls on governments to adopt stronger legislation to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and ensure they can report wrongdoing safely.

Whistleblower protection in 2026: the gap between law and reality

Transparency International | June 22, 2026

Despite whistleblower protection laws existing in around 150 countries, many who speak up still face retaliation through dismissal, harassment and legal proceedings. In 2026, the binding constraint in many countries is enforcement, not legislation.

Legislation proposed to stop lawsuits used to silence journalists and whistleblowers

The Guardian | June 17, 2026

New legislation has been proposed in the UK parliament to stop powerful individuals and corporations from using lawsuits to silence journalists, whistleblowers and victims of sexual assault.