ABSTRACT
This chapter explores ways in which the relationship between whistleblowers, journalists, and political power has transformed over the past 5 years (2015). It provides an historical overview of the evolution of whistleblowing and associated legal frameworks; the disruptive scale of the leaks stemming from Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, and their motivations. The chapter examines tensions between protective and punitive frameworks used in different national contexts to define both whistleblowers and journalists who use leaked material as a source. It demonstrates how these frameworks are applied unevenly, in order to prevent challenges to established forms of political power. The chapter focuses on emerging communication security and source protection practices required to mitigate risks associated with whistleblowing in a digital age. Regardless of protective legislation, whistleblowers and journalists working with them are frequently persecuted and sanctioned. Whistleblowers themselves have historically been cast in a positive light by news media and depictions in popular culture.
