[1024core]

The call for whistleblower protection is important, but it'll never happen. The powers-that-be don't want to encourage whistleblowers.

What may change their mind is if all the data were made public. Since whistleblowers have not much protections, their only protection right now is to release everything on the 'net, anonymously. Now, clearly this is not a good idea, as in many cases there will be collateral damage. But what is the alternative? Once the governments see that such collateral damage is the only alternative, they will be force to enact meaningful whistleblower protection.

[r00fus]

This is correct. There is Government, but then there are the secret powers-that-be that pull governments' strings.

And they can't work effectively to further their own ends while in the light of public scrutiny.

[alexandercrohde]

I don't like this attitude. In fact, some whistleblower protection laws already exist (whistleblower protection act).

I'm sure there are forces that act on politicians other than loyalty to their constituents, but there's no reason in the American democracy we couldn't (theoretically) get to a point where we elect representatives who understand the importance of whistleblower protection and care more about their constituents than other influences.

[Broken_Hippo]

"In fact, some whistleblower protection laws already exist.."

This is true, on paper. But the other reality is that states have passed laws (or tried to) prohibiting the sort of investigative behavior that leads to whistleblowing, and a lot of companies have in-house rules against it. No cameras and cell phones in your work area, for starters. This sort of thing makes it easy to dismiss the paper laws. I imagine that if they are violated, one must sue to get it worked out.

Yes, it is theoretically true we could get to a point where we elect folks that understand the importance of them, or at least have the wherewithal to listen to experts in the field. And care more about their constituents. Unfortunately, I think we are a long ways off, and those very people - the ones that care less about the constituents and have little grasp of the importance of such laws - have made high entry hurdles for the ones that would care.

[r00fus]

While I respect and agree with your sentiment, ignoring reality doesn't make it go away, unfortunately.

When you have parts of the government that are essentially without oversight and that illegally spy on their oversight committees [1]... what do you expect?

[1] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/31/cia-admits-spyi...