WASHINGTON, D.C. | July 12, 2022 — Several news outlets have confirmed National Whistleblower Center’s suspicion that a whistleblower is behind the breaking Uber Files leaks.
Through the leaks the public and governments around the world have become aware of evidence indicating rampant misconduct at Uber, the ride-sharing tech giant, including but not limited to documents showing the company made efforts to skirt laws and profit from violence.
National Whistleblower Center (NWC) followed the story with near certainty that the leak was engineered by a whistleblower working with investigative journalists. Today, we express support and appreciation for Mark MacGann, the whistleblower who has come forward as the Uber Files source.
In February 2022, NWC presented a petition to the Securities and Exchange Commission expressing the need for clearly stated protections for whistleblowers who go to the media. Tech industry insiders like Mark MacGann, Frances Haugen, and Christopher Wylie, often make their disclosures to the media to raise awareness about grievous activities at the companies that employ them. However, when these whistleblower’s work is used for successful enforcement actions at the SEC, it is unclear whether the agency will reward these whistleblowers accordingly.
NWC calls on the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue formal guidance affirming and formally incorporating media whistleblowers, whistleblowers who serve as media sources, into their whistleblower program protections and rewards program. These whistleblowers are included in the Dodd-Frank Act and are instrumental to the effective regulation of the global behemoths which constitute the tech industry.
“Without Mark MacGann’s whistleblower the public would have remained in the dark about Uber’s reprehensible business practices – which seem to span across a jaw dropping range of business areas. Big Tech Whistleblowers like Mark, Frances, and Christopher deserve to be rewarded and celebrated because they are the key to holding the tech industry accountable,” said NWC Executive Director Siri Nelson.
“Whistleblowers who go to the press must be fully protected. The Dodd-Frank Act specifically permits whistleblowers to provide their ‘original’ whistleblower information to the news media. But the SEC has not implemented regulations protecting these disclosures. We are working hard to close this gap, as whistleblowers, like the Uber whistleblower, serve the public interest and Congress intended that these whistleblowers be fully covered under the law,” said Stephen M. Kohn, partner in the whistleblower law firm of Kohn, Kohn and Colapinto, and Chairman of the Board at NWC.
Whistleblowers are essential to protecting the public from corporate efforts to destabilize our democracies, skirt the law, and exploit human suffering for profit. Oftentimes these whistleblowers go to the media with this information – which is critical to the public, governments, and the investment community. NWC applauds these whistleblowers and invites comments on our SEC petition.
Please contact info@whistleblowers.org with your questions or comments. NWC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, please give to our 10K for Tech fundraiser and help us develop educational materials for whistleblowers like Mark MacGann, and join our mailing list for updates.
