Big Tech whistleblowing: Frances Haugen and the Facebook Files.

This article examines whistleblowing within the Big Tech industry as a distinct phenomenon requiring new theoretical reflection, grounded in a historical-sociological framework linking whistleblowing to democratic disclosure and organizational suspicion. Using Frances Haugen's 2021 whistleblowing on Facebook's algorithms as a case study, it highlights two key features of Big Tech: the opacity and intangibility of its digital technologies and the profound, profit-driven impact these have on democracy and communicative infrastructure. The analysis identifies a paradox of visibility, where society increasingly depends on insider whistleblowers to reveal hidden algorithmic practices, yet the complex, secretive nature of Big Tech and unclear legal definitions of wrongdoing limit whistleblowers' ability to effect change. The article concludes that while Big Tech whistleblowing is crucial for democratic oversight, it faces unique challenges that constrain transparency and regulatory reform.