
Devs: blow the whistle - Max_Horstmann
http://maxhorstmann.net/blog/2015/09/21/whisteblowing/
======
JoeAltmaier
Sadly, there are also those lined up to take your job, after you 'blow the
whistle'. And not even that far away - your old coworker, your intern, pretty
much anybody that wants the job and rationalizes the evil into "the company is
responsible, not me".

I refused, as a contractor, to create radio software that broadcast on a
restricted band (ambulance). It was desirable in some markets where that band
was repurposed as industrial use. Broadcasting allowed faster connections than
monitoring the channel(s) until the base station was discovered.

I argued it was contrary to regulation. But "everybody else does it". I argued
it was wrong to create interference on critical service channels. It fell on
deaf ears.

Then I argued as a Contractor I'd be personally liable. They tried to cajole
me into doing it anyway. I flatly refused. Begrudgingly they accepted my
legal/financial argument. I was reassigned.

Another Engineer (employee) stepped up instantly and volunteered to make the
change. In the same meeting. Without a moment's hesitation.

So, I'm not confident an appeal to our better natures will be effective here.

~~~
Max_Horstmann
Interesting, and depressing. Thanks for sharing!

------
dllthomas
Hiring people who've proven they have the guts and conviction to blow the
whistle elsewhere should be one of the stronger signals that you're not doing
(what they might view as) wrong. I wonder if there's a good way we could
surface that information.

------
bsder
What terrible advice.

Exactly what upside is there to an individual to do so? I'm sure management
was quite clear about their intent, so it's not like anybody in the company is
going to back you up. And, if they're doing this, what _else_ are they doing?

Much better to just start looking for a better job and leave ASAP.

~~~
Max_Horstmann
| Exactly what upside is there to an individual to do so?

It's the ethical thing to do.

| Much better to just start looking for a better job

Not mutually exclusive.

