The question of protecting whistleblowers dates back to the earliest forms of government accountability. One of the first recorded whistleblower laws appeared in the United States in 1778, when the Continental Congress declared it the duty of citizens to report misconduct by public officials. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, industrialization and the expansion of large bureaucratic institutions created new environments where internal wrongdoing could remain hidden, prompting countries to develop policies addressing retaliation and confidentiality. Major modern frameworks emerged in the late 20th century, such as the U.S. Whistleblower Protection Act, the False Claims Act, and later the European Union’s comprehensive 2019 directive, all designed to shield individuals exposing fraud, corruption, or abuse of power. High-profile cases—including those involving intelligence agencies, financial institutions, and global corporations—highlighted the tensions between transparency, national security, and public interest. As digital technology enabled large-scale disclosures, new debates arose over classified information, surveillance programs, and the responsibilities of insiders who reveal sensitive material. Today, whistleblower protections exist across public and private sectors worldwide, shaped by centuries of evolving norms around accountability, secrecy, and the balance between individual conscience and institutional stability.