#whistleblow

[cosmonaut775]

Hey do y’all remember when Boeing fucking killed a guy last year. And we all said “huh I guess Boeing fucking killed a guy” and then went on with our lives. And everybody knew that Boeing had fully just fucking executed a guy and nothing came of it. Like there was no police investigation no justice no nothing. Like literally EVERYBODY knew that Boeing had full on murdered a guy to silence him and there wasn’t any consequences for them. Kinda crazy.

[ryanwclement]

WHISTLEBLOWING!

by Ryan Clement, barrister IN THIS BLOG I discuss Protected Disclosures aka ‘whistleblowing’ within the context of employment, which is what a whistleblower has to make in order to be protected from suffering a detriment or be dismissed because they ‘whistleblew.’ A PROTECTED DISCLOSURE is a qualifying disclosure that is made by a worker to, for example, their employer or a body that has legal…

[victusinveritas]

[probablyasocialecologist]

[feminist-space]

"Balaji’s death comes three months after he publicly accused OpenAI of violating U.S. copyright law while developing ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence program that has become a moneymaking sensation used by hundreds of millions of people across the world.

Its public release in late 2022 spurred a torrent of lawsuits against OpenAI from authors, computer programmers and journalists, who say the company illegally stole their copyrighted material to train its program and elevate its value past $150 billion.

The Mercury News and seven sister news outlets are among several newspapers, including the New York Times, to sue OpenAI in the past year.

In an interview with the New York Times published Oct. 23, Balaji argued OpenAI was harming businesses and entrepreneurs whose data were used to train ChatGPT.

“If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he told the outlet, adding that “this is not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole.”

Balaji grew up in Cupertino before attending UC Berkeley to study computer science. It was then he became a believer in the potential benefits that artificial intelligence could offer society, including its ability to cure diseases and stop aging, the Times reported. “I thought we could invent some kind of scientist that could help solve them,” he told the newspaper.

But his outlook began to sour in 2022, two years after joining OpenAI as a researcher. He grew particularly concerned about his assignment of gathering data from the internet for the company’s GPT-4 program, which analyzed text from nearly the entire internet to train its artificial intelligence program, the news outlet reported.

The practice, he told the Times, ran afoul of the country’s “fair use” laws governing how people can use previously published work. In late October, he posted an analysis on his personal website arguing that point.

No known factors “seem to weigh in favor of ChatGPT being a fair use of its training data,” Balaji wrote. “That being said, none of the arguments here are fundamentally specific to ChatGPT either, and similar arguments could be made for many generative AI products in a wide variety of domains.”

Reached by this news agency, Balaji’s mother requested privacy while grieving the death of her son.

In a Nov. 18 letter filed in federal court, attorneys for The New York Times named Balaji as someone who had “unique and relevant documents” that would support their case against OpenAI. He was among at least 12 people — many of them past or present OpenAI employees — the newspaper had named in court filings as having material helpful to their case, ahead of depositions."

[phaeton-flier]

The Boeing Whistleblowers Weren't Assassinated

Anyone who looks into this past a few memes and headlines realizes that it's not actually much of a conspiracy.

The first whistleblower, John Barnett, did his whistleblowing back in 2017. The legal proceedings he was in before he died were related to a defamation case against Boeing, who "he claimed deliberately hurt his career and reputation because of allegations he’d made of grave safety breaches on the aircraft company’s production line."

He was suffering from PTSD and Anxiety Attacks from the length of the case, which shows the unjust levels of stress you get form being a whistleblower, but which also are not surprising comorbidities from suicide. Add to the fact that his wife had died a little over a year before, and it's a lot less suspicious that he would kill himself.

He did not tell his family "If I die, it wasn't suicide". The alleged witness was a friend of his mom who claimed he said it. That's not something we should treat as solid evidence.

The second whistleblower, Joshua Dean, got the Flu, then pneumonia from the Flu, then got MRSA in the hospital. These are very common diseases that also have C-grade death rates: Only ~30% of patients die of it, so it hardly makes sense as an assassination weapon.

Boeing has 32 whistleblower complaints, which is shocking but if they're going around killing whistleblowers they sure seem to be behind the fucking curve on it.

In both cases these deaths came long after the initial complaints, such that killing them doesn't get rid of the complaints, and given the 32 other cases it sure doesn't seem like they're trying to scare off new ones.

And beyond that, killing off whistleblowers is a strategy that only makes sense if you think of Boeing as a single organism and not an abstraction made of thousands of people. Yes, it's theoretically better for Boeing's bottom line if whistleblowers die, but the executives responsible for the fuck-ups these whistleblowers are pointing out? Won't go to jail for them. They will go to jail if they're caught hiring an assassin, something they would have zero practice doing and would be highly likely to fuck up like they did the company if they tried, and that risk isn't worth a little extra bonus on your stock options or whatever.

I really do not want this "Boeing killed the whistleblowers OMG" shit to stick around because it's blatantly unsupported and it will scare off future whistleblowers if this becomes common bullshit wisdom.

[kropotkindersurprise]

May 1, 2024 - It seems Boeing has murdered a second whistleblower. [link]

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and one of the first whistleblowers to allege Spirit leadership had ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX, died Tuesday morning after a struggle with a sudden, fast-spreading infection.  Known as Josh, Dean lived in Wichita, Kan., where Spirit is based. He was 45, had been in good health and was noted for having a healthy lifestyle. He died after two weeks in critical condition, his aunt Carol Parsons said. Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino said: “Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.” Dean had given a deposition in a Spirit shareholder lawsuit and also filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” at Spirit.

[technofeudalism]

A former OpenAI researcher known for whistleblowing the blockbuster artificial intelligence company facing a swell of lawsuits over its business model has died, authorities confirmed this week. Suchir Balaji, 26, was found dead inside his Buchanan Street apartment on Nov. 26, San Francisco police and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said. Police had been called to the Lower Haight residence at about 1 p.m. that day, after receiving a call asking officers to check on his well-being, a police spokesperson said. The medical examiner’s office has not released his cause of death, but police officials this week said there is “currently, no evidence of foul play.” Information he held was expected to play a key part in lawsuits against the San Francisco-based company. Balaji’s death comes three months after he publicly accused OpenAI of violating U.S. copyright law while developing ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence program that has become a moneymaking sensation used by hundreds of millions of people across the world.

totally normal that a 26-year-old man dies of natural causes alone in his apartment in San Francisco with no witnesses or reason to suspect foul play. completely normal stuff that happens to whistleblowers all the time.

[yuriinadress]

I'M GONNA BITE SOMEONE

Info

[lobstrrck]

tear you apart

[cannibalsnake]

His heart beats for you 🫀❗

[arctic-hands]

I'm not upset discussions of Sally Ride these days don't leave out the fact that she was a lesbian and therefore the first known queer person in space (albeit a fact only known after her death), but I hate that the fact that what is left out is that she, while part of the Roger's Commission after Challenger exploded, was the whistleblower who made sure the information for the defects of the O-rings made its way to Richard Feynman, who then famously, publicly, and on camera demonstrated how icy coldness (such as the cold and icy weather the morning before Challenger launched) could critically deform the O-rings used and keep them from forming a seal. This was also only revealed after she died. (x)

Whenever Sally Ride comes up these days among my (overwhelmingly queer) friends, we all acknowledge that she was a lesbian and celebrate what a role model she was not just for girls but for queer kids (and adults) too, but everyone is always surprised when I bring up the whistleblowing thing, which I think is damn shame and a disservice to her legacy.

[ryanwclement]

"WHISTLEBLOWING" IN EMPLOYMENT AND THE WORKPLACE

by Ryan Clement IN THIS ARTICLE, I am going to discuss, ‘Whistleblowing,’ from an employment perspective.  FIRST THING to make clear are two things. It’s not about actually blowing a whistle to one’s employer, although, of course, there is nothing in law preventing a worker from doing so when disclosing information about a wrongdoing. Second, which might come as a surprise to some people. If…

[victusinveritas]

[musicarenagh]

Rachael Sage Impresses With "Whistle Blow" There is something distinctively alluring about "Whistle Blow," the latest single by US-based alt-folk artist, Rachael Sage. Diving into the realms of folk rock, Sage exhibits a mastery of her craft with this release, capturing both an enchanting and power-charged sentiment that resonates remarkably with the listener. This lead single, from her album "The Other Side," has undoubtedly struck a chord and piqued our interest for the rest of the composition. https://open.spotify.com/track/4T988JwKYSWEf36AsR2X8D?si=d4a8d1814fb64810 One cannot help but be drawn into the lush melodies of "Whistle Blow," complemented by Sage's soothing and captivating female vocals. The distinctive quality of her voice enthralls the ear, capturing a certain vulnerability and rawness that instantly evoke a sense of compassion and empathy. The calming, yet intriguing tone of this single certainly paints a picture of relaxing, introspective moments that anyone immersed in the intricacies of life can appreciate. Delving into the subject matter of the track, "Whistle Blow" boldly treads into the realm of power dynamics and boundaries – an issue that has, unfortunately, plagued women throughout history. Sage takes a unique approach, combining tales of personal struggles with that of public figures' misdeeds. This composite account of women fighting for respect in the workplace, at home, and in the annals of history ensures that the single has a strong message to convey to its audience. This song doesn’t shy away from recalling a time when women’s voices would have been drowned out by societal norms and structures. Instead, Sage's "Whistle Blow" delivers a message of urgency and empowerment. While it acknowledges the struggles women have faced historically, it also celebrates the boundless possibilities in the continuous journey towards liberation, equality, and recognition. https://youtu.be/K7w7TzBcgA8 Though the track is undeniably relaxing, it effortlessly weaves a narrative that is anything but passive. Sage's lyrics, coupled with the enchanting instrumental arrangement, create a tapestry of emotions that perfectly balance the contradictions of feeling both empowered and solemnly reflective. Rachael Sage, like folk-rock icons Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, and Alanis Morissette, uses her music to share her truth and address societal issues. Somehow, Sage conjures an aura of reminiscence to their work while forging her own unique, captivating sound. In conclusion, "Whistle Blow" has undeniably set the stage for Rachael Sage's forthcoming album, "The Other Side." This single demonstrates her incredible musical and lyrical prowess, demanding listeners' attention with its empowering message and hypnotic melody. Sage's singer-songwriter talent is impressive, and we eagerly anticipate her future work. Follow Rachael Sage on Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

[karangellc]