R: Snitch

Most of us are probably familiar with the saying "snitches get stitches", a threat of retribution that bullies and rule-breakers direct towards victims or bystanders. Although we may be most familiar with this saying in its schoolyard context, it also has implications for law enforcement, cybersecurity, institutional abuse, and whistleblowing. From providing important trial witnesses to protecting internet privacy to promoting the "Me Too" movement to safeguarding ethics in corporate America, snitching often keeps the most powerful accountable for their deeds.

Nevertheless, we must question whether there are situations where snitching is inadvisable. From China's Cultural Revolution to East Germany to Libya under Gaddafi, we can find examples of societies where snitching may have gone too far. When a society is no longer a community of neighbors but rather a network of informants, fear and distrust reign in the place of love and kindness. What do we owe our families and friends, and in light of that, how far should we go to protect them? In the context of whistleblowing, should we effect change through quiet action within a broken system, or should we appeal to the outside for assistance, even if it is illegal to do so?  To what extant can a government monitor its citizens (i.e. conduct digital snitching)?