Final answer:
Whistleblowing does pose risks to the person involved, despite efforts to protect whistleblowers through legislation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that organizational and societal mechanisms keep whistleblowing from posing any risks to the person involved is False.
Whistleblowing can indeed pose risks to the person involved. Bureaucracies often guard their reputations and resist criticism, making it difficult for insiders to report misconduct. However, there have been efforts to protect whistleblowers through legislation such as the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, and Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012.
For example, the Merit Systems Protection Board, established by the Civil Service Reform Act, provides protections for bureaucrats who speak out against misconduct. These laws compel federal agencies to protect whistleblowers who reasonably perceive inappropriate behavior. However, despite these mechanisms, there is still a personal cost and potential risks involved in whistleblowing.