“Get Out ASAP”: 43 People Divulge Industry Secrets That May Change How You View The World

So, how exactly can an exposed industry secret affect a company? For one, their reputation may take a hit. As licensed mental health counselor Tyler Jensen tells Bored Panda, it’s when the general public begins to form unconscious biases, which he says is part of human nature. 

“These biases can turn us off of that company altogether at worst, and garnish appropriate distancing at best,” he said, adding that larger corporations may not suffer from the fallout as much, given they have more resources to do effective damage control.

Outside of the reputational damage is the effect on company culture, which Ultimate Kilimanjaro operations director Michael Sawyer says is often overlooked. He explains that it is a long-term effect where employees eventually lose faith in their leaders. Potential candidates may also withdraw interest, while partners may question their involvement in the business. 

“A business’s character is more than the number of sales it makes; it is about the trust that every stakeholder puts in it,” he emphasized.

The assumption that major corporations may be immune to the damage of a leaked unpleasant secret may not be as accurate. Senior lawyer Emma Alves says she has witnessed billion-dollar companies shrug off $10 million fines, only to lose 30 percent of their consumer loyalty. 

“Money may be returned, but suspicion remains for decades,” she said. 

Keeping potentially damaging information a secret in itself may carry heavy consequences. Game Host Bros founder Hone Tito witnessed it firsthand during community and technical crises, and he says, “In a secrecy and denial culture, the trust gap is larger.”

There are risks in revealing an unpleasant industry secret, especially if the company requires a signed NDA. However, it doesn’t mean employees who witnessed controversial practices or even those that break the law have their hands tied. 

As Sawyer points out, NDAs cannot legally bind anyone to silence if they witnessed something illegal. And in such cases, he advises reaching out to an employment attorney or a whistleblower specialist.

Alves echoed a similar statement, clarifying that “the paper wall crumbles” once NDAs interact with illegal behavior. She also explained that clauses designed to conceal criminal activity are typically given limited consideration in court. 

“An attorney can help facilitate a disclosure to the regulator or law enforcement so that the truth is brought to light without subjecting the whistleblower to crushing liability,” Alves said, adding that there are multiple ways to find truth in the system, as long as you know the “doors to open up first.”