Insider 1180567 220977781 2008-06-22T14:12:36Z Closedmouth 372693 Fixing [[WP:DPL|links to disambiguation pages]] and/or general fixes using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{cleanup|date=November 2007}} {{original research|date=November 2007}} {{unreferenced|date=November 2007}} {{for2|other uses|[[Insiders]] and [[The Insider]]}} An '''insider''' is a member of any group of people of limited number and generally restricted access. The term is used in the context of secret, privileged, hidden or otherwise [[esoteric]] [[information]] or [[knowledge]]: an insider is a "member of the [[gang]]" and as such knows things only people in the gang know. In our complicated and information-rich world, the concept of insider knowledge is popular and pervasive, as a source of direct and useful guidance. In a given situation, an insider is contrasted with an outside '''[[expert]]''': the expert can provide an in-depth [[theory|theoretical]] analysis that should lead to a practical opinion, while an insider has firsthand, material knowledge. Insider information may be thought of as more accurate and valuable than [[expert opinion]]. == Roles == There are many popular cultural roles ascribed to the insider. In [[crime|criminal]] and [[social justice]], [[whistle-blower|whistle-blowing]] and [[leak]]s are seen as (often [[hero]]ic) efforts of individual insiders to right wrongs by making secret information public, usually in [[Goliath (Bible)|David and Goliath]] situations (e.g. by revealing transgressions of [[government]]s, large [[corporation]]s or other powerful [[organization]]s). When whistle-blowers are cultivated by outside forces, they are known as [[informant]]s and [[informer]]s. In [[finance]], [[insider trading]] on the [[stock market]] is widely thought of as a means of rapidly increasing [[wealth]] for the privileged few who have access to private business information. This is at times perceived as profiting unfairly at the expense of others. Some forms of insider trading are illegal. In everyday life, insider knowledge is seen as a source of practical information that is contrary to the standard or official advice, delivered in the form of [[tip]]s from insiders in a wide range of [[industry|industries]]. Industry insiders tell outsiders what really goes on [[wiktionary:behind the scenes|behind the scenes]], so that they can take advantage of that knowledge. Related to this is personal insider access, where advantageous info can be gained through "knowing someone" ("I'll find out what really goes on from my brother the [[cop]], or my aunt the [[judge]], or my friend who works in [[accounting]]"). In [[business]], tips take the form of insider knowledge used by individuals and companies, often away from the view of the public. [[employment|Jobs]] and [[contract]]s, while openly [[advertising|advertised]], in fact go to people based on exchanges of various inside info between key parties. Here, the insider channels can themselves be revealed to a wider audience by other insiders. A variation of this is the insider-versus-expert authority conflict, where the uncredentaled, "non-expert" insider has a better functional knowledge of a situation, based on "how things really work", than the outside experts, whose expertise is often embodied in a set of [[wiktionary:rule|rule]]s. For example, there is the [[farmer]] who sees folly in new [[agriculture|agricultural]] regulations created by a team of government experts without firsthand [[farming]] experience. Or the [[office]] [[Employee|staff]] that keeps a business running smoothly by unofficially ignoring and working around impractical rules devised by [[management consultant]]s. In the [[News media|media]], [[investigative report]]s, [[Exposé (journalism)|exposé]]s and inside stories are popular genres that usually rely on insiders speaking out, with results ranging from the [[trivia]]l to the monumentally whistle-blowing. ==Definitions== ''Insider'' is a fluid term: depending on the usage, it can have strongly positive, negative, or neutral connotations. It is probably safe to say that in all contexts, being an insider implies relatively great, if fleeting, personal power, and therefore engenders some form of respect, and in certain situations, fear. Active participation is a defining factor: being a [[witness]] alone does not make a person an insider. An insider is usually one who is privy to, not simply [[fact]]s and procedures, but also the day-to-day [[working relationship]]s and dynamics of people in a group. Underlying the concept of the insider is a widespread belief, and fact, that in most human social activities, there are two simultaneous, intertwined systems or processes at work: the "way things seem" and the "way they really are". In any one situation, the way things seem may or may not actually be how things work ''most'' of the time, but there is always some significant deviation, usually through the clandestine activity of small numbers of individuals within the larger group. Revealing these activities is the role of the insider. In this way, an insider comes into existence only on or near the act of revealing what they know to an outside party. The majority of people have some area of insider knowledge, but they only become insiders when tapped for that information. In law, a formal value is assigned to insider knowledge when it is cited to qualify a person as an [[expert witness]]. It is also recognized in [[intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] and law enforcement, when insiders are deliberately created in the form of [[deep cover]] [[spy|spies]] and [[undercover officer]]s, to obtain knowledge not available through [[surveillance]] and [[Criminal procedure|investigation]]. Two broad classes of insider are commonly recognized: those who are principal players in closely-knit groups with specific objectives (e.g. the [[upper management]] of a corporation; members of a [[secret society]]), and participants in a general area of endeavour, such as a particular industry or [[profession]], a [[company (military unit)|company]], or a government department (e.g. a [[lawyer]], an [[employee]] of XYZ Inc., a [[postal worker]]). ==Insiders in the media== A casual survey of popular English-language titles indicates the prevalence and popularity of the insider concept in contemporary media: *[http://www.appleinsider.com/ AppleInsider Apple Insider News and Rumors] - ''"Reports, inside information, and rumors."'' Web site for followers of [[Apple Computer]]. *''[http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/ E! True Hollywood Story]- "Want the inside scoop on Tinseltown's steamiest secrets? Watch E!'s Emmy-nominated documentary series for the real ''Story''..."'' Highly popular US TV series. *''[[The Insider (film)|The Insider]]'' (1999) - Based-on-a-true-story, big budget [[Hollywood]] [[feature film]] chronicles the efforts of [[Jeffrey Wigand]] a [[tobacco industry]] whistle-blower and a failure to report at [[CBS News]]. [[Category:Social groups]] [[de:Insider]] [[ru:Инсайдер]] [[sv:Insider]]