What if....
What if there was a dirty cop who was harassing you. You decide to secretly record his activities and make them public. You are not part of the police department but might be considered a "whistle-blower".
Now, what if ACORN was acting as an agent of the government, taking government money, working out of a government subsidized office space, giving out advice on how to work with (or around) the government - housing, tax advice, employment advice, etc.? You figure out they are dirty and secretly tape them. You are not part of ACORN,but are you acting to blow a whistle?
Is there a difference?
Legally, yes. There is a difference. Whistleblower laws pertain to EMPLOYEES. See http://whistleblowerlaws.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=141&Itemid=54