Deception for Journalism's Sake: A Database

Deception for Journalism's Sake: A Database

The Presidents Club Scandal and Other Such Undercover Exposes

 An undercover investigation by the Financial Times of behavior toward hostesses at The Presidents Club's annual men-only charity event in London and reaction to the story. 

employed as, Financial Times, groping, hired as, hostesses, London, Presidents Club, sexual harassment

Homelessness, Down-and-Out, Broke

Among the most common of poses: journalists who elect to live as tramps, the homeless, or the abject poor.

hoboes, homelessness, lived among, lived among, posed as, posed as, tramps

Nursing Homes Undercover

From 1968 to present day, reporters have gone undercover to expose the corruption and mistreatment that occurs within nursing homes.

expose corruption, nursing home, nursing home investigation, posed as, worked as

Working with Migrants; Shadowing the Undocumented

Reporters have worked as migrant laborers and shadowed undocumented workers crossing the border into the United States.

migrant workers, posed as, shadowed, undocumented workers, worked as

Education Undercover

Reporters have presented as teachers or students to get an inside view of what goes on in schools and colleges.

posed as, student, teacher, worked as

Young Conservatives Investigate

The work of groups such as James O'Keefe's Project Veritas and Lila Rose's LiveAction and their undercover operations.

ACORN, census, conservative activism, James O'Keefe, medicare, NPR, planned parenthood, posed as, Undercover, Veritas, video

Undercover in U.S. Political Campaigns

Going undercover as volunteers or invited guests has gotten reporters an inside look at some U.S. political campaigns. So has shadowing the candidates in their off-hours. 

Barack Obama, campaign, George Bush, Hillary Clinton, presidential, U.S. political campaigns, worked as

Watchdogs in the Public Interest

Waste, fraud, graft, laxity, dilapidated conditions, corruption: Reporters have often used undercover tactics to investigate.

graft, insurance, lobbyists, posed as, poverty programs, trucking, vote fraud, Welfare, worked as