Deception for Journalism's Sake: A Database

Deception for Journalism's Sake: A Database

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

Medicare and Medicaid Fraud

Medicare and Medicaid fraud have been perennial reporting topics since the 1960s, often requiring undercover techniques to amass specific details.

fraud, medicaid, medicare, posed as patient, presented as patient, scam, undercover

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

Asylums Undercover

Since the 1870s, journalists have been posing as patients or attendants to expose horrid conditions and treatment inside mental hospitals. Nellie Bly, incidentally, was not the first. 

asylums, insane asylum, posed as, worked as

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

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

Deep Encounters with Religious Groups

In efforts to get inside the fold, reporters have fellow-traveled with religious groups, posing as members or prospective recruits.

Christian, evangelicals, posed as, presented as, religious right