15 Times the Public Was Lied to — and Later Found Out
History is full of moments when the public was given false information, and only learned the truth much later.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 6 min read
Governments, companies, and powerful people have all told lies to the public, hoping the truth would never come out. These lies shaped public opinion, policy, and lives, often for years before the facts were exposed. This list looks at some of the most well-known times the truth was hidden from people and what happened when they finally found out.
1. The U.S. Government denied the harmful effects of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War
Department of Defense on Wikimedia Commons
For years, the U.S. military claimed Agent Orange, a chemical sprayed over Vietnam, was safe and not dangerous to human health. Soldiers and civilians exposed to it began to suffer from cancer, birth defects, and other serious conditions. It took decades of advocacy and lawsuits before the government acknowledged the link and offered compensation. The damage had already been done, and families continue to deal with the consequences today.
2. Big Tobacco said cigarettes were not addictive
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For much of the 20th century, tobacco companies insisted that smoking was not harmful and that nicotine was not addictive. Internal documents later revealed they knew the risks all along and even designed cigarettes to be more addictive. These lies delayed public health action and led to millions of preventable deaths. The truth only came out through lawsuits in the 1990s, costing the industry billions.
3. Volkswagen faked emissions test results
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In 2015, Volkswagen was caught cheating on emissions tests by installing special software in millions of diesel cars. The company had promoted these vehicles as clean and eco-friendly. In reality, the cars emitted pollutants far above legal limits. Once the truth was exposed, it led to massive recalls, criminal charges, and a serious blow to the company’s reputation.
4. The Catholic Church covered up child abuse for decades
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Leaders in the Catholic Church protected priests who had abused children, moving them to new locations rather than reporting them to police. Survivors were often ignored or silenced. The full scope of the abuse was only revealed after years of reporting, investigations, and lawsuits. This cover-up deeply damaged trust in the institution and caused lasting harm to countless lives.
5. The Flint water crisis was denied for over a year
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In 2014, Flint, Michigan officials switched the city’s water supply to save money. Residents immediately noticed problems, but government agencies insisted the water was safe. Children were exposed to lead, and the health effects were serious. It took activists, scientists, and local outrage to bring the truth forward and force action.
6. The U.S. denied spying on its own citizens
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Before 2013, U.S. intelligence officials told Congress and the public that they were not collecting data on Americans. Then, Edward Snowden leaked documents proving the National Security Agency was doing exactly that on a massive scale. Phone records, emails, and internet activity had been quietly tracked. The revelations sparked a global debate about privacy and surveillance.
7. Purdue Pharma claimed OxyContin was safe and not addictive
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Purdue Pharma promoted OxyContin as a low-risk painkiller, which helped fuel the opioid crisis. Doctors prescribed it widely, trusting the information given by the company. In reality, the drug was highly addictive, and the company knew this. It took years of rising overdose deaths before the truth came out in court documents.
8. The Tuskegee experiment withheld treatment from Black men with syphilis
National Archives Atlanta on Wikimedia Commons
From 1932 to 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service studied Black men with syphilis without telling them their true diagnosis. Even after penicillin became the standard treatment, they were not given it. The goal was to study the disease’s progress untreated. The truth only came out through a whistleblower, sparking public outrage and reforms in medical ethics.
9. Enron lied about its financial health
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Enron presented itself as a highly successful energy company, with profits constantly rising. Behind the scenes, it used accounting tricks to hide debt and inflate numbers. When the truth was exposed in 2001, the company collapsed, and thousands of employees lost their jobs and savings. The scandal led to new laws and greater scrutiny of corporate accounting.
10. The British government covered up the dangers of thalidomide
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Thalidomide was marketed in the late 1950s as a safe treatment for morning sickness. When babies were born with severe birth defects, the link was denied or ignored by authorities and manufacturers. It took years for the drug to be banned and for victims to be recognized. The disaster led to stricter drug testing laws around the world.
11. The FBI denied COINTELPRO’s activities
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For years, the FBI denied it was targeting civil rights leaders, anti-war activists, and other groups. In the 1970s, documents revealed a secret program called COINTELPRO that used surveillance, misinformation, and harassment to silence dissent. The public was shocked by how far the government had gone to spy on its people.
12. Shell misled the public on climate change
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Internal documents from the 1980s showed that Shell knew fossil fuels contributed to climate change. In public, the company questioned the science and slowed down action. This delay helped prevent stronger environmental policies for decades. The truth came out through leaked reports and investigations, and continues to spark anger today.
13. The U.S. downplayed the effects of nuclear testing
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During the Cold War, the government conducted nuclear tests in the U.S. and the Pacific. Officials told nearby residents and military personnel that there was no danger. Many later developed cancer and other illnesses. It took years before the government admitted responsibility and began offering compensation.
14. Facebook hid the harm its platform was causing
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In 2021, a whistleblower shared documents showing that Facebook (now Meta) knew its platform harmed teen mental health, spread misinformation, and deepened political division. Despite this, the company failed to make serious changes. The public had been told the platform was safe and well-managed, but the documents told a very different story.
15. BP downplayed the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
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When the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in 2010, BP claimed the spill was under control and the damage would be limited. In truth, millions of barrels of oil were pouring into the Gulf of Mexico.The full extent of the environmental disaster was only understood later, after satellite images and independent studies revealed the real damage.