Editing Scientology controversies (section)

===Dead agenting===
{{See also|DARVO}}

''Dead agenting'' means to provide negative information or propaganda about an enemy or critic. A ''dead agent pack'' or ''package'' is a compilation of documents designed to defame or ruin the reputation of an opponent. It is used to discredit someone who has spoken out against Scientology, or is held as "[[Blackmail|insurance]]" to deter someone from speaking out.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lermanet2.com/garyweber/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041021185127/http://www.lermanet2.com/garyweber/index.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2004 |title=Memoirs of an Ex-Guardian |first=Gary |last=Weber |quote=Info Bureau [of the [[Guardian's Office]]] had tons of files on people inside the Church as well as outside the Church. Whenever a "Dead Agent Package" was needed to discredit any foe of the Church it could easily be prepared with all these confidential files. At first I was shocked that the GO would use trusted or "sacred" personal files against our own people, but in the name of saving the planet it was justified.}}</ref>{{r|wright|page=161}}

In the 1970s, Hubbard continued to codify the policy of "attacking the attacker" and assigned a term to be used frequently within Scientology: "dead agenting". Used as a [[verb]], "dead agenting" is described by Hubbard as a technique for countering negative accusations against Scientology by diverting the critical statements and making counter-accusations against the accuser; in other words, to "attack the attacker". Hubbard defined the PR (public relations) policy on "dead agenting" in a 1974 bulletin:

{{blockquote|The technique of proving utterances false is called "DEAD AGENTING." It's in the first book of Chinese espionage. When the enemy agent gives false data, those who believed him but now find it false kill him—or at least cease to believe him. So the PR slang for it is 'Dead Agenting.' |author=L. Ron Hubbard, ''Handling Hostile Contacts/Dead Agenting'', 1974 <ref>{{cite web |first=L. Ron |last=Hubbard |title=Board Policy Letter 30 May 1974, PR Series 24: Handling Hostile Contacts/Dead Agenting |date=May 30, 1974 |url=https://www.suppressiveperson.org/1974/05/30/policy-letter-handling-hostile-contactsdead-agenting/}}</ref>
}}

The phrase comes from a misunderstanding of the chapter on espionage in ''[[The Art of War]]''.{{cn|date=October 2025|reason=This is not supported by the sources in between the sentence.}}

The now-defunct Scientology-sponsored website ''Religious Freedom Watch'' was often cited by [[alt.religion.scientology]] users as a contemporary example of "dead agenting". It contained false discreditable information about critics of the Church. According to the ''[[New York Press]]'', the website was "almost universally regarded as a [[Scientology front groups|Scientology front group]] designed to attack the Church's critics." After one person pressured NYP to check the website for information on a particular person, NYP was unable to verify the information with any credible source.<ref>{{Cite news |last=DeSio |first=John |title=The rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown |newspaper=[[New York Press]] |date=May 2007 |url=http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news&columns/feature.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070601161307/http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news%26columns/feature.cfm |archive-date=2007-06-01}}</ref>

Dead agenting has also been carried out by flier campaigns against some critics—using so-called "DA fliers". [[Bonnie Woods]], an ex-member who began counseling people involved with Scientology and their families, became a target along with her husband in 1993 when the Church of Scientology started a leaflet operation denouncing her as a "hate campaigner" with demonstrators outside their home and around [[East Grinstead]]. After a long battle of libel suits, in 1999, the Church agreed to issue an apology<ref>[http://www.escapeint.org/legal/apology.htm Church of Scientology apology to Bonnie Woods] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518065047/http://www.escapeint.org/legal/apology.htm |date=May 18, 2013 }} from the Church of Scientology and other defendants, 8 June 1999.</ref> and to pay £55,000 damages and £100,000 in [[English rule (attorney's fees)|legal costs]] to the Woods.<ref>''Stars' cult pays out £155,000 over hate campaign'', Richard Palmer, [[Daily Express|The Express]], 8 June 1999</ref><ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,292357,00.html Scientologists pay for libel]", Clare Dyer, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 9 June 1999.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sect pays £55,000 to 'hate ' victim |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0502633836/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=ce3aebb6 |first=Susie |last=Steiner |date=June 9, 1999 |newspaper=The Times |page=4 |access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref>