Limited hangout

A public relations and media strategy where an organization or government admits to a portion of a damaging truth after a cover-up fails. By releasing controlled, selective facts, they satisfy public curiosity and prevent deeper investigation while keeping key secrets hidden.  This tactic used in media relations, perception management, politics and information management. A limited hangout gives a taste of the truth that is stage-managed and controlled. It misdirects away from the depth of the scandal, withholding key information that could damage the powerful.

The tactic originated as a technique in the espionage trade. According to Victor Marchetti, a former special assistant to the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a limited hangout is "spy jargon for a favorite and frequently used gimmick of the clandestine professionals. When their veil of secrecy is shredded and they can no longer rely on a phony cover story to misinform the public, they resort to admitting—sometimes even volunteering—some of the truth while still managing to withhold the key and damaging facts in the case. The public, however, is usually so intrigued by the new information that it never thinks to pursue the matter further."