First of all, Dateline isnt all about "anti-myspace". There's different stories in every episodes. Sometimes its How To Catch A Predator, & How to Stop a Car Their, How to Catch a ID theft, etc etc etc.
On November 17, 1992, Dateline NBC aired an investigative report about General Motors pickup trucks allegedly exploding upon impact during accidents due to poor design of fuel tanks. Although there were fuel tank design problems with GM cars before, Dateline's film showed a sample of a low speed accident with the fuel tank exploding. In reality, Dateline NBC producers had rigged the truck with remotely detonated explosives. The program did not disclose the fact that the accident was staged. GM investigators studied the film, and discovered that smoke actually came out of the fuel tank a split-second before impact. GM subsequently filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against NBC after conducting an extensive investigation. On February 18, 1993 GM conducted a highly publicized (view broadcast in 1993 section of GM 1990s history) point-by-point rebuttal that lasted nearly two hours after announcing the lawsuit. The lawsuit was quickly settled by NBC, and Jane Pauley read an apology on the program.
The following Dateline NBC producers were dismissed: Jeff Diamond, executive producer; David Rummel, senior producer; and Robert Read, producer of the report on the pickups. Michele Gillen, the reporter involved in the segment, was transferred to Miami station WTVJ. Michael G. Gartner, president of the news division, resigned under pressure.
Although the incident was staged it inspired many[citation needed] highly publicized lawsuits, and GM greatly reduced the fuel capacity of their trucks as a result[citation needed]. The family featured in the segment, who lost a son after a GM truck caught fire, won their lawsuit against the company. The publicity also drove other automotive companies to make similar changes[citation needed]. Aftermarket fuel tank producers lost sales[citation needed]. Today it's almost impossible[citation needed] to improve a truck's fuel range by adding a tank that is designed to be mounted under the vehicle.
Dateline NBC was perceived as quickly returning to business-as-usual in a May 4, 1993 piece titled "Cataract Cowboys" in which Brian Ross claimed that doctors unnecessarily performed surgery on elderly patients. The controversy brought into question techniques used such as disregarding evidence that contradicts a story's premise and using planted accomplices to entrap targets of the story. NBC claimed vindication when Southeastern Eye Center dropped their lawsuit over the story.
In 2004, Dateline NBC aired a report, alleging that some high-level Quixtar IBOs make most of their money from selling motivational materials rather than Quixtar products.[1] Quixtar declined to respond on camera, instead publishing an official Quixtar Response website.[2] Quixtar states on its response site that Dateline declined their request to link to the site. Another response page can be found at