---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The stuff we have been told off record…"
description: "\"The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the stuff that is true and the stuff we are told on record on camera tends to be the stuff that is n..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg"
---

#  The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the…

![“The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the stuff that is true and the stuff we are told on record on camera tends to be the stuff that is not so true.” quote by Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg)

> “The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the stuff that is true and the stuff we are told on record on camera tends to be the stuff that is not so true.”

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Highlights that official statements often conceal truth, while off‑record remarks tend to be more honest.

**In simple terms:** Off‑record is often truer.

Key Takeaway

Question official narratives.

Themes

media truth transparency

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

analytical inquisitive

When to use this quote

- journalistic investigation
- public debate
- media literacy workshops

Key Concepts

cognitive bias information control

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you verify hidden truths?
- What safeguards protect against misinformation?

A Different Perspective

May overgeneralize; not all off‑record comments are accurate.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camera/) [Camera Tends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camera-tends-3034453/) [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-told-326529/) [Stuff True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-true-310130/) [Told Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-record-1408337/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [True Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-stuff-2096037/)

## Related quotes

> [“Everything in my novel is true, except the stuff I made up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-d-c-fitzgerald/everything-in-my-novel-is-true-except-the-stuff-i-made-up/)

[L.D.C. Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-d-c-fitzgerald/)

> [In the beginning, somebody told me there was a record in the cruiserweight division where Evander Holyfield became the champion. I thought about that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oleksandr-usyk/in-the-beginning-somebody-told-me-there-was-a-record-in-the/)

[Oleksandr Usyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oleksandr-usyk/)

> [I don't like being told what to do, and I don't need to be told what my record should sound like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/i-don-t-like-being-told-what-to-do-and-i-don-t-need-to-be-told-what/)

[Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/)

> [Ninety-two percent of the stuff told you in confidence you couldn't get anyone else to listen to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-p-adams/ninety-two-percent-of-the-stuff-told-you-in-confidence-you-couldn-t/)

[Franklin P. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-p-adams/)

> [When I was growing up, there was a man who gave me lessons and things. I'm very dyslexic so he used to give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irvine/when-i-was-growing-up-there-was-a-man-who-gave-me-lessons-and-things/)

[Jeremy Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irvine/)

> [“No, she learned that true love was epic stuff, as told by Mary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/no-she-learned-that-true-love-was-epic-stuff-as-told-by-mary/)

[Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/)

> [I don't see myself as a deep philosopher. The things I write about tend to be what we all have to face, or consider,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-deep-philosopher-the-things-i-write-about/)

[Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/)

> [Well, I always talk about how I used to work at an insane asylum and stuff, which is true, but to be honest, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/well-i-always-talk-about-how-i-used-to-work-at-an-insane-asylum-and/)

[Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/)

> [Why do you say stuff that's not true? its because you have nothing better to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/why-do-you-say-stuff-that-s-not-true-its-because-you-have-nothing/)

[Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/)

> [Honestly I try to stay away from what has been written about me because if you let that stuff get to you and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/honestly-i-try-to-stay-away-from-what-has-been-written-about-me/)

[Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/)

> [Do stuff that is true to your own experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/do-stuff-that-is-true-to-your-own-experiences/)

[Shura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shura/)

> [Honestly, I try and stay away from what's been written about me, because if you let that stuff get to you and it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/honestly-i-try-and-stay-away-from-what-s-been-written-about-me/)

[Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/)

> [Why do you stay stuff that's not true?It's because you have nothing better to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/why-do-you-stay-stuff-that-s-not-true-it-s-because-you-have-nothing/)

[Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/)

> [“It’s like everyone wants the bad stuff to be true because she’s so good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-dew-shostak/it-s-like-everyone-wants-the-bad-stuff-to-be-true-because-she-s-so/)

[Kay Dew Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-dew-shostak/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

## More by Emily Maitlis

> [I find I process the news by listening to someone else's report.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-find-i-process-the-news-by-listening-to-someone-else-s-report/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I'd like to get up and instantly have perfectly blow-dried hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-d-like-to-get-up-and-instantly-have-perfectly-blow-dried-hair/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I have facial blindness. It's hugely embarrassing as it makes me seem supercilious or snobbish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-have-facial-blindness-it-s-hugely-embarrassing-as-it-makes-me-seem/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [It is the little things that throw me - the wrong pen, the wrong font. An interview done standing up is a disaster. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/it-is-the-little-things-that-throw-me-the-wrong-pen-the-wrong-font-an/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I have heard somewhere an argument that if the Industrial Revolution - economic development - had started in Africa rather than Europe, then sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-have-heard-somewhere-an-argument-that-if-the-industrial-revolution/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [There's no point meeting somebody with a meat cleaver the moment they open their mouth - because they're going to clam up, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/there-s-no-point-meeting-somebody-with-a-meat-cleaver-the-moment-they/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [Fanny and Alexander' blew me away. I was visiting my sister in her first year at university. It was my first foray into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/fanny-and-alexander-blew-me-away-i-was-visiting-my-sister-in-her/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [When I was 11, I was terrified about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/when-i-was-11-i-was-terrified-about-the-world/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [Some interviews wind you up. Some test your mettle. Some reduce you to a gibbering wreck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/some-interviews-wind-you-up-some-test-your-mettle-some-reduce-you-to/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I think you go into a debate trying to be fair minded and trying to be balanced but occasionally there will be a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-think-you-go-into-a-debate-trying-to-be-fair-minded-and-trying-to/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I don't think I would move into politics, but our job is often about pulling things down. It's about why something won't work, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-don-t-think-i-would-move-into-politics-but-our-job-is-often-about/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I think increasingly I really come to appreciate the people, the politicians, the interviewees, of any stripe and size who are able to answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-think-increasingly-i-really-come-to-appreciate-the-people-the/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I moved from current affairs to daily news over the Asia crisis of 1998 - mainly because the news agenda demanded I become economically literate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-moved-from-current-affairs-to-daily-news-over-the-asia-crisis-of/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I'm not sure I buy the argument that the public is more mistrustful - the debate will always garner that kind of traction because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-m-not-sure-i-buy-the-argument-that-the-public-is-more-mistrustful/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

> [I am always impressed by interviewers who can do the whole thing without notes. I can't. I need reminders on my knee. Dates, first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/i-am-always-impressed-by-interviewers-who-can-do-the-whole-thing/)

[Emily Maitlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

[Explore all 56 Emily Maitlis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/)

## More Been quotes

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/)

[Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/)

[Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/)

[Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the stuff that is true and the stuff we are told on record on camera tends to be the stuff that is not so true.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Emily Maitlis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-tends-to-be-the-stuff-that-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Been"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-tends-to-be-the-stuff-that-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c84/emily-maitlis-12058_been_the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-t_2742070.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The stuff we have been told off record tends to be the stuff that is true and the stuff we are told on…” — Emily Maitlis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Emily Maitlis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-maitlis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The stuff we have been told...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-tends-to-be-the-stuff-that-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-maitlis/the-stuff-we-have-been-told-off-record-tends-to-be-the-stuff-that-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
