Live Action

Live Action is a United States-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on anti-abortion advocacy. Founded by Lila Rose in 2003, when Rose was 15, the organization began with educational presentations to schools and youth groups and later developed into a prominent digital advocacy group. Its stated objectives include ending legal abortion in the United States and withdrawing public funding from Planned Parenthood. The organization became especially well known for producing and distributing undercover videos. Beginning with a 2007 investigation at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Los Angeles, Live Action investigators posed as minors, sex workers, or people seeking abortions under unusual circumstances. Videos released between 2009 and 2012 alleged failures involving parental-consent procedures, the reporting of suspected sexual exploitation, sex-selective abortion, and the handling of other atypical patient scenarios. Some recordings prompted personnel changes, retraining, or regulatory scrutiny at individual clinics. Planned Parenthood repeatedly disputed Live Action's broader interpretations, arguing that some recordings were selectively edited or presented without sufficient context, while Live Action stated that full or unedited footage was available through its own channels. Live Action's most prominent campaign period came in 2011, when it released recordings from several Planned Parenthood affiliates involving investigators posing as a pimp and underage sex workers. The campaign received extensive national media attention and contributed to congressional efforts to restrict federal funding for Planned Parenthood. The group continued its investigative strategy in 2013 with the Inhuman series, which addressed the treatment of infants allegedly born alive after failed abortions. Critics, including abortion-rights commentators, challenged the editing and framing of those videos. Live Action also released a 2017 series concerning prenatal services at Planned Parenthood locations; Planned Parenthood responded that it had not represented every location as offering comprehensive prenatal care. Alongside investigations, Live Action operates as a media and communications organization. It publishes articles, videos, social-media content, and advocacy materials presenting anti-abortion arguments, challenging the medical and ethical claims of abortion-rights advocates, and promoting legal restrictions on abortion. Its campaigns have often concentrated on Planned Parenthood because the organization views Planned Parenthood as a leading institutional target for defunding efforts. Live Action has also supported public demonstrations and legislative advocacy, including a 2019 Philadelphia protest concerning alleged harassment of abortion opponents by Representative Brian Sims. The organization has maintained a substantial online audience but has also faced content restrictions and account actions on major platforms. Twitter restricted its ability to advertise in 2017, Pinterest permanently banned its account in 2019 while citing harmful medical misinformation and related concerns, and TikTok temporarily suspended its account in January 2020 before restoring it and attributing the action to moderator error. Facebook fact-checkers marked two Live Action videos as false in 2019; after objections from Live Action and Republican senators, Facebook later removed those labels following an internal review. Live Action remains an active advocacy and communications organization. Its identity is closely associated with Lila Rose, undercover-video activism, opposition to Planned Parenthood, and efforts to influence public opinion and abortion policy through online media, litigation-related advocacy, protests, and legislative campaigns.

Live Action was established in 2003 by Lila Rose, who was 15 at the time. Its early work consisted primarily of presentations to schools and youth groups addressing abortion from an anti-abortion perspective. While attending the University of California, Los Angeles, Rose expanded the organization's activist and investigative approach and worked with conservative activist James O'Keefe. Their first reported undercover recording at a Planned Parenthood clinic took place in Los Angeles in 2007. The organization gained broader attention in 2009 after releasing videos in which Rose posed as a 13-year-old who was pregnant by an adult boyfriend and sought an abortion at Planned Parenthood locations in Indiana. Reports indicated that employees connected with the recordings were dismissed. Planned Parenthood rejected the claim that the incidents demonstrated a widespread policy of enabling exploitation of minors, although it acknowledged that mistakes could occur. The organization also disputed the way some recordings were edited and contextualized. In 2010, a Live Action video from Birmingham, Alabama, showed an investigator posing as a young teenager seeking an abortion. Alabama officials subsequently placed the clinic on probation for one year. In February 2011, Live Action released a much larger series recorded at multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates. Investigators posed as a pimp and underage sex workers and recorded staff discussions about abortions and sexually transmitted infection testing. Planned Parenthood said it had reported the alleged activity to the FBI before the videos were made public, denied that it condoned sexual slavery or statutory rape, and dismissed at least one employee. The campaign became a central part of national debate over Planned Parenthood's public funding and was followed by a U.S. House vote on a proposal to cut federal support. Live Action continued its investigations in 2012, including a recording from Austin, Texas, involving a hypothetical request for an abortion based on fetal sex. Planned Parenthood said the employee had violated organizational protocol, fired the employee, and ordered retraining for staff at the affiliate. In 2013, Rose released the Inhuman series, which focused on doctors' reported views about infants allegedly born alive following failed abortions. The series was released during intense public attention surrounding the Kermit Gosnell criminal case. Abortion-rights commentators criticized the series as selectively edited and designed to embarrass providers, while Live Action maintained that its conclusions were supported by the recordings and made additional footage available. In 2017, Live Action published videos questioning whether Planned Parenthood locations provided comprehensive prenatal care. Planned Parenthood responded that its public mission did not represent every location as offering prenatal services. The same period also saw growing conflict between Live Action and social-media platforms. Twitter limited its advertising access in 2017. Pinterest permanently banned the organization in 2019, citing harmful medical misinformation and concerns that some content could encourage harassment or violence. Live Action accused Pinterest of viewpoint discrimination and sent cease-and-desist letters to Pinterest and YouTube. Facebook's fact-checking system also labeled two Live Action videos as false in 2019, but later removed the labels after an internal review prompted by objections from the organization and Republican senators. Live Action has used public protest as another advocacy method. In May 2019, members demonstrated in Philadelphia in response to videos posted by Representative Brian Sims that Live Action characterized as harassment of abortion opponents. In January 2020, TikTok suspended Live Action's account for alleged Community Guidelines violations after the organization posted a Matrix-inspired video contrasting abortion-rights and anti-abortion positions. TikTok restored the account the next day and described the action as a moderator error. Today, Live Action operates primarily as an advocacy and communications brand. Its public activities include investigative video production, articles, educational material, social-media publishing, protests, and campaigns intended to influence abortion law and public funding decisions. The organization is particularly identified with Lila Rose and with efforts to expose, criticize, or defund Planned Parenthood.

• 2020

  TikTok account restored

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  TikTok restores Live Action's account one day after suspending it, attributing the suspension to moderator error.

• 2019

  Pinterest bans Live Action

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Pinterest permanently bans Live Action while citing harmful and medical misinformation.

• 2013

  Inhuman series released

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  The organization publishes an undercover-video series concerning infants allegedly born alive after failed abortions.

• 2011

  National undercover-video campaign

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Live Action releases recordings from multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates, helping intensify congressional debate over Planned Parenthood funding.

• 2010

  Alabama clinic placed on probation

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  A Birmingham clinic is placed on one-year probation after a Live Action undercover video.

• 2009

  Indiana clinic investigations

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Live Action publishes recordings made by an investigator posing as a minor seeking an abortion at Planned Parenthood locations in Indiana.

• 2007

  First reported Planned Parenthood undercover recording

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Rose and James O'Keefe conduct an undercover recording at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Los Angeles.

• 2003

  Live Action is founded

  [1]Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org

  Lila Rose establishes Live Action at age 15 and begins presenting anti-abortion material to schools and youth groups.

A digitally oriented anti-abortion advocacy organization that uses investigative video, social-media distribution, public campaigning, and policy advocacy to oppose abortion and challenge Planned Parenthood.

• Advocacy media · 2007

  Undercover investigative videos

  Live Action's central media output consists of covertly recorded videos made at abortion-provider facilities. Investigators have posed as minors, sex workers, or patients presenting unusual circumstances. The videos are used to accuse providers of violating their stated policies or failing to protect minors, and are distributed through the organization's website and social channels. Planned Parenthood and other critics have challenged the editing, context, and conclusions of several investigations.

• Video series · 2013

  Inhuman

  Inhuman is a 2013 Live Action video series focused on statements by abortion providers about the treatment of infants allegedly born alive following failed abortion procedures. It was promoted as an investigation into late-term abortion practices and became part of the wider political debate over born-alive legislation. Critics argued that the footage was selectively edited and presented in a misleading way.

• Online publishing · 2003

  Digital advocacy content

  Live Action publishes articles, explanatory materials, social-media posts, and videos advancing anti-abortion positions. Content commonly criticizes Planned Parenthood, disputes claims about abortion's medical role, promotes legal restrictions, and seeks to mobilize supporters around defunding and legislative campaigns.

• 2019

  Social-platform misinformation and censorship dispute

  Pinterest banned Live Action while citing harmful medical misinformation, and Facebook temporarily labeled two of its videos false. Live Action characterized the actions as viewpoint-based censorship; Facebook later removed the labels after review.

  Source

• 2013

  Inhuman video controversy

  Abortion-rights commentators criticized the Inhuman series as orchestrated to embarrass providers and as omitting footage that complicated its conclusions.

  Source

• 2011

  Undercover-video editing and interpretation controversy

  Planned Parenthood and other critics argued that Live Action's undercover videos were selectively edited or lacked important context. Live Action rejected the criticism and said full or unedited footage was available.

  Source

Read more

• 2019Philadelphia protest

  United States

  Live Action members protested in Philadelphia over alleged harassment of abortion opponents by Representative Brian Sims.

  Outcome. The event publicized Live Action's opposition to Sims's online videos and its broader use of demonstrations in abortion-rights conflicts.

  Source
• 2017Planned Parenthood prenatal-care videos

  United States

  Live Action published videos arguing that multiple Planned Parenthood locations did not provide comprehensive prenatal care.

  Outcome. Planned Parenthood responded that it had not claimed every location offered prenatal care.

  Source
• 2013Inhuman

  United States

  A video campaign examining doctors' reported responses to infants allegedly born alive after failed abortions.

  Outcome. The campaign generated significant political and media attention but also drew criticism over selective editing and the interpretation of unused footage.

  Source
• 2011Planned Parenthood undercover investigations

  United States

  Live Action released a series of recordings from Planned Parenthood affiliates involving investigators posing as a pimp and underage sex workers. The campaign alleged that staff offered assistance connected with clandestine abortions and sexually transmitted infection testing.

  Outcome. Planned Parenthood denied the allegations, reported that it had contacted federal authorities before publication, and dismissed at least one employee. The campaign received national attention and was followed by congressional action concerning Planned Parenthood funding.

  Source

• 2019

  Challenges platform restrictionsOther

  Background

  Live Action faced advertising restrictions, account bans, and fact-check labels on major social platforms.

  Action taken

  The organization publicly accused platforms of discriminatory censorship and sent cease-and-desist letters to Pinterest and YouTube.

  Aftermath

  Pinterest maintained its ban, while Facebook later removed the false labels from two videos and TikTok restored the organization's account after a temporary suspension.

  Source

• 2011

  Targets Planned Parenthood through a national media campaignStrategy

  Background

  Live Action sought to challenge Planned Parenthood's public image and support efforts to withdraw government funding.

  Action taken

  The organization released undercover recordings from multiple affiliates and promoted them through national media and online channels.

  Aftermath

  The campaign intensified congressional debate, including a House vote on a proposal to cut federal funding, while Planned Parenthood denied the broader allegations.

  • Planned Parenthood — Planned Parenthood denied condoning sexual exploitation or statutory rape, said it had reported the alleged conduct, and criticized the videos' presentation.

  Source

• 2007

  Adopts undercover video as a primary advocacy toolStrategy

  Background

  The organization sought to move beyond educational presentations and document what it viewed as misconduct or policy failures by abortion providers.

  Action taken

  Live Action began producing covert recordings at Planned Parenthood and other abortion-related facilities.

  Aftermath

  Undercover video became the organization's defining communications method and generated both political influence and repeated disputes over editing and context.

  Source

1. 1Live Action (organization)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Live Action official websiteliveaction.org