History Main / LyingByOmission

* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode, "The First Duty", Wesley Crusher and his squad are facing an inquiry about the death of one of their members. Seeing that Wesley is obviously feeling conflicted, the leader Locarno tells him that he doesn't have to lie, he can simply not volunteer the actual important information. Yes, the accident ''did'' occur after the loop. It's just that between the loop and the crash, they had deviated from the approved program and tried a test run of a [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique flashy, but very dangerous maneuver]] that had killed all five of the people who tried it the last time it was attempted, which was why Starfleet banned it. Captain Picard [[WhatTheHellHero is not satisfied]] with Wesley's claim that he told the truth, telling him that a lie of omission is still a lie, and gives him an ultimatum: [[IfYouWontIWill Tell Admiral Brand the whole truth about what happened or Picard will do it.]]

* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode, "The First Duty", Wesley Crusher and his squad are facing an inquiry about the death of one of their members. Seeing that Wesley is obviously feeling conflicted, the leader Locarno tells him that he doesn't have to lie, he can simply not volunteer the actual important information. Yes, the accident ''did'' occur after the loop. It's just that between the loop and the crash, they had deviated from the approved program and tried a test run of a [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique flashy, but very dangerous maneuver]] that had killed all five of the people who tried it the last time it was attempted, which was why Starfleet banned it. Picard [[WhatTheHellHero is not satisfied]] with Wesley's claim that he told the truth, telling him that a lie of omission is still a lie, and gives him an ultimatum: [[IfYouWontIWill Tell Admiral Brand the whole truth about what happened or Picard will do it.]]

* Used in several of the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' films, mostly by Spock. The later instances are call-backs to the first, from ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', where Spock informs Captain Kirk by communicator that "going by the book, like Lieutenant Saavik, hours would seem like days" before reporting that the ''Enterprise'' would need two days to have secondary power restored... "By the book, Admiral". After Kirk's away team gets stranded on Regula I by Khan:
-->'''Kirk:''' ''[opening communicator]'' Kirk to Spock, it's two hours, are you ready?\\

* SelectiveStupidity: Doing some ManipulativeEditing to make people appear dumb.

** Francise-wide: Some witnesses will only reveal information when specifically asked about it. Miles Edgeworth would use this method for coaching witnesses during his days as the Demon Prosecutor.

* ''VideoGame/FableI'': In the NonViolentInitialConfrontation between [[BigBad Jack of Blades]] and the Hero, Jack says that the Hero's MissingMom now "lives in complete solitude, tormented by her failure to save her family", and that he longs to reunite them. He has her in a dungeon.

* ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'': When Senshi joins Laios' team in exploring the dungeon, he tells them that he's been living off the dungeon for more than ten years. He's actually been there for more than a ''hundred'' years and has a DarkAndTroubledPast.

* ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'': Hiroki's still in the {{closet|Gay}}, so when he is pressed to tell some of his friends about his crush in Chapter 28, he makes truthful descriptions of Daigo... [[GenderConcealingWriting without using pronouns]], so as to let his friends assume he's talking about a girl.

** Malack, When explaining his god Nergal, gives a brief lecture about how, [[DontFearTheReaper though gods of death and their worshippers are often considered purely evil, that's a rather unfair accusation]]. After all, everyone has to die eventually, and death takes bad people with no distinction from good people, so really, by default, a god of death should be Neutral. However, though he happily explains that this "default" death god should be Neutral, he leaves out any direct statement on whether Nergal himself fits that description. By all appearances, Nergal is ''exactly'' the stereotype of a death god as a GodOfEvil who exults in mass slaughter.

* ''Literature/OldKingdom'': Mogget's RestrainingBolt [[CannotTellALie prevents him from lying]], but he misleads people quite well with selective truths. In ''Clariel'', he makes an UnwittingPawn of the title character by telling her that Free Magic spirits will serve her for life ([[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters if she can force them to]]), that she can use TheDarkSide temporarily without harm (with lots of skilled help afterwards to heal its corruption), and that he's helping her for the sake of "mischief" ([[spoiler:that might bring down the Old Kingdom]]).

This is a statement that is clearly literally true but doesn't give the whole truth, used instead of outright lying. Usually done because it avoids making a SnowballLie and there's no inconsistencies to tip the audience/listener that a lie has been told. But this also might be done due to the presence of something that punishes or prevents direct lies, to bypass a LivingLieDetector, or they're just someone who really WillNotTellALie.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': While discussing potential new recruits for the Justice League, the current members start arguing about whether or not [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] should be allowed to remain a member since [[OlderAlterEgo in truth he's ten years old]]. Wonder Woman in particular argues that he can't be fully trusted after lying about his age. When Captain Marvel retorts that he didn't really lie but simply left it out, Wonder Woman replies with "a lie of omission is still a lie".

->'''Miyuki Shirogane:''' I've never been turned down in my life!\\

* ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'': Miyuki states a fact about his love life, which implies a false reality, that the narration calls him out on:
-->'''Miyuki Shirogane:''' I've never been turned down in my life!\\

%% Cat Sith? He wasn't introduced for another two books. * ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': [[TheFairFolk Faeries]] CannotTellALie but can deceive people in every other way short of speaking a deliberate untruth. In ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry belatedly realizes Cat Sith misled him about an important meeting by answering the letter of Harry's questions, not volunteering important information, and listening while Harry came to the wrong conclusions.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': [[TheFairFolk Faeries]] CannotTellALie but can deceive people in every other way short of speaking a deliberate untruth. In ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry belatedly realizes Cat Sith misled him about an important meeting by answering the letter of Harry's questions, not volunteering important information, and listening while Harry came to the wrong conclusions.

* ''VideoGame/PrayerOfTheFaithless'': Aeyr is sent to an inadvertent SuicideMission because completing it will turn him human again, which he wants to be. But, what's left unsaid is that he'll die as a result, [[spoiler:due to the environment he'd be in would be lethal to humans]].

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