Many high-profile complaints of sexual harassment have been "investigated" by the media over the last few years. There are certainly upsides of media attention to sexual harassment, including attention on an important societal issue, the opportunity for targets of harassment to speak up and be heard, holding public figures accountable for their actions, and motivating employers to do more to prevent and respond to harassment.

However, there are downsides as well. First and foremost, it is questionable whether a media investigation can be fair. Second, often the media perpetuates misconceptions about what an investigation should consist of. Lastly, the privacy rights of those involved may be ignored in an effort to get headlines.