Nick Shirley's viral exposé has inspired people in other states to investigate similar government programs, creating a "decentralized doge" effect. This phenomenon suggests a new model of crowdsourced accountability where independent creators replicate successful investigative formats to uncover systemic issues across the country.

Digital Spy's traffic exploded when its forums discussed a controversial event from the show *Big Brother* for days before mainstream media. When a national newspaper finally covered it, the forum was the top Google result, proving how niche communities can preempt and dominate news cycles.

Nick Shirley's investigation succeeded not with complex audits, but by visiting supposed daycares and asking basic, real-world questions. The facilities' inability to answer "Can I enroll my child?" exposed the scam, proving the power of simple, on-the-ground observation over bureaucratic box-checking in fraud detection.

Former journalist Natalie Brunell reveals her investigative stories were sometimes killed to avoid upsetting influential people. This highlights a systemic bias that protects incumbents at the expense of public transparency, reinforcing the need for decentralized information sources.

Shirley's journey from prank videos to exposing massive government fraud demonstrates a new career path forged by the creator economy. This model allows independent journalists to bypass traditional media gatekeepers, build a direct audience, and establish a self-funded model for serious reporting.

Journalist Nick Shirley credits his two-year Mormon mission for developing his resilience to rejection and fearlessness in approaching strangers. This experience of daily door-to-door proselytizing directly translates to the "shoe-leather" reporting required to uncover stories that traditional journalists might avoid.

In a media landscape dominated by video, Blackbird Spyplane's deeply reported, text-only articles became some of their most widely shared work. This demonstrates that high-quality, in-depth written content can still find a large, engaged audience without needing a video or infographic component.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, trading favorable coverage for access to powerful sources is no longer the best way to get a story. In the modern media landscape with diverse information channels, reporters find more impactful and truthful stories by maintaining independence and refusing to play the access game.

Legacy media, like The Wall Street Journal, are hiring coaches to help reporters build personal brands. This mimics the success of social media creators who are displacing journalists on the press circuit for major celebrity and political interviews.