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Wrote two times about Sunset, without disclosing her friendship with fellow journalist and occasional Kotaku contributor Leigh Alexander, who was involved in the game through her consulting company Agency for Games.
Covered Dylan Holmes on two different occasions for Kotaku without disclosing that he was a writer for Nightmare Mode—a gaming news outlet of which Hernandez was a founder and Editor-in-Chief—since at least as early as October 2011, prior to when Hernandez had covered him.
Covered Cameron Kunzelman at least two times without disclosing he had been a staff member at Nightmare Mode—a gaming outlet of which Hernandez was a founder and editor-in-chief—since at least as early as November 2012.
In article for Kotaku she plugged a piece written by John Brindle for Nightmare Mode without disclosing that she was that site’s founder and editor-in-chief, which she notes elsewhere on Kotaku. When she plugged Brindle’s article (January 8th, 2013) Hernandez was still Nightmare Mode’s editor, as shown by the site’s staff page before and after the article was published.
Plugged Jonas Kyratzes without disclosing that he had been a writer for Nightmare Mode—a gaming outlet of which Hernandez was founder and Editor-in-Chief—since at least as early as November 2012, prior to this coverage.
Wrote about her former partner Christine Love in three articles, originally disclosing their relationship only in the first. Disclosure was added to both other articles after its absence was publicly pointed out.
Wrote six times about her roommate Anna Antrophy, originally without disclosure.
Wrote two times promoting Kickstarters by GaymerX, originally without disclosing her friendship with its president Tony Rocca and other staff.
Covered Merritt Kopas at least three times between December 2012 and October 2013, without disclosing that Kopas has been writing for Nightmare Mode—a gaming news outlet of which Hernandez was founder and an editor-in-chief—since at least as early as November 2012. An article under the byline “Kotaku Staff”, written on February 2014—after Hernandez joined Kotaku—promoted Kopas again without disclosure. Hernandez covered Kopas again on April 2016, but in this time she disclosed that she and Kopas worked together on a book.
Wrote two articles about games by the controversial Mattie Brice, initially disclosing their friendship only in the first one — which is liked in the second. Article was updated with disclosure as well in 2015.
Wrote the perhaps most famous article on the Max Temkin accusations, where she claimed Temkin ”spent too much time defending himself, and not enough time contemplating the idea that he might‘ve messed up“. Article was later amended, and Kotaku admitted it was a misfire.
Sensationalist article criticizing of the use of the word "rape" as an euphemism for "one-sided victory" in online gaming.
Following the publicity of her other conflicts of interest, has been accused of writing about David S. Gallant without disclosing an existing friendship that their existing public conversations don't seem to solidly prove.
Following some of her most controversial writing, several fake parody articles were made with her name. Debatable as her actual articles might be, anyone mistaking the parodies for real (archive) is factually inaccurate.
This journalist’s career means they might be subject to slight asymmetric scrutiny.
Sensationalism emblems may be based on subjective criteria.
Readers are encouraged to take entries critically, and form their opinion independently.
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