2 things. First, what op is talking about is called the Bradley Effect and is a common thing in the statistics and research world. However, it's understandable that the public doesn't know what it is. Essentially, if the person being polled senses bias they will into or away from it. For example, you get called by a pollster and after a few questions you believe there is liberal bias, so you start responding untruthfully to either spite them or (as op suggests) in fear of being ostracized somehow.

And second, did the meaning of black pill change? It used to be that if you had "taken the black pill" you were now educated, to whatever extent, on the depravity of the elite and their global network. However you want to define that group, cabal, deep state, whatever.