If you're not looking too closely, recent Kamala Harris ads may give the false impression that some leading news organizations are taking sides in the presidential campaign. The advertisements, which have turned up in Google search feeds, include links to legitimate news stories but feature—in words that appear to be headlines from the originating news organizations—pro-Harris messages written by the Democrat's campaign, per the AP. They were revealed by Axios this week. Google and the campaign defend the practice as legitimate and legal, used previously by both Democrats and Republicans.
But it has raised concern from some of the outlets and others. Said Jane Kirtley, a University of Minnesota media ethics professor: "What it's about is confusion and deception." The Google ads have popped up for consumers making searches, usually in targeted regions. One ad has the headline, "VP Harris's Economic Vision—Lower Costs and Higher Wages." Copy underneath reads: "A future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by but to get ahead." The ad includes a link to a story on the AP's website, without those messages.
Similarly, an ad linking to a story by the Guardian says Harris "is a champion for reproductive freedom and will stop Trump's abortion bans." Google notes the Harris ads are clearly labeled as "sponsored," so they're distinguishable from regular search results, and reveal that they're paid for by the Harris campaign. "It's fairly common for advertisers to link out to or cite external websites, including news sites, in their ads," Google said in a statement. Harris' Google ad campaign also seems limited: The ads linking to Guardian and AP articles both appeared only in searches by users in Pennsylvania, and both have appeared less than 2,000 times, per the Ads Transparency Center.
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"I just don't think it's a big deal," said Democratic political strategist Robert Shrum. There's also no indication that any of the linked articles were altered in any way. Still, a rep for the Guardian said that "while we understand why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardian's trusted brand, we need to ensure that it is being used appropriately and with our permission." The Harris campaign says it has no plans to discontinue the ads. More here.
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