Harris Campaign Caught Red-Handed Manipulating Google Search Results!

The Harris campaign is manipulating Google search ads to make it seem like major news outlets such as Reuters, CBS News, CNN, NPR, and AP are supporting her. These ads feature edited headlines and descriptions crafted by the Harris campaign, misleadingly implying endorsement from these media organizations without their knowledge or consent.

Although the ads are marked as “sponsored,” the headlines were not authored or approved by the outlets themselves. CNN, NPR, and other media organizations expressed surprise, telling Axios they were unaware of the ads. Google maintains that the Harris campaign has not violated its policies since the ads are labeled as sponsored.

Axios reported that the Harris campaign has been altering headlines and descriptions within Google search ads to create the illusion that outlets like The Guardian, Reuters, and CBS News are backing her. While this practice is common in commercial advertising and doesn’t break Google’s rules, it closely mimics real news search results, leaving the affected outlets blindsided.

According to Google’s ad transparency center, the Trump campaign is not employing this tactic, although it has been used by campaigns in the past. The issue lies in the fact that the ads are not immediately recognizable as campaign-generated content, leading users to believe they are legitimate news headlines.

A Guardian spokesperson responded, saying, “While we understand why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardian’s trusted brand, we need to ensure it is being used appropriately and with our permission. We’ll be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice.”

Representatives from CNN, USA Today, and NPR, whose links appeared in the Harris campaign’s ads, also confirmed they were unaware their brands were being used in this manner.