Axios Reports found The Kamala Harris presidential campaign is editing major media headlines in its Google ads to make it seem as if the publishers are on Harris’s side.
The report said other campaigns have used the tactic before, but the Trump campaign has not done so to date.
Axios posted examples of edited headlines and accompanying text, including one example that read, “VP Harris Opposes Abortion Ban, Harris Defends Reproductive Freedom,” with the text below that read, “Vice President Harris is a champion of reproductive freedom and would block President Trump’s abortion ban.”
Another article had an edited headline that read, “Harris will lower the cost of health care,” with the following additional text: “Kamala Harris will lower the cost of quality, affordable health care.”
The links on the ads lead to regular news articles with unedited headlines.
Axios said the practice doesn’t violate Google’s standards, but the ad format could be misleading to readers.
“Election advertisers are required to complete a verification process, and we include prominent disclosures in our ads that identify who is paying for their ads,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
A Guardian spokesperson told Axios that the paper is investigating the practice.
“We understand that some organisations want to associate themselves with the Guardian’s trusted brand, but we need to ensure it is used appropriately and with permission. We will be reaching out to Google to obtain further information about this practice,” the spokesperson said.
Other brands said they were unaware of any advertising from the campaign.
Axios warned that the practice would open up accusations of indirect support for the Harris campaign on the platform.
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