Harris campaign edits news headlines in Google search ads to appear as if major publishers are on her side

The Harris campaign has been making waves in the digital advertising world by editing news headlines and descriptions within Google search ads to make it appear as if major publishers like the Guardian, Reuters, and CBS News are on her side. While this practice is common in commercial advertising, it has news outlets caught off guard and questioning the ethics behind it.

Google’s ad transparency center shows that the Trump campaign is not running these types of ads, but this technique has been used by campaigns before. The ads are labeled as sponsored, but the text accompanying real news links can be misleading, as it is written by the campaigns and not the media publication itself.

Media outlets like CNN, USA Today, and NPR have expressed surprise and concern over their brands being featured in this way without their knowledge. While Google maintains that the ads do not violate its rules, Facebook banned advertisers from editing news headlines in their ads in 2017 to combat misinformation.

The Harris campaign has used nearly a dozen news companies in these types of search ads since August 3, altering headlines and supporting text to align with their objectives. While Google believes its sponsored disclosures are enough to prevent voter deception, media outlets may feel differently about being associated with political messages in unexpected ways.

Overall, the digital advertising world is facing scrutiny over transparency and fairness, with tech companies like Google having to navigate the fine line between efficiency and deception. These ads, while compliant with Google’s rules, could leave media outlets vulnerable to accusations of partisanship and bias.

As the mainstream media industry continues to combat claims of bias, these ads could further complicate the issue and raise questions about the integrity of digital advertising in the political sphere.