Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign has been accused of creating misleading headlines for Google search ads, seemingly to generate a more favorable perception of the Democratic candidate.
The campaign's tactics have been under scrutiny for purchasing Google search ads with fabricated headlines, giving the impression that media outlets are providing positive coverage of Harris. This strategy starkly contrasts with that of the Trump-Vance campaign, which has refrained from such practices.
According to The Post Millennial, the Harris campaign's deceptive advertisements are visible on the Harris for President Google Ads Center. These ads mimic the appearance of news reports, but with counterfeit headlines. One such headline, purportedly from the UK Independent, reads, "VP Harris Protects Democracy - Trump Defends Jan 6 Comments." The ads, sponsored and paid for by the Harris for President campaign, have exploited the brands of numerous news outlets, including NPR, the AP, The Guardian, USA Today, PBS, CNN, CBS News, and Time.
The Post Millennial further reported that one ad, seemingly linked to an NPR story, states, "Harris Will Lower Health Costs," with accompanying text that reads, "Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care." Another ad, designed to resemble a Guardian article, proclaims, "VP Harris Fights Abortion Bans - Harris Defends Repro Freedom." A representative from The Guardian responded, "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."
The Harris campaign's questionable tactics have raised eyebrows, with some accusing the campaign of astroturfing its support. Several news outlets, whose brands were exploited in this manner, were reportedly unaware of the ads, casting further doubt on the ethical conduct of the Harris campaign.
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