Democratic campaigns and organizations have been using Google Search ads to manipulate news headlines and article descriptions presented to internet users, extending beyond Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign.
According to a report by the Washington Examiner, this practice has been observed in the campaigns of two Democratic Senate candidates and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) over the past year.
The analysis using Google's Ad Transparency Center reveals that the Senate campaigns of Representatives Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have employed this tactic against their Republican opponents. The ads promote real news links but display alternate headlines and subtexts crafted by the campaigns, potentially influencing voters' perceptions.
Elissa Slotkin's campaign recently ran a Google Search ad in Michigan targeting her opponent, former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI). The ad linked to an article from the Heartland Signal but displayed a fictitious headline reading "Mike Rogers Works for Himself," along with a campaign-written description alleging Rogers' connections to Chinese tech companies.
Adam Schiff's campaign in California also employed this strategy leading up to the state's open primary in March. Using a Fox News article, Schiff's campaign created an ad with the simple headline "Steve Garvey," referring to his Republican opponent, with a description highlighting Garvey as the leading Republican candidate in the Senate race.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has also been involved in this practice. In September 2023, the DSCC ran four Google Search ads using articles from the progressive American Independent. These ads were retitled "Social Security At Risk" and featured altered descriptions targeting Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rick Scott (R-FL), both of whom are up for reelection.
DSCC spokesperson Tommy Garcia denied the manipulation of headlines and descriptions, stating: "Rick Scott and Ted Cruz have a long record of threatening Social Security, and we are making sure voters know about it."
While Google Search ads are labeled as sponsored posts and include "paid for by" disclosures for political campaigns, critics argue that this practice can be deceptive to voters. This is particularly concerning for those seeking accurate information about candidates or races.
The tactic has raised eyebrows among media outlets whose articles have been used in these ads. A spokesperson for the Guardian, one of the outlets whose content was used in Harris's campaign ads, expressed concern:
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.
It's worth noting that some of the ads from Slotkin, Schiff, and the DSCC currently do not display the proper "paid for by" disclaimer when viewed in Google's Ad Library. Google has attributed this to a technical glitch.
In contrast to Google's allowance of this practice, Facebook banned advertisers from altering news headlines in 2017 to combat misinformation and false news.
The use of Google Search ads to manipulate news headlines extends beyond Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign to include other Democratic Senate candidates and the DSCC. This practice has raised concerns about voter deception and the spread of misinformation.
While Google allows this tactic, it contrasts with policies implemented by other platforms like Facebook. The impact of these altered headlines on voter perception and the ethical implications of such practices remain subjects of ongoing debate in the political advertising landscape.
