Kamala Harris’ campaign has been caught [1] red-handed manipulating news headlines in Google search results to give the impression of widespread media support, according to a report by Axios [2].
BREAKING: The Harris campaign is editing news headlines on Google search ads to make it look like reputable news sites are giving her favorable reporting, according to Axios.
These are the same people who accuse the right of “misinformation.”
The news sites include the… pic.twitter.com/QNg7SN0Au4 [3]
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 13, 2024 [4]
The altered headlines, which feature a “Paid for by Harris for President” banner, were modified without the knowledge of the original news outlets.
Among those impacted are major publications such as The Guardian, Reuters, CBS News, The Associated Press, and PBS, along with smaller outlets like North Dakota’s WDay Radio.
Holy smokes Kamala is now editing news headlines in her ads in an effort to rewrite history — and she’s not even getting approval from the outlets
There’s no level they won’t stoop to. The Marxist principles instilled in Kamala by her father are on full display pic.twitter.com/n4gBH80rao [5]
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) August 14, 2024 [6]
The ads, though linking to legitimate articles, have had their headlines and descriptions tweaked to create a more favorable image of Harris.
For instance, an ad linked to a Guardian article shows the headline “VP Harris Fights Abortion Bans – Harris Defends Repro Freedom,” with a supporting text stating, “VP Harris is a champion for reproductive freedom and will stop Trump’s abortion bans.”
Similarly, an ad connected to an NPR story reads, “Harris Will Lower Health Costs,” with the accompanying text claiming, “Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care.”
CLAIM: Kamala HQ has told internet users to go ‘Google’ certain search terms including Project 2025.
THE TRUTH: Kamala’s campaign has been manipulating Google news headlines through strategic search ads to deceptively misinform the public.
After a quick search through… pic.twitter.com/huPS5shvJ6 [7]
— KamalaHQLies (@KamalaHQLies) August 13, 2024 [8]
Affected companies, including CNN, USA Today, and NPR, have stated they were unaware of their involvement in this campaign.
A spokesperson for The Guardian commented, “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 revelation of this tactic comes at a time when Harris has been notably absent from the press, avoiding significant interviews or public appearances [9] since securing the presidential nomination over three weeks ago.