Study Finds 1 in 3 Major News Sites Use Deceptive 'Advertorial' Content
Your favorite news site is likely tricking you with hidden ads...
Deep Dive
A new study reveals that deceptive 'advertorials'—ads disguised as editorial content—appear on 1 in 3 major news sites, including The Guardian, CNN, and EuroNews. Researchers analyzed 185,000 ad URLs over 5 months, finding these ads are 81% more effective than traditional banners. Legal disclaimers are often deliberately obscured, raising serious concerns about user deception and the erosion of trust in credible journalism.
Why It Matters
This undermines public trust in media at a critical time, making it harder to distinguish news from paid promotion.