New research suggests Google let media outlet advertise climate change misinformation
New research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate reveals that Google allowed a media outlet to advertise climate change misinformation, contradicting its 2021 policy against doing so. The Daily Wire, linked to Ben Shapiro, paid for ads with content questioning climate change using various search terms, including “climate change is a hoax.
CONTENT: The Center for Countering Digital Hate, a non-profit company countering online hate and disinformation, released new research suggesting that Google profited over the past year from running ads in search results that promote misinformation about climate change, despite having committed in 2021 with a policy that prohibits this practice.
Using Semrush, a commercial analytics tool, researchers found phrases and search terms that The Daily Wire, media outlet conceived by Ben Shapiro, paid to advertise its content questioning climate change. Over 15 search terms, such as ‘climate change is a hoax’ were associated with climate change misinformation.