AP Buzz
2021-04-16 17:34:29.804122+02 by Dan Lyke 0 comments
The future of advertising? Your Fly Is Open: Lies, lies, lies...
In my last blog post, I outlined a relationship that exists between an organization called KISSPR and the Associated Press. It’s a cozy little venture in which KISSPR pays the Associated Press an undisclosed amount of money to have press releases placed on the AP website. Many of these press releases are thinly veiled advertisements for questionable products from questionable businesses masquerading as news. And the fine, upstanding products getting flogged through this relationship? Pre-written term papers, herpes treatments, hair-growth supplements, and psychic readings - just to name just a few.
How cozy is the relationship? KISSPR has their own directory within the AP’s Press Releases section on their site.
The author, Tom Liston, then goes on to do some searches and show how not only do these press releases propagate to other news sites, but then how reviews loop back around to say "You could see such trustworthy resources as Associated Press talk about this company as a reliable website to get a high-quality paper."