As people around the world turn towards search engines to access information about COVID-19, it is important to understand why and how users are being exposed to junk news content. In this memo, we examine the role of search engines and their optimization processes in directing traffic towards junk news & disinformation about COVID-19, and how these sites, in turn, monetize that traffic through digital advertising. We ask:
Comparing professional versus junk news & disinformation sources, our analysis draws from a sample of 830 sources of news and information that are reporting on COVID-19. We review key search engine optimization (SEO) metrics, as a means of assessing sites’ online reputation, and their reliance on advertising. We find that:
Emily Taylor, Lisa-Maria Neudert, Stacie Hoffmann & Philip N. Howard. “Follow the Money: How the Online Advertising Ecosystem Funds COVID-19 Junk News and Disinformation.” COVID-19 SERIES COMPROP WORKING PAPER 2020.1 August 3 2020. Oxford, UK: Project on Computational Propaganda. demtech.oii.ox.ac.uk
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