Digital Writing

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Week 9

I’ve been on the internet long enough to know that advertisements are now as inescapable as death and taxes. There is no existence on the internet that does not include some sort of ad break. They have become an obnoxious presence that we willfully accept due to our free access (mostly, don’t get me started on streaming services) to platforms. We see them and scroll. You usually don’t even have to think about it.

But there’s been a burgeoning new trend on the internet, stealth advertising. Like the name suggests, stealth ads are seemingly innocuous posts that slither their way into your eyeline, and swindle you out of your time, and if it’s successful, money. 💰

Now legally speaking, these ads are (or should be) labeled as an advertisement.

So there, problem solved…right?

They’re no big deal…right?

It’s just some ad…right?

On a reputable news source…

That people will surely notice…right?

WRONG

The reason stealth posts even still exist is because they work. They’re useful tools that companies can employ to let your guard down. Like brands acting like people on the internet. They work to desensitize you from your surroundings.

How often are you checking the byline of an article?

How often are your eyes jotting around the screen for any affiliation disclosures?

The truth of the matter is that double checking may not be at the forefront of our minds. Odds are, you clicked on the stealth ad because you were interested in the topic. Thus, attracting you to the content, not the context.

That isn’t to say the content is untruthful. But depending on the source, you should ask yourself why.

That why comes to mind whenever I see content about climate change sponsored by oil companies or content about sugar’s effects on the body sponsored by Coca-Cola. The information does not have to be false for it to be misleading. But there could still be missing pieces to the story. Pieces they don’t want you looking for. Pieces that could recontextualize this information in a much more balanced way.

The proliferation of stealth ads has cemented one thing to me. Vigilance.

Identifying ads isn’t as straightforward as reading “ad” in big, bold letters. Instead, advertisers like to dress stuff up. You know, give it a little 🧚pizzazz 🧚

Look for the terms:

sponsored content

brand partner

presented with

in partnership with

brought to you by

in association with

hosted by

with

Ads will only grow more insidious and shadier. They will disguise themselves. So be prepared. And stay vigilant. 👀

This post was brought to you by…nah I’m just kidding

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3 responses to “This Post is Sponsored by…”

  1. LKSOC1004 Avatar
    LKSOC1004

    I love the all the visual elements of this post, especially the little line at the end.
    One thing I’ve noticed about ads now that I am looking at them closely as that a lot of them don’t even have the spelled-out disclaimer. I’ve started to notice that a lot of box ads on websites have a small gray box in a corner of the ad that opens up to be a disclaimer when you hover the mouse over it.

    Another thing about ads that I think is hard to figure out is what a stealth ad actually is. We had the examples in the book, but sometimes things seem like a stealth ad in a way that doesn’t always line up with those examples. One example is the game Skate 3. It is a skateboarding game, so tons of skateboard brands are included in the game. That’s something that could be considered an ad I would think. The game also has realistic sponsors for the skateboard competitions, so you wind up seeing T-Mobile ads all over the game. Stuff like that sits in a weird spot when classifying ads.

  2. davidninja Avatar
    davidninja

    Stealth ads were one of the more interesting topics mentioned in Verified. The idea that we are being fed false content that is presented as fact is frightening. If a company releases information on a website, shouldn’t it be true? Why should a sponsor change anything about it?
    It is like being manipulated. The statistics Caulfield and Wineburg provide about stealth ads being at the top of the page instead of the middle are also scary. Right after selecting the site, we need to be aware of what information is being presented to us. It has been happening for so long, and no one even realizes it. Now, if I see a site sponsored, I need to do some digging and see if the information is actually true. Misinformation is spread too easily, and these con artists are getting away with it too easily.
    Vigilant is a good word to use. Merriam-Webster defines it as, “alertly watchful especially to avoid danger.” Instead of being paranoid of each site, keep an open eye. Be more observant of your surroundings. I think Caulfield and Wineburg do a good job at explaining how it can really change the way we use the internet.

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