"The ads, from a straightforward-looking news site called the California Courier, often felt a lot like campaign commercials, linking to articles hammering Democrats in the state, including Gov. Gavin Newsom. Few punched in the other direction, toward Republicans. One said, "California Democrats just rewrote their gerrymandering plan so voters will see their partisan map on the ballot this November." Another called Proposition 50, which passed in November, "a scheme critics say is meant to undermine voter-approved protections and entrench one party rule in California.""
"A reader who clicked through to the Courier's website would find stories that largely align with a conservative view of the news, like a video of a child "riding a scooter through San Fran's drug-ravaged streets," or an anonymous piece that cites "confidential sources" cautioning against a "left-wing educator" running for a position with an Orange County school district. What a reader would not find is any disclosure of the Courier's ownership or funding,"
"The Courier has money to spend. According to a review of the ad library maintained by Facebook's owner, Meta, the outlet has spent more than $80,000 since 2021 promoting its stories on social issues and politics, potentially reaching tens of thousands of users on the platform each week. Critics say the California outlet is part of a growing, nationwide ecosystem of innocuous-looking, cheaply produced news publications that publish and advertise biased articles in an"
Facebook users encountered ads from a site called the California Courier that resembled campaign commercials and targeted Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Courier published stories with a conservative perspective, featuring sensational videos and anonymous pieces critical of left-leaning figures. The outlet provided no disclosure of ownership or funding and appears connected to conservative organizations that expanded similar sites in other states before the 2024 election. Meta's ad library shows the Courier spent over $80,000 since 2021 promoting social and political stories, potentially reaching tens of thousands of users weekly. Critics say the site is part of a nationwide ecosystem of cheaply produced, biased news outlets.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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