Newspaper giant Gannett is closing ReviewedIts product review site will take effect on November 1, according to sources familiar with the decision. The site offers recommendations for everything from shoes to home appliances and employs journalists to test and review items, but has also become the center of questions surrounding whether its creations are actually made by humans.
“After careful consideration and evaluation we Reviewed business, we decided to close the business. We extend our sincere gratitude to our employees who provide product reviews consumers can trust. edge in an email.
But the site has been under scrutiny lately, sometimes by its unionized employees. Last October, Reviewed Staff members publicly accused Gannett of posting AI-generated product reviews on the site. The articles in question were written in a strange, stilted way, and staff found that the authors of these articles did not appear to exist on LinkedIn and other platforms. Some question whether they are real. In response to questions, Gannett said the articles were produced by a third-party marketing company called AdVon Commerce and that the original comments did not include proper disclosures. But Gannett denied that artificial intelligence was involved.
as edge It was reported last fall that the marketing company behind Reviewed content is the same company that caused similar incidents sports illustrated, where very similar product reviews were posted and attributed to freelance workers. but in this case sports illustrated, The evidence of AI involvement is clear: the author’s profile picture is for sale on an AI image website. sports illustrated Insisting that while the author’s name is indeed not real, AdVon has assured the company that the content was written by a real person.
but a survey edge Access to AdVon shows the company is flooding the web with marketing content that some former employees say is indeed generated by artificial intelligence. AdVon CEO and co-founder Ben Faw has been leveraging his connections in the media to sign contracts with news outlets for years, often enriching himself with elaborate marketing plans. AdVon’s marketing content can be found everywhere, from small blogs to media outlets like this US Weekly and Los Angeles Times. respond edgeFAW said in an emailed statement that the company “produced[s] Publishers use affiliate revenue to fund newsroom operations and salaries. He also said AdVon provides “pure human, AI-enhanced and hybrid solutions” to clients who hire the company.
Anton did not provide a reason for the closure Reviewed. Product reviews are often viewed as a lucrative venture by publishers, who can attract readers seeking buying advice on search engines and make money when readers purchase items from the articles. In recent months, other news organizations, including Associated Press Similar joint ventures have already been announced. But even the content that has historically made money for news outlets is vulnerable to changes in Google searches, which are where most of the traffic comes from. Some independent sites say their search traffic has gradually disappeared, and Google’s shift to artificial intelligence search tools may further erode revenue.
union workers in Reviewed There were several limited strikes after a stalemate with Gannett management. The most recent one, in July, saw employees temporarily furloughed and said they expected to take on additional work and adjust their pay. Gannett did not comment on whether employees Reviewed Whether you will get a new position in the company or whether you will be fired.
