The chum king behind those AI articles

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the proliferation of AI-generated content appearing on reputable media outlets, with a focus on the role of Ben Faw, the CEO and co-founder of a marketing firm called AdVon Commerce. The article traces Faw's history, including his alleged involvement in a backlink scheme while working at BestReviews, a product review website acquired by Tribune Publishing. The article also examines how AdVon's AI-generated product reviews have been published on various media outlets, leading to controversies and the termination of partnerships.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Meghan Markle Purse Story

1. What was the issue with the Meghan Markle purse story that appeared on the Chicago Tribune website?

• The article about Meghan Markle's purse was published on the Chicago Tribune's website, but it did not meet the paper's editorial standards and was more suited for a gossip rag or blog.
• The piece was quickly pulled down after the Tribune's leadership was alerted to it.
• It was discovered that the article had been published by BestReviews, a consumer product reviews website whose content was syndicated on the Tribune.

2. What was the explanation given for the Meghan Markle article being published on the Tribune's website?

• It was explained to Tribune staff as a fluke, and after the article was pulled, boundaries and standards were reiterated to Ben Faw, a co-founder of BestReviews.

3. What was later revealed about the Meghan Markle article?

• Unbeknownst to most, the article was actually a piece of marketing content promoting a shopping startup founded by one of Faw's friends.

[02] The AI-Generated Content Scandal

1. What were the key incidents related to AI-generated content appearing on media outlets?

• In October 2022, The Verge and other outlets reported on product review articles appearing on Gannett publications like USA Today that seemed to be AI-generated.
• Just a month later, similar review articles were published on the website of Sports Illustrated, and it was discovered that the article authors' headshots were for sale on an AI photo website.

2. What was the response from the media outlets involved?

• The media outlets attempted to defend the work and themselves after readers discovered the low-quality, AI-generated content on their sites.
• Sports Illustrated later said it had cut ties with the company that produced the reviews.

3. Who was behind the AI-generated content?

• The AI-generated content was produced by a mysterious company called AdVon Commerce, a marketing firm led by Ben Faw.

[03] Ben Faw's Alleged Backlink Scheme

1. What did former colleagues and documents reveal about Ben Faw's alleged backlink scheme?

• While working at BestReviews, Faw was allegedly involved in an elaborate, self-dealing system that used his connections to BestReviews to enrich himself and his associates.
• Hundreds of links placed in BestReviews stories went to clients of a digital marketing firm called Alan Morgan Group, which Faw was allegedly employed by and had an equity stake in.
• Faw was confronted about the thousands of irrelevant links inserted into BestReviews' content, but he claimed someone at Alan Morgan Group had inserted them.

2. What other connections did the backlinks have to Faw and his associates?

• The backlinks led to other websites and companies that were connected to Faw and his business partner, Eric Spurling, including a company called Pet Gear LLC and a site called Better Lawns and Garden.
• Some of the outside review sites even mirrored BestReviews' own content, suggesting Faw may have been trying to take advantage of BestReviews' prominence and Google standing.

3. How did the backlink issue impact the Tribune's relationship with BestReviews?

• At least once, the backlink practice spilled over to the Tribune's website, where a web editor noticed a weird link inserted into a BestReviews article that was syndicated on the Tribune's site.
• After this incident, the Tribune put safeguards in place to prevent it from happening again, including limiting BestReviews' CMS access.

[04] AdVon's AI-Generated Content

1. What did former AdVon employees say about the company's use of AI-generated content?

• A former AdVon employee said the content that AdVon claims is created by humans is nearly identical to the AI-generated content they created while working there.
• Freelancers hired as writers were reassigned to editing roles and tasked with making AI-generated writing sound more human.
• AdVon used a tool called MEL to generate hundreds of words on products using bare-bones prompts, producing content that the former employee said lacked any human journalistic writing.

2. How did AdVon respond to allegations of using AI-generated content?

• Initially, AdVon denied claims that the product reviews were AI-generated, but later backtracked, saying automated tools were in use for at least some publishing partners.
• Many outlets cut ties with AdVon due to the poor quality of the work, despite AdVon's claims that it generates "affiliate revenue which publishers use to fund newsroom operations and salaries."

3. What was the impact of AdVon's practices on the writers they hired?

• Some former AdVon writers said they couldn't continue working for the company as they were instructed to use AI tools, and they now struggle to find work samples to show potential clients.
• One former writer was even later offered an AI editing position by AdVon, despite not having used AI while working there.