CIO web site now includes ad links in stories

Paul Conley writes on Folio’s web site about the disturbing trend of links being inserted into the editorial content of CIO magazine on its Web site by advertisers without editorial control.

Conley writes, “According to what I hear from IDG staffers, the links made their appearance on the CIO site in exactly the same way such things have happened elsewhere.

“Suddenly, out of nowhere, they were there.

“Rank-and-file editors and reporters hadn’t been consulted. And questions about the links were deflected with meaningless corporate-speak like ‘it’s an experiment.’

“And, as has happened elsewhere, the people responsible for the links were confused and surprised by the editors’ reaction.

“But that is absurd.

“Imagine the reverse situation. Imagine that some senior editors decided to change the ads on a site. Imagine that they altered the html so that readers who clicked on an ad didn’t visit the advertiser’s site, but went instead to someplace that editors thought they should go—perhaps to a competitor’s site.”

Read more here.