New Laws of Cyberjournalism: Linda McMahon, Your Ads Look Mahvelous!

A blog reader writes, “I love the Linda McMahon for Senate Google ads on your site. The irony is rich.”

No way, I reply. My blog doesn’t have ads.

Way, my correspondent says. He sends me the screen shot. See http://muchnick.net/ad.pdf.

Then I remembered that I’d recently approved new features on my WordPress blog dashboard  inviting me to add automated links to “similar” posts at the end of mine, plus gadgets to facilitate the forwarding of my posts via social networks. What I didn’t realize – I’m guessing – is that these wrinkles were accompanied by an implicit arrangement allowing WordPress to monetize them with clicks on automatically generated Google ads.

I immediately convened an emergency meeting of the directors of Wrestling Babylon Blog LLP.

We discussed the following options:

1. Post an item about this.

2. Do nothing.

3. Remove the features that insert ads.

4. Bill Linda McMahon for her ads.

5. If yes on No. 4, determine whether the invoice should be sent to Linda McMahon for Senate in West Hartford, or World Wrestling Entertainment in Stamford.

Of course, I’ve already done No. 1. Readers with recommendations on options 2 thru 5 are invited to email me at [email protected].

Irv Muchnick