BP Buys 'Oil' Search Terms to Redirect Users to Official Company Website

[Truth2Tell]

Source: ABC News

Be careful where you click, especially if you're looking for news on the BP oil spill.

BP, the very company responsible for the oil spill that is already the worst in U.S. history, has purchased several phrases on search engines such as Google and Yahoo so that the first result that shows up directs information seekers to the company's official website.

A simple Google search of "oil spill" turns up several thousand news results, but the first link, highlighted at the very top of the page, is from BP. "Learn more about how BP is helping," the link's tagline reads.

A spokesman for the company confirmed to ABC News that it had, in fact, bought these search terms to make information on the spill more accessible to the public.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Broadcast/bp-buys-search-engine-phrases-redirecting-users/story?id=10835618

[Art_from_Ark]

1. Well, I just googled "oil slick" i

and none of the first 5 or 6 links were from Bee Pee.
The same goes for "oil volcano".

[Truth2Tell]

3. I just googled "oil slick" and got BP as the first link.

:shrug:

[Art_from_Ark]

4. I used Google Japan-- maybe that's why

http://www.google.co.jp/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=%22oil+slick%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=hsUMTIeGDpWekQXR3eHIDw

[ananda]

9. I googled "oil spill" and..

.. it's true. BP's link was in a highlighted space at the top.

I clicked on it so it would cost them...

That's pretty minor, though. It's the politicians and judges
they own that matter... including Obama.

[SemperEadem]

2. I never go with the first on the list of a search

I did notice that yesterday when I was searching for some information on the platform.

[C_U_L8R]

5. if you click the sponsored link....

it will cost BP money.

just sayin'

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. Will do!

[icnorth]

6. That isn't the only thing they're buying...

Facing possible jail time for their roles in the largest oil spill in American history, BP and Halliburton are building high-powered legal teams with “deep Department of Justice and White House ties.” But the companies are pursuing other means to defend themselves as well.

Halliburton’s campaign donations have spiked as it tries to curry favor with key members of Congress investigating the disaster. The company donated $17,000 in May, making it “the busiest donation month for Halliburton’s PAC since September 2008,” Politico reports. Thirteen of the 14 contributions from May went to Republicans, while seven went to members of Congress who are “on committees with oversight of the oil spill and its aftermath”:

http://thinkprogress.org/?p=100377

[joanmj]

8. Right on....

[mopinko]

10. this i phrased so hysterically

geez. they didn't buy the search term, they bought an ad.

[jberryhill]

11. Imagine the effort this reporter had to go through for this cutting edge story /nt

[jberryhill]

12. Duh

That's why it is in a box with "sponsored link" written in it.

Do people really not understand how Google makes money?

[apnu]

13. not as bad as you think on Google. BP is highlighed at the top and clearly says "sponsored link"

normal results are normal with wikipedia being in the top 2 or 3 depending on your search terms.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Seemed they forgot to buy "oil gusher"

since that's what it really is!