Nothing Says Honesty and Transparency Quite like Sponsored Research
Indeed, it’s a house of mirrors out there
A recent link on Drudge Report declared that America’s are becoming increasingly wary of the internet and AI generated content. And while this seems entirely plausible, in this short post I am going to deconstruct the source of this content.
This whole thing is so rich with irony. I’m laughing as I type.
Is Anything Real Anymore? AI Making Americans Suspicious Of Everything Online
First of all Studyfinds AI Policy* (see below) informs us that any article with “Study finds staff,” as the author, is AI generated.
But no worries here, it is humanly reviewed and in this case by a gentleman named, Steve Fink.
The cruz of the article is related to us by one Rebecca Hahn, Chief Communications Officer of Tools for Humanity, developers of World ID
Trust in the internet hasn’t just declined — it’s collapsed under an avalanche of AI-generated noise. The internet has become a house of mirrors where 78% of Americans can no longer distinguish real from artificial.
Hahn noted the urgency of finding solutions:
Being able to prove you’re human online is becoming as essential as having an email address was twenty years ago. Our survey shows Americans are desperate for tools that restore confidence in digital interactions. We’re pioneering a new paradigm where human verification becomes a foundational layer of the internet — simple, secure, and universally accessible. This isn’t just about solving today’s trust crisis; it’s about building tomorrow’s internet where human-to-human connection remains at the heart of everything we do.
But actually Rebecca is part and parcel of the house of mirrors she so earnestly derides.
As it turns out, Talker Research was commissioned to do the "research" paid for .....by Hahn's company World, promoters of World ID
Here's a statement about the parameters of Talker's "quality research" sold to World.
About the Research: Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans between March 28 through March 31, 2025. The survey, commissioned by World, used traditional online access panels and programmatic sampling with incentives for completion. Quality control measures removed speeders (completing the survey in less than one-third the median interview time), inappropriate responses, Captcha-identified bots, and duplicate submissions through digital fingerprinting. The survey was only available to individuals with internet access.
Certaining not random sampling--- incentives provided. But I totally feel better about the quality. Don’t you?
From Talkers website:
Our data is used extensively by PR, marketing and editorial teams. Talker Research helps clients gather insights and fresh perspectives, create unique data-led content, drive media campaigns and generate attention-grabbing headlines. These are just a few examples of custom research and PR survey projects we have delivered for brands, agencies and organizations across the U.S. and beyond.
And Finally here's Studyfinds.org pitch for a "custom news study"
Need Research?
For select organizations, StudyFinds can be contracted to provide comprehensive survey-based research, a results report, and news coverage.
If interested in learning more, please provide a general idea of what you are looking to research and the goals of your organization.
You may contact us at editor[@]studyfinds dot org if you are interested in a custom news study.
Well geez.. if that doesn't say house of mirrors all over it as well
So Let's Connect The Dots
Drudge Report exposure of the study...I'm thinking paid spot. How about you?
To Studyfind.org... trashy PR generated /AI generated ...Mercenary Speech /Propaganda Mill
Serving up "research" that validates "the problem"
To solve today's latest "Trust Crisis"
By none other than the sponsors of the research... WorldID
Lather.. Rinse.. Repeat
**StudyFinds actively implements generative AI assistance in our content creation process. Articles that utilize AI assistance are published under the byline “StudyFinds Staff” to maintain transparency and ethical attribution. Our comprehensive review process ensures that AI-assisted content meets our high standards for accuracy and clarity.
We use generative AI for:
Summarization of large discussions or comment pages
Summarization of research papers
Summarization of datasets and statistics
Analysis and synthesis of scientific research
These articles undergo thorough review by our editorial team for content and accuracy before publication. This process includes multiple checks using different LLM platforms, human editorial verification, and cross-referencing with original sources to ensure accuracy and eliminate false information, misleading content, fabricated content, bias, and unreasonable speculations or editorialization.
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