Wronged by the Internet

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Shockingly, the Internet is host to hurtful and misleading content. Who would have thought?

The ads also claimed Brewer has had a revenge makeover after being “dumped” by her spouse.

These ads even stooped to lying about the former governor’s marital status in order to garner clicks.

“Divorced for Being Too Old — Click Here to See Her Revenge Makeover,” the ads blared.

The ads also claimed Brewer has had a revenge makeover after being “dumped” by her spouse, a claim that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“These ads are absolutely atrocious,” Brewer said in a statement to LifeZette. “They unlawfully use my image for a very mean, nasty and deceptive adverting campaign. For the past several months, everywhere I go people ask me about the ads, my supposed divorce and supposed ‘revenge makeover.'”

She added, “I have been happily married to my dear husband John for over 50 years, and I didn’t have a ‘revenge makeover.’ These native advertisements have distorted my image by using unflattering photos. This is hurtful and wrong.”

Native advertisements such as the ones featuring Brewer are found along the margins of websites, with headings like “popular stories” or “sponsored content.” They’re actually paid advertisements meant to garner clicks for products such as wrinkle creams.

The native ads are increasingly ubiquitous. They tend to have shocking, enticing titles that seem like news, but when clicked on, are revealed to be straightforward ads for products.

The two online companies distributing the ads, RevContent and Content.ads, said they don’t create the material; they only post it. But they said they are responding to Brewer’s request and taking steps to remove the images. Jonathan Markiles, CEO of Content.ads, said in a statement to the Associated Press, “We were (just) made aware that the images in question were of the ex-governor Brewer.”

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It’s hard to imagine, with her high profile, that the folks ultimately responsible for the ads were unaware early on that the image was of the former governor.

Putting the onus on the governor for their own ads, Markiles also said in a statement to Associated Press, “We have never received any notice from the ex-governor or her staff on this matter.”

In response, Brewer told LifeZette, “I am pleased these companies will cease the unlawful use of my image without my permission.”

She added, “However, I reject the explanation they have offered for unlawfully using my image. They most certainly knew it was me. Without the media exposing their unscrupulous business practice, my image would still be in use by these companies.”

Brewer is considering legal options.

“The damage has been done and for months my image has unlawfully been used by these commercial entities,” she told LifeZette. “I have been speaking with counsel and exploring my legal rights against these companies for their illegal and abusive behavior and will act accordingly.”

Comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres had similar problems with this type of marketing, and used her national talk show to blast advertisers for using her image in a skin care ad without her consent.

Even though the ads featuring Brewer are to be removed, inferring that she is an over-the-hill woman abandoned by her spouse solely due to her skin is both ludicrous — and painful.

“The damage is done,” Brewer said to ABC News. “They got what they wanted out of it.”