Crypto Media Scandal: Media Outlets Remove Scam Study

A new report shows that some crypto news websites deleted a study about scams because they were pressured to do so by advertisers.

Timeline:

• A report is published identifying scam or high-risk crypto projects manipulate users to gain legitimacy.
• Crypto news outlets publish the findings. The story begins to trend as people start to realize how they're being played.
• PR firms representing the "exposed" projects begin contacting editors and demand total removal of the articles.
• In a span of 24 hours, multiple news sites "scrub" the articles. Links lead to 404 error pages. No "Editor’s Note" or explanation is provided to the public.
• Internal communications are leaked, showing some of these conversations.
• The "Streisand Effect" kicks in. By trying to hide the study, the PR firms have now turned a niche research paper into a massive scandal about media censorship and integrity.

This situation is a massive wake-up call. If we can’t trust the media to keep a simple study online because a PR firm waved some cash or a legal threat, we are essentially flying blind.

Careful who you trust for your due diligence, if a project's search results look too perfect, there’s a good chance they paid to keep it that way.