A freelance writer discovered AI-written stories published under his name after being let go. The publisher said it uses AI with human oversight. The incident highlights risks for editorial teams.
Editorial teams and freelance writers face new risks as AI-generated content increasingly replaces human bylines. Ben Touati, a freelance journalist formerly with ClickOut Media, found that articles written by artificial intelligence continued to appear under his name after his contract ended.
Touati, based in Stockholm, described the experience as deeply unsettling. He said that after leaving ClickOut’s German operation, he noticed several new articles published under his byline-none of which he had written. Technical details in the articles suggested they were produced by AI, including unusual tags and early-morning publication times.
ClickOut Media, which operates multiple online brands, stated by email that it uses AI-assisted content alongside human checks and editorial processes. The company said it is working to improve both its AI agents and human oversight.
According to Touati, the company had acquired several sites, including Techopedia, where he initially wrote about AI, crypto, and technology. He said his role at ClickOut Media fulfilled a long-held ambition to work as a journalist, after previous jobs in teaching and customer support. However, after Techopedia was penalized by Google for so-called 'parasite SEO'-a tactic where high-authority sites are used to boost unrelated content, often casino-related-Touati and other staff were made redundant.
He reported that management provided little information about the penalties, only mentioning a 'keyword issue.' After Techopedia, Touati was reassigned to other ClickOut properties, including Esports Insider and later Escapist magazine, despite having no prior experience in esports. He said managers encouraged writers to use AI tools for article production, but he limited his use to research and insisted on writing his own copy.
By early 2026, Touati said that layoffs accelerated as more freelancers were let go, with managers citing increased productivity from AI. After his dismissal in March 2026, he discovered five articles published under his name that he did not author. He filed a GDPR claim for misuse of personal information, leading ClickOut to remove his byline and reassign the articles to another writer.
Touati described the process as exploitative and said management was largely remote, with most communication handled through chat groups. He was paid via monthly invoices through Deel and noted that many managers appeared to be based in Malta. He has since launched his own lifestyle website.
AI-generated content has caused issues across several ClickOut-owned sites. For example, Sportscasting, SheKicks, and Football Blog have published error-filled stories attributed to AI 'reporters,' and Videogamer was removed from Metacritic after a fraudulent AI-written review. The challenges faced by editorial teams echo those seen at other publishers, such as when Hello! Magazine rebuilt its audience following a Google traffic collapse.
Companies House filings show that ClickOut Media, still trading as Finixio in Britain, reported revenue of £40 million in 2024. The company has acquired multiple online brands and continues to evolve its use of AI in editorial workflows.
