Are AI bots running these Philadelphia and New Jersey news sites?

💌 Love Philly? So do we. Let’s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today. Steven Bassin used to work as a sports reporter for centraljersey.com, but he has not been with the company in almost four years. So why are his bylines popping up as recently as this week? “I haven t worked there, like I said, for three years,” Bassin said. “It s going to be four years this January. I now see a story done (recently) on Lionel Messi with my name on it, and clear as day, I don t work there anymore. I, clear as day, didn t write this story, so I don t know why I m being used there.” And Bassin noticed another interesting thing – he and his former coworker, Mark Rosman, had photos listed on their profiles that weren’t them. “It s kind of ridiculous that they have Mark and me as totally different people and that we re still on their page as well,” Bassin said. The photo of Steven Bassin associated with NJ.com is the real person. (Screenshots via centraljersey.com