## This Week in Black Hat GEO
### 🔴 Headline: AI Sabotage Confirmed Possible
Reboot Online published experiment results proving that LLMs can be manipulated to surface false, reputationally damaging information about competitor brands. This isn't theoretical — it was demonstrated in controlled conditions.
Why it matters: This confirms what many suspected. Black hat GEO isn't just about boosting your own visibility — it can be weaponized against competitors.
### 🟡 Reddit Citations Collapse, YouTube Rises
Adweek reported a dramatic shift: Reddit's dominance as a citation source for AI models is declining rapidly, while YouTube is surging. This means brands that invested heavily in Reddit influencer programs based on GEO/AEO tool recommendations may need to pivot.
Why it matters: It proves that the citation landscape shifts faster than GEO/AEO tools can track, further undermining the actionability of AI visibility metrics.
### 🟡 GEO/AEO Enters Trough of Disillusionment
Retailgentic's comprehensive analysis labeled GEO/AEO as officially entering the "Trough of Disillusionment" on the Gartner hype cycle. Their verdict: the technology is real but wildly oversold.
Key takeaway: The good parts (crawlability, sentiment monitoring) are being drowned out by the bad (unactionable visibility metrics) and ugly (black hat content generation).
### 🟢 Google Reaffirms: Normal SEO Works for AI
Google continues to emphasize that traditional SEO best practices are the path to AI Overviews visibility. No special tricks needed.
Our take: This is reassuring for white hat practitioners but frustrating for the GEO/AEO vendor ecosystem that needs to justify its existence.
## Tools & Resources
- GEO Vulnerability Checklist — Assess your risk
- Ethical GEO Framework — White hat strategy guide
- GEO Audit Tool — Free audit for your site
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