First of all, this isn't PayPal's logo, it's just a button, and if anything "The safer, easier way to pay" may be their slogan. The button itself is just a web

First of all, this isn't PayPal's logo, it's just a button, and if anything "The safer, easier way to pay" may be their slogan. The button itself is just a web graphic that contains their logo. I'm not trying to be pedantic, but to designers/marketers (me), this stuff is important. Think of someone trying to offer the general Hackernews user some insight by discussing some aspect of Microsoft's Internet Explorer search engine - makes you grind your teeth. Anyway, to comment on the actual content of the parent, I would say having the PayPal button designed to look like a recommendation is definitely the case. All calls to action should be designed to be as enticing as possible (Within ethical limits of course - stray outside of those and you break the UX.) The really interesting part comes when you ask, "Is it designed to look like a recommendation from the site hosting the button or from PayPal itself?" I'd say the intent is definitely the former in this case and the button was specifically to designed look like a recommendation from the button's environment as well as an endorsement from the company itself. Is it ethical? I don't know, but I think it's pretty smart.