"Astroturfing" and Dark Money Propaganda

[Shiranu]

I didn't realise there was a word for this, but what astroturfing is is when an organization presents itself as this grassroots campaign but is actually funded by large corporations or the ultra-rich that aren't obligated to reveal that they are funders, or the idea of "paid protesters"... which do exist, but not so much in the way Trump and Republicans like to complain about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmh4RdIwswE

[Baruch]

We own all your Tweets ... bwahah.

Yes, everyone on the Internet, or pre-Internet  ... where who they claimed to be ... lol

[Hydra009]

A great example of astroturfing:  when the FCC first started moving to demolish net neutrality, they reportedly got a lot of anti-net neutrality comments, supposedly indicating that the public was divided on the issue.  What wasn't as widely circullated is that those comments were nearly identical and had all the hallmarks of a small number of users posting under a massive number of sock accounts.

[Baruch]

A great example of astroturfing:  when the FCC first started moving to demolish net neutrality, they reportedly got a lot of anti-net neutrality comments, supposedly indicating that the public was divided on the issue.  What wasn't as widely circullated is that those comments were nearly identical and had all the hallmarks of a small number of users posting under a massive number of sock accounts.

So if the Internet is corrupt, just pluck it out ... along with both your eyes.

[Cavebear]

A great example of astroturfing:  when the FCC first started moving to demolish net neutrality, they reportedly got a lot of anti-net neutrality comments, supposedly indicating that the public was divided on the issue.  What wasn't as widely circullated is that those comments were nearly identical and had all the hallmarks of a small number of users posting under a massive number of sock accounts.

Astroturfing goes back to the old internet days.  What is shocking is that politicians (through ignorance or plobbying) still fall for it.

[Baruch]

Astroturfing goes back to the old internet days.  What is shocking is that politicians (through ignorance or plobbying) still fall for it.

One way to sell BS, is to believe your own BS.  That goes against the saying ... "Don't eat your own dog food".

[Cavebear]

One way to sell BS, is to believe your own BS.  That goes against the saying ... "Don't eat your own dog food".

Oh heck, I wouldn't even eat the cat's canned food, and that is better than mine (by price per pound of them and me).

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I'm totally using this word from now on.

[Cavebear]

I'm totally using this word from now on.

You mean "astro-turfing"?  It has been around a while, meaning "fake ground-level up political activities".