What is Astroturfing Really Going to Accomplish?

Miki McIntyre

mm037213@ohio.edu

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It seems to have become the latest trend in the journalism industry one could say. It’s called astroturfing. This is defined as concealing the public from a specific message, normally through the Internet, by making it seem as if the original source is through a reliable and popular organization. It is misleading. It is not trustworthy. It is cruel. 

In a recent online article published through The Guardian, astroturfing is discussed stating, “The anonymity of the web gives companies and governments golden opportunities to run astroturf operations: fake grassroots campaigns that create the impression that large numbers of people are demanding or opposing particular policies.” 

It has become quite noticeable with recent advertisements and other authorized materials that astroturfing comes into play when it involves the government and highly noted companies. If one of these organizations has a concern that does not match with what the public wants, astroturfing is bound to occur.

When it comes down to it, companies seem to really only care if whether or not an individual as a positive attitude towards a campaign. As long as they believe the message and are completely unaware of where the information came from, then the company must be doing there job right. In the end, astroturfing ultimately stems to the public’s lack of trust in the news and the issue of how accurate journalism really is in today’s society.

Not only can astroturfing involve media and the Internet, but lately it has also been derived from social media as well. The public’s access of news has drastically changed over the years and social media is a big reason. 

Every day, people around the world are obtaining their daily news through outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, and Instagram. Even these sources, however, do not always portray the correct details for whether it’s a story or just a simple status post.

On websites such as Instagram, users will always see advertisements for products as they scroll through their news feed. According to an article published on AdAge, these ads or other products that may be promoted through a celebrity’s page are not always authorized. 

“People with a mere dozens or hundreds of followers can promote products on Instagram just like they're a Kardashian. Unfortunately, sometimes these "micro-influencers" don't disclose the incentives they received to do so.” So while the product has already been put out there for the world to see, this does not necessarily mean that they received any sort of approval to make a promotion.

While some may believe it is the best way to bridge any sort of conflict between the media and an individual, astroturfing really does not seem to accomplish a whole lot. Although it may be hiding specific information that a reader could be offended by or simply just not want to hear, most readers nowadays are beginning to pick up on this fake news trend. Yes, do not get me wrong, there are still plenty of readers who can naive and not immediately catch up on what is accurate and what is not. All in all, astroturfing is simply pointless. It simply makes an individual’s trust with the public completely inadequate.