Jenna Kissinger
Astroturfing was a
foreign concept before this week. I had no
knowledge of the term, which surprised me as I am someone who actively engages
with the Internet and social media. I
have historically considered myself an aware and informed consumer, yet I had
no idea there are entire organizations dedicated to deceiving trusting citizens
just like me.
Marriam-Webster defines astroturfing as an “organized activity that is intended to create a false
impression of a widespread, spontaneously arising, grassroots movement in
support of or in opposition to something (such as a political party) but that
is in reality initiated and controlled by a concealed group or organization (such
as a corporation).”
 |
| Image Source |
Two words stick out to
me here – false and concealed. We know transparency is one of the most highly revered ethical codes of the industry. Therefore,
any entities or messages that are “concealed” by design would arguably conflict
with the concept of transparency, right?
Additionally, anything false would be the antithesis of the truth.
It does not take a
government funded conglomerate to identify how simply unethical this concept
seems, but it is happening right in front of our eyes (and our screens).
What I find most
interesting about astroturfing is it manipulates a fundamental human need to
serve the best interests of government initiatives and corporations, which arguably equates to big business. People have an inherent need to feel included. So, if it seems like the masses are rallying
together to support and perpetuate a cause, I can see how the public could be
easily persuaded to join the crusade.
The public may not need
to feel particularly connected to the context of the cause, because it is more
about feeling connected to popular opinion and facilitating a sense of community
than the meaning of the cause itself.
When astroturfing methods
have the potential to sway entire campaigns using a strategic influence on public opinion. It is a scary thought and damaging precedent to
set for citizens.
Although the Internet
has created remarkable opportunities for the public to connect, it has also brought
forth a dark side. There is a faceless
facet of the web that allows people to be whoever they want, wherever they want,
and there are companies devoted to ensuring we cannot differentiate between
robots and humans on the web. Furthermore,
organizations can use this faceless advantage to construct messaging with virtually
no restrictions.
It is unnerving to think
about how much trust I invest in individuals online, yet I do it all the time. How is the public supposed to know what is
real and what is fake, when everything seems real?
This is where things become
complicated. Astroturfing is doing more harm
than good when it comes to deceiving the public and bulldozing traditional journalistic notions of the truth.
Ultimately, anything that aims to
persuade or manipulate the public using half-truths or false constructs of the
truth is unethical, and protecting the public's trust and integrity should take priority in resolving this problem moving forward.
No comments:
Post a Comment