Astroturfing: Trust No One

Amanda Ehrmantraut

ae513115@ohio.edu

Source: news.softpedia.com

As online media continues to become the most prevalent source of news for most people, astroturfing grows more and more widespread and harmful.

           

Companies and organizations utilize astroturfing by secretly sponsoring certain campaigns or messages to make them appear as though they are started by “grassroots” participants. This misleading practice causes media consumers to believe that support for a certain movement or product is far more common than it truly is.

Astroturfing has occurred for a long time, but with more and more people trusting influencers and activists in this online media climate, it tends to sway public opinion much more effectively.

Fake social media accounts can be easily created and updated. Humans can even later be “assigned” to these accounts, maintaining the façade of realism. There is even more advanced software that creates fake IP addresses and makes organizations’ deception nearly untraceable.

Astroturfing campaigns are hard to catch, but there have been a few notable busts. When Australia was looking to pass legislation that would result in plainer cigarette packaging with emboldened warnings and hazards, it was met with disapproval by the Alliance of Australian Retailers, who argued these changes could harm small businesses. It was eventually revealed that big tobacco companies were financing the AAR.

On a smaller but more political scale, a Twitter account that supported Toronto’s ex-mayor Rob Ford was discovered to be run by his very own staff.

McDonald’s had a record-setting line outside the store for its new Quarter Pounder burger, but that was because it paid people to stand there.

Astroturfing is sometimes detectable, but it will never be possible to catch every instance. For this reason — and many others — it is important to take everything at face value and form your own opinions on every major issue. A group or campaign coming out in support or opposition of something may cause you to second guess, but always remember that you do not really know that group’s true motive.

Trust in media has declined, but trust in others has spiked a little too much. If you are looking for a new restaurant, you may check its online reviews, and they determine whether or not you choose to dine at that restaurant. Someone on Twitter posts an exposé thread against a business. You are shocked by the company’s actions or views and vow never to go there again. It is likely that you do not personally know the restaurant reviewers or the author of the Tweets. Still, you trust them, because their accounts have a name and a face. These experience must be real, and their words must be true. It is important for us to realize that this is not always the case.