AstroTurfing, A danger to the free world

By Hunter Dorner

hd366416@ohio.edu / hunterdorner99@gmail.com

    

    Astroturfing is the phrase used to describe the creation of fake accounts in order for a group to seem a certain way. This is done by generating accounts that can represent anything that the organization wants.

     In this modern age when many of the things that we rely on and information that we see is online, problems like these will arise. Whether it is a government organization or fortune 500 company, the tactics of astroturfing can be used to persuade an audience of real people into believing what the group wants. This is far from being ethical and can be subject to punishment by the FTC. Here is a link describing the use of cease-and-desist orders on astroturfing by the FTC.

Damages to a democracy:

    This topic is increasingly relevant the closer we get to the U.S. presidential elections. This can be used mischievously to tamper with not only voter opinion but voter turnout. In the case of voter opinion, there can be so-called grassroots campaigns started that can create an impression that many people are in favor of this president and change the opinion of the voter. In the same sense, this same thing can be used in the opposite way, if one is made to believe that it is going to be a landslide election then one might not be as inclined to vote. Here is an article on the dangers of astroturfing and the election.

    This also does not apply strictly to voting but also infringes on how we operate in the "free world". This can be used as a sort of brainwashing to make people believe certain things about brands or ideas that can be monetarily profitable. In terms of advertising and PR, it is far from ethical and is similar to the problems that we are facing with the boundaries of things like influencers and paid articles.

Where from here?

    As to say what the next steps maybe it can be as simple as developing software to catch these trends and cracking down harder on them. However, if there is funding from government agencies or wealthy individuals with power, it might be harder than relying only on the legislation. Yet I still remain hopeful for our future since the internet is still relatively new and there have been problems in the past with trying to put a lasso on the internet and there will surely be problems in the future.