Disguising organized corporate or political campaigns as spontaneous grassroots movements
Astroturfing is the practice of disguising an organized campaign — funded by a corporation, political group, or government — as a spontaneous grassroots movement. The term derives from AstroTurf, the artificial grass, highlighting the manufactured nature of what appears to be organic public sentiment.
The tobacco industry pioneered modern astroturfing through front groups like the "National Smokers Alliance," created by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller in 1993 with Philip Morris funding. The group presented itself as a citizens' coalition defending smokers' rights while secretly advancing the tobacco industry's legislative agenda. Similar tactics were later adopted by fossil fuel companies, pharmaceutical firms, and technology companies.
In the digital age, astroturfing has evolved to include fake social media accounts, coordinated posting campaigns, paid product reviews, and manufactured trending topics. The Snowden documents revealed that intelligence agencies — including GCHQ's Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG) — engaged in online astroturfing as part of "effects operations" designed to manipulate public opinion. The overlap between corporate astroturfing and government information operations demonstrates how the same techniques serve both commercial and political interests.
