Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by grassroots participants.
Hallmarks Of Possible Astroturf:
— Use of inflammatory language such as “crank”, “quack”, “nutty”, “lies”, “paranoid”, “pseudo” and “conspiracy.”
— Astroturfers often claim to debunk myths that aren’t myths at all.
— Be aware when interests attack an issue by controversialising or attacking the people, personalities and organizations surrounding it rather than addressing the facts.
— And most of all, astroturfers tend to reserve all of their public skepticism for those exposing wrongdoing rather than the wrongdoers. In other words instead of questioning authority, they question those who question authority.
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