astroturfing

See also: Astroturfing

English

Etymology

From AstroTurf (“a synthetic substitute for grass”), a play on grass roots, as in “fake grass roots”. Attributed to U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen in an unidentified 1985 public statement: "[A] fellow from Texas can tell the difference between grassroots and Astroturf."

Noun

astroturfing (uncountable)

1. (originally US politics, now social media, marketing) The disguising of an orchestrated campaign as a "grass-roots" event, i.e., a spontaneous upwelling of public opinion.

Synonyms

• front organization

Related terms

• astroturf
• astroturfer

Translations

disguising of an orchestrated campaign

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: astroturffaus, mielipiteiden ostaminen, tekonurmetus
• French: astroturfing (fr) m
• German: Vortäuschen einer Basisbewegung n, Tarnung einer Kampagne als Volksbewegung f
• Portuguese: astroturfing m