Astroturfing

[Grant Barrett]

This has been around a while, but I just noticed. Astroturfing, used to describe an
effort to give the impression of a grass roots effort, though it is really organized
through a single source, corporation, or group.

http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19980421S0018

"Microsoft got grilled again earlier this month when details of its latest public
relations campaign came to light. Working with Edelman Public Relations, the Redmond,
Wash., software giant allegedly planned to launch a prefabricated "grassroots"
campaign to aid it in its legal battles with the Justice Department and state attorneys
general. The companies planned to use everyday citizens to plant letters to the editor
and other materials that would make it seem there was an outpouring of public support
for Microsoft."


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Grant Barrett
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