What is Astroturfing? Why should you care?

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Saturday April 23, 2016 · 4:00 AM PDT

2016/04/23 · 04:00

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Recently, the political operative working a major Clinton super PAC proudly announced the start of an operation caller Barrier Breakers. This is an organized effort paying to spread disinformation that pretends to be grassroots opinion throughout social media.

It’s known as astroturfing. You may ask why it matters. Sharyl Attkisson explains in this video.

It isn’t uncommon in advertising, but it is indefensible when used against honest folks, such as the real grassroots supporters a candidate, who don’t have unlimited time (or the rhetorical skills) to defend their opinions.

One question about this practice is this- if someone is being paid to post some opinions, does this disqualify anything they post, even if they are not being paid for that particular posting?

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