Astroturf: Difference between revisions

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* The "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth," whose commercials helped sink John Kerry's presidential hopes in 2004, were alleged by some to be a Republican front group. Subsequent investigation showed that the group was sponsored by people who supported the Republican party, and that the veterans had indeed served in Vietnam, but not with John Kerry. Their statements were false, but ultimately effective.

* Nearly every pro-[[North Korea]]n statement on the Internet, including several accounts on [[YouTube]] and an incident on [[The Other Tropes Wiki]] involving a certain [[Troll]], is believed to originate from a North Korean government [[Sock Puppet]].

* ''[https://twitchy.com/jimj-3633/2014/10/22/hilarious-mockery-my-friends-and-i-just-voted-for-wendy-davis-pics/ Wendy Davis caught conjuring up 'imaginary friends']''. This not only earned comment "Her Astroturf isn't even real Astroturf. Now that's embarrassing", but also mockery via posting some or other obviously unrelated photo as "Wendy's voters" — up to and including ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (album)|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''.

* In 2016, a Harvard University study revealed evidence that [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/20/china_caught_astroturfing_political_posts/ ~~a state-sponsored~~ astroturfing team sponsored by the Chinese government] was involved in a massive campaign to direct discussions on social media and other channels away from threads and subjects critical of the Communist government. For a totalitarian regime's strategy, it is surprisingly subtle and low-key, relying on distraction and redirection rather than confrontation and censorship.

* In 2016, a Harvard University study revealed evidence that [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/05/20/china_caught_astroturfing_political_posts/ an astroturfing team sponsored by the Chinese government] was involved in a massive campaign to direct discussions on social media and other channels away from threads and subjects critical of the Communist government. For a totalitarian regime's strategy, it is surprisingly subtle and low-key, relying on distraction and redirection rather than confrontation and censorship.

=== Sports ===