It involves presenting a biased or skewed view of public opinion as if it were a genuine, grassroots movement, when in fact it is a coordinated effort by a small group of individuals or organizations.
Unlike natural grassroots campaigns which are people-rich and money-poor, an astroturf campaign tends to be the opposite, well-funded but with little actual support from voters.
Astroturfing is often used by political parties or other interest groups to manipulate public opinion or to gain support for a particular issue or policy.
This can be done in a number of ways, such as by creating fake social media accounts or blogs to spread a particular message, or by organizing fake letter-writing campaigns or protests.
The term “astroturfing” is derived from the artificial grass surface known as astroturf, which is used in many sports stadiums. The term is used to suggest that the apparent grassroots support for an issue is fake or artificial, like astroturf.
It’s often used as a way to bypass traditional gatekeepers, such as journalists or political leaders, and to directly influence public opinion.
It can be difficult to detect, as it is designed to look like genuine, grassroots support.
Astroturfing has become increasingly common in recent years, due in part to the rise of social media and the ease with which fake accounts and other forms of astroturfing can be created and disseminated.
Critics argue that the practice is unethical and undemocratic, as it allows a small group of individuals or organizations to create the appearance of widespread support for their views, even if those views are not widely held.
This can lead to a distorted view of public opinion and can prevent the true will of the people from being accurately represented.
In some cases, astroturfing may be illegal, depending on the specific laws of a particular country or jurisdiction. For example, in many places, it is illegal for organizations to engage in the practice without disclosing their involvement in the activity.
John Oliver had a very good segment on the practice:
Examples of “astroturfing” in a sentence
Fast Company (September 17, 2024): “Now, the Trump and Harris presidential campaigns have been accused of astroturfing—not rolling out synthetic grass on sports fields, but faking grassroots support.”
KSBY News (January 28, 2021): “But many of these protests that appeared to be generated spontaneously were in fact manufactured by well-funded organizations. The practice is known as ‘astroturfing.”
The Globe and Mail (February 11, 2025): “It involves small, politically motivated groups posing as larger grassroots (hence, astroturf) movements in order to manipulate public opinion.”