astroturfing
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also Astroturfing
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From AstroTurf (“a synthetic substitute for grass”), as wordplay on "grass roots", as if "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." (Henry Young, "Astroturf Lobbying Organizations: Do Fake Grassroots Need Real Regulation", Illinois Business Law Journal, 2 November 2009)
[edit] Noun
astroturfing (uncountable)
- (US) The disguising of an orchestrated campaign as a "grass-roots" event – i.e., a spontaneous upwelling of public opinion.
