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Astroturfing - Misleading advertising on social media |
Astroturfing refers to an orchestrated expression of support for a cause, product, service or policy designed to give the impression of a grassroots movement. |
Under Australian law, if a business engages in this type of practice and misleads consumers, it breaches both the law and the advertising code of ethics. |
There have been a few publicised instances of astroturfing in Australia, including the most recent revelation that opponents of plain cigarette packaging, the Alliance of Australian Retailers, was a front for Big Tobacco. |
In 2004, Westfield paid $3.5m to Kirela to settle a law suit alleging the former had hired a PR company to set up the North Strathfield Residents' Action Group to oppose Kirela's development of a new retail centre in Strathfield, which would have competed with Westfield's Burwood centre. |
Most of the cases have been in the political activism space, but now the rapid rise in the use of a variety of social media platforms by businesses to promote their brands and products online has created an environment ripe for the phenomenon of astroturfing. |
What is designed to appear to be a genuine grassroots movement or groundswell of support is in fact a sophisticated and carefully targeted PR campaign. The term is derived from the brand of synthetic carpeting designed to look like real grass: AstroTurf. |
While it is understandable that a business may be tempted to engage in astroturfing to fashion a groundswell of support for its products or services, it is worth remembering that such activity carries a double risk. Not only could it expose the company to legal action for misleading consumers - the other gamble is that once the artificial nature of the support movement has been revealed, the ruse will completely backfire and destroy any goodwill which has been created. |
