Glossary term
Astroturfing
Definition
Manufacturing the appearance of grassroots support — the organised opposite of a spontaneous movement, and a defining marker of coordinated inauthentic behaviour.
See also
Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB)
Coordinated use of fake accounts and assets to mislead people about who is behind content — the category platforms use when removing influence networks.
Sockpuppet
A false online identity operated to amplify a position or attack critics while posing as an independent voice.
Troll farm
An organisation that employs people to operate many fake social-media accounts to push a coordinated message or sow division.
Published September 22, 2026
September 22, 2026Published282b7738
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