Current Affairs published an in-depth editorial on recent revelations about a $1 million astroturfng campaign by Correct the Record:
Astroturfing makes me angry. It should make you angry. It should make you fucking well see red. It's marketing evolved into something incredibly scary, sophisticated, and evil. It's essentially thought warfare, or psychological warfare, which takes away much of what was supposed to make the internet a new and beautiful frontier of communication. Worse yet, if you actually identify and approach these operatives, they'll gaslight you and deny that they are such an operative. These are people who are paid to psychologically abuse you. Do you get this? It's an ugly and evil thing, and not only does it take away our ability to take information and fact at face value, but it takes away our ability to take opinions, feelings, and personal stances at face value as sincere and legitimate.
takyon: For some additional context, "Hillary-supporting super PAC invests $1 million to hit back at online Clinton critics":
Correct the Record, a super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton's bid to become US president, has promised to invest more than $1 million to respond to users criticizing its candidate on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Instagram, and other social media services. The super PAC says its new "Barrier Breakers digital task force" will to respond "quickly and forcefully to negative attacks and false narratives found online," in addition to thanking major supporters and "committed superdelegates" directly.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Tuesday April 26 2016, @01:43PM
He works for the media, the ultimate astroturfer. Why have absolutely none of the Presidential candidates been asked if their DEA will bust pot distributors in states where it's legal like Bush did? Why did I not know that legal medical marijuana dispensaries were raided a decade ago despite reading newspapers and watching TV news? I found out yesterday in an email that dispensary owners are rotting in federal prison.
Someone on CBS yesterday said America didn't care about that issue. Really?? I have close friends who depend on medical marijuana. All of us have friends and family who use pot who are running afoul of federal law.
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience