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Thread: Astroturfing

  1. #1

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    Default Astroturfing

    I only just discovered this. I'm scared by it and apalled, but it makes so much sense really. So many times any discussion about vegetarian/veganism on the net is flooded with anti-veg*n comments, and I've often wondered why there seem to be so many people with a rabid hatred of veg*ns drawn to veg*n websites just to spout anti veg*nism and post spurious "data" against a plant based diet.

    Astroturfing suddenly makes it all clear. Being naturally cynical I shouldn't be at all surprised at the sinister ways these industries go about protecting their profits. I just wish it could be stopped, made illegal somehow - of course that would need politicians and lawmakers not in the pockets of these industries and corporations.

    I wonder how many people have been put off going veggie because the volume of pro-meat & dairy comments make it seem acceptable. How many online polls are skewed, and I wonder how much notice, official or not, is taken of the seeming "grass roots love of animal products".

    I just wondered how well known is it that this goes on?

  2. #2
    Bad Buddhist Clueless Git's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    'Lo Blue moon

    The only 'logical' money making enterprise (health and environmental lobbies are not money making enterprises) to promote the benefits of a heavily plant based diet, and counter-attack the promotion of a heavily animal product inclusive diet, is the arable farming industry.

    Thing is that sales of arable products would plummet, to something frightening (from the arable farmers PoV) like around 10-20%, without the vast unnatural flocks and herds of the meat industry needing to be fed on arable products too.

    With the meat industry and the arable farmers both feeding from the exact same trough there is no other 'pocket' than theirs for the law makers and politicians to actualy be in, at the end of the day
    All done in the best possible taste ...

  3. #3
    tickled onion's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    was an article about it in last weeks Guardian, can all be done via specific software and companies are cottoning on to using it very quickly so it's all gettng easier, tobacco companies are already big users apparantly

  4. #4
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    Thanks tickled onion - I missed that article but it's here:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...m-astroturfing

    Certainly explains some of the rubbish one can read on the internet...perhaps those people who comment on the Daily Mail website are all bots

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    To be fair, I very much doubt that any anti-veg*n comments are astroturfing. They simply don't need to be!

    There's enough casual anti-veg*n attitudes in everyday life, and we all know that the anonymity of the Internet brings out the worst in people.

    Plus there's no real benefit to the meat industry to troll veg*n forums. The only people with an interest in veg*nism are people who are very unlikely to buy their products

  6. #6
    Bad Buddhist Clueless Git's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    Captain Numnutz here still wouldn't know what the OP meant by 'astroturfing' if you hadn't provided that link Harpy

    Jeez, that is worrying ...
    All done in the best possible taste ...

  7. #7
    tickled onion's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    it is very worrying, luckily there are still plenty of cynical old buggers who like complaining to keep tabs on these things
    "when the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace" Jimi Hendrix

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    oops, sorry should have posted a wiki link. Although this anwers one question that it isn't that well known about.

    I think it is definitely worth the effort to the meat & dairy mob posting, on neutral sites like BBC, or daily fail etc, to try and stop people turning veggie. And on specific veggie sites, to reach the people on the edge who are looking into veg*nism. The worst thing for the meat and dairy profits is people not buying it, so the minimal cost of astroturfing must absolutely be worth it to them.
    Last edited by Blue moon; Mar 3rd, 2011 at 06:05 PM. Reason: can not type today

  9. #9
    fortified twinkle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    I agree - peer pressure being what it is, if people see millions of anti veg comments all over the place they might be more likely to think they'll become pariahs if they make the step.
    "If you don't have a song to sing you're okay, you know how to get along humming" Waltz (better than fine) - Fiona Apple

  10. #10
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Astroturfing

    I'm not sure that dairy etc companies even need to bother to "Astroturf" in a systematic way because there seem to be plenty of people who are willing to defend their old ways vehemently whenever the question of changing them arises.

    OTOH it's common knowledge that a lot of companies now have people (and software) monitoring online areas like Facebook and Twitter for mentions of themselves and their products, and I would guess some of them are not above posing as members of the public to voice the company's viewpoint.

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