Astroturfing is the practice of masking the
sponsors of a message or organization (
e.g., political, advertising, religious or
public relations) to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by
grassroots participant(s). It is a practice intended to give the statements or organizations credibility by withholding information about the source's financial connection. The term
astroturfing is derived from
AstroTurf, a brand of synthetic carpeting designed to resemble natural grass, as a play on the word "grassroots." The implication behind the use of the term is that there are no "true" or "natural" grassroots, but rather "fake" or "artificial" support, although some astroturfing operatives defend the practice (see Justification below).