Posted on 02/07/2017 3:39:18 PM PST by Hojczyk
Whether youre a Democrat or Republicanor someone who doesnt care at all about politicsits hard not to notice the massive campaigns to influence opinion on social media, the news and out there in real life. Those trying to persuade and manipulate are playing hardball. And, in many instances, were falling for it: they plop the ball in the middle of a frenzied crowd, nobody sees exactly who dropped it, and we in the news and the public pick it up and run.
Were being played.
As Ive reported and written: Astroturfers often disguise themselves and publish blogs, write letters to the editor, produce ads, start non-profits, establish Facebook and Twitter accounts, edit Wikipedia pages or simply post comments online to try to fool you into thinking an independent or grassroots movement is speaking. They use their partners in blogs and in the news media in an attempt to lend an air of legitimacy or impartiality to their efforts. Astroturfs biggest accomplishment is when it crosses over into semi-trusted news organizations that unquestioningly cite or copy it. The whole point of astroturf is to try to convince you theres widespread support for or against an agenda when theres not.
The language of astroturfers and propagandists includes trademark inflammatory terms such as: anti, nutty, quack, crank, pseudo-science, debunking, conspiracy theory, deniers and junk science. Sometimes astroturfers claim to debunk myths that arent myths at all. They declare debates over that arent over. They claim that everybody agrees when everyone doesnt agree. They aim to make you think youre an outlier when youre not.
(Excerpt) Read more at sharylattkisson.com ...
Ping to Sharyl’s List Upchuck! :D
Why is Ms. Atkisson not on Fox News?
Love this gal!
Sharyl Attkisson Ping!
Coming in May, Sharyl's latest book Smear.
Good news! Sharyl is now hosting "Full Measure," a Sunday morning talk show on the Sinclair network. More info.
Want on or off this ping list? Just drop me a FReep mail.
Who cares about Fox News when you have your own program: Full Measure.
I am convinced Obama and soros wanted so many unemployed so they could gin up their anger and employ them over and over exactly for this purpose...they are the “employed unemployed”...many of them are so stupid they don’t see who caused their unemployment and they are angry at the wrong parties...that is indeed the brown shirt master’s plan.
astroturf bump for later....
The absolute worst one is where democrat war rooms write letters to OUR elected Republicans pretending to be grassroots Republicans LIVING IN THE STATE THEY REPRESENT.
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