Astroturfing is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message or organization to make it appear as though it originates from and is supported by a grassroots participant. 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