Astroturf
I used to play sports on Astroturf for years, but never was aware that the term is used to describe a professionally induced (media) campaign presented as a spontaneous popular uprising. Internet tools are said to have increased this practice, particularly now they are used as weapons of propaganda in the current political arena in the U.S.. This to the dismay of newspaper editors, who try to filter out the machinal generated letters. A nice, lengthy article on the phenomenon can be found here .
Be sure to skip to the end if it gets boring and read the opinion on anonymous posting from a certain Belinda Brewster from Plymouth: "You should demand accountability of your readers if they choose to opine whether it's in their own words or with a form letter."
Guess there aren't any knocks on the door or lynching parties in Plymouth for political or any other dissent. Guess Belinda doesn't care for a right to read anonymously.
Thru Techdirt
Be sure to skip to the end if it gets boring and read the opinion on anonymous posting from a certain Belinda Brewster from Plymouth: "You should demand accountability of your readers if they choose to opine whether it's in their own words or with a form letter."
Guess there aren't any knocks on the door or lynching parties in Plymouth for political or any other dissent. Guess Belinda doesn't care for a right to read anonymously.
Thru Techdirt
posted by Rik Lambers at 26.8.04
1 Comments:
I'm not really anonymous. I just don't have a password or really want to have one to your blog. I'm Belinda Brewster from Plymouth. You can certainly read anonymously. I just don't believe writing anonymous letters or calling in to a phone line to leave your anonymous opinion which is later printed in the local paper is in the spirit of true dissent in this country. I think opinions should call for courage, not hiding behind an anonymous letter. And my point to the the editor was that to prefer an anonymous letter to the editor as opposed to someone who at least was willing to put their name to a pre-printed letter they agreed with was a very poor journalistic standard. At the Old Colony Memorial we do have pages and pages of anonymous opinion which is just a lazy way to fill a paper. And what kind of world are you living in where you fear named political dissent?
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