Ted Talk: Journalist Sharyl Attkisson: Beware of the Manipulation of Media through Astroturfing!

Beware of the manipulation of media by interest groups, warns multi-awarded investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson at her fabulous Ted Talk!

Much of what you read or see out there has signified an "increasingly artificial paid for reality" through the use of "surreptitious Astroturfing". Astroturfing has become a huge industry according to Ms. Attkisson "than the traditional lobbying of Congress"

Ms Attkisson defines Astroturf [2:00]

What is Astroturf? It is the perversion of grassroots, as in fake grassroots. Astroturf is when political, corporate or other special interest disguise themselves and published blogs, start facebook and twitter accounts, publish ads, letters to the editor or simply post comments online. To try to fool you into thinking an independent or grassroots movement is speaking. The whole point of Astroturf is to try to get an impression there is a widespread for or against an agenda when there is not. Astroturf seeks to manipulate you into changing your opinion by making you feel that you are an outlier when you're not 

So beware of surveys, of news or articles which are in reality press releases, or when applied to economic developments, information based economic sophistry.

Ms Attkisson provides several insights as how to defend against astroturfing by spotting signs of them. 

I would add a more important trait which she has missed: develop critical thinking.