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Cited by 13Social Media and PoliticsMisinformation and Its ImpactsMedia Influence and Politics

An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective

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Henrie, Kenneth M., Gilde, Christian·2019·Social Sciences
DOI 10.3390/socsci8020038
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Abstract

One communication approach that lately has become more common is astroturfing, which has been more prominent since the proliferation of social media platforms. In this context, astroturfing is a fake grass-roots political campaign that aims to manipulate a certain audience. This exploratory research examined how effective astroturfing is in mitigating citizens’ natural defenses against politically persuasive messages. An experimental method was used to examine the persuasiveness of social media messages related to coal energy in their ability to persuade citizens’, and increase their level of nationalism. The results suggest that citizens are more likely to be persuaded by an astroturfed message than people who are exposed to a non-astroturfed message, regardless of their political leanings. However, the messages were not successful in altering an individual’s nationalistic views at the moment of exposure. The authors discuss these findings and propose how in a long-term context, astroturfing is a dangerous addition to persuasive communication.

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  • The way social media functions encourages astroturfing by facilitating anonymity, reducing the cost of access, and boosting the viral circulation of information.

    “The way social media functions encourages this phenomenon by facilitating anonymity, reducing the cost of access, and boosting the viral circulation of information”

    From Beyond Verification| Inauthentic Authenticity: Astroturfing to Generate True Affect Using Fakery (2026) · cites this paper as Henrie & Gilde, 2019

    Section 2.2, “Digital Astroturfing,” identifies low cost and relative anonymity as advantages of online astroturfing. Section 5, “Methodology,” calls social media accounts viral in the context of recruiting survey respondents, but the paper does not establish the claimed boost to viral circulation of astroturfing information. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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Research works printed but not linked: 28

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Authors
Henrie, K. M., & Gilde, C.
Affiliations
  • Champlain College (US)
  • University of Montana Western (US)
Corresponding author
Henrie, Kenneth M.
ORCID
Henrie, Kenneth M.
Venue
Social Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2019-01-28
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
38
ISSN
2076-0760 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/socsci8020038
OpenAlex
W2914098716
Cited by
12
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2
FWCI
3.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Social Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Communication › Social Media and Politics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Media Influence and Politics
Keywords
astroturfing, nationalism, persuasion, persuasion knowledge, social media, political communication, coal energy, political persuasion

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