Philip Morris’s campaign to fight plain-packaging legislation in Australia<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nHe said: “There were several websites purporting to be interested parties, but pushing Big Tobacco\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s worked all over the world. Big oil companies use it when they are having problems with conservation and pollution issues.”<\/p>\n
Both PR trade associations, the PRCA and CIPR, strongly condemn astroturfing and are adamant it rarely occurs.<\/p>\n
Irvine said Media House International, which is a member of the PRCA and falls under Public Affairs Board ethical codes, has been approached to carry out a kind of astroturfing work, an offer that was turned down.<\/p>\n
“I was approached by a journalist last year and was asked if I could place pro-stories about certain Arab countries,” he went on.<\/p>\n
“There was an American PR firm willing to pay \u00a35,000 a time to get positive stories.<\/p>\n
“I said, \u2018That is absolutely outrageous, not just for a PR company to do it, but a journalist\u2019.<\/p>\n
“These things are going on all the time in the industry. I think after the Guardian story, some people might be running for cover.”<\/p>\n
A common thread with the CTF Partners case and others is the use of social media platforms to amplify and spread campaigns to target audiences.<\/p>\n
Facebook Pages which appear to be independent online news sources are\u00a0used to distribute highly selective information which reaches tens of millions of readers.<\/p>\n
Irvine said social media sites are being “used and abused to peddle fake news”.<\/p>\n
He added: “Social media is totally out of control, It has\u00a0provided this weapon and there are a lot of companies not afraid to use it.”<\/p>\n
Irvine believes social media platforms should be held responsible for spreading misinformation and “vile propaganda”.<\/p>\n
“Yes, they have a responsibility to better monitor their platforms. What would happen if The Times produced vile propaganda and made it up? They would be hammered and could be done for libel and come up before various regulators.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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