To many sports fans, Astroturfing means laying down plastic
grass especially for use in the multi-purpose stadiums so popular
in the 1960s and 70s. As a playing surface, AstroTurf was
known to be hazardous to the bones and joints of those who played
on it. Today, however, the term Astroturfing has taken on a
new life in the advertising world. A recent series of
enforcement actions by the New York Attorney General ("NY
AG") demonstrates that Astroturfing in advertising can be as
hazardous to those involved as the playing surface was at Veteran's Stadium.
In the ad world, Astroturfing refers to efforts to improve a
marketer's online reputation by paying people to post favorable
reviews of your product or service on social media. On
September 23, 2013, the NY AG announced agreements with 19 companies
imposing more than $350,000 in fines for engaging in
Astroturfing. The companies named include both merchants and
search engine optimization companies that provided
