105 Iowa L. Rev. 431 (2019)

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Abstract

Astroturfing is a practice in which a corporate sponsor pays a non-profit front group or public relations firm to disseminate a manufactured message to create the illusion of grassroots advocacy in support of a particular cause or for the company itself. This Note provides necessary background information, examples, and methods by which a manufactured message is dispersed to simultaneously mislead the public and lobby for support. This Note goes on to present the problems with the current regulatory and legislative frameworks, by referencing the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practice Act (“UDTPA”), the Federal Trade Commission’s disclosure guidelines, and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s mandatory disclosures for publicly traded companies. In conclusion, this Note argues that the State governments and Federal Agencies have the capability to update the laws and regulations surrounding the astroturfing problem, and that the states should amend the UDTPA to include astroturfing as a deceptive practice and require disclosure of associations between companies and front groups that disseminate manufactured messages. Alternatively, this Note argues that Congress should pass a law requiring public disclosure of these associations to allow consumers and investors alike to inform themselves of these practices and respond accordingly—thus allowing the market to self-correct.