In the crypto world, astroturfing is a controversial marketing technique that involves talking up a crypto project or ICO by a community and making the hype around it look organic. Originating from the term Astroturf, a type of fake grass used on sports fields globally, it refers to counterfeit grassroots movements.
Astroturfing is a fake way of obtaining word-of-mouth publicity for an upcoming project or token sale in the crypto market. It involves rallying the crypto community to praise the project and increase its credibility through bots and fake profiles on social media.
These fake online identities then spread false information about the project, beguiling genuine investors who fall for the forced publicity and invest in it by participating in its token sale or ICO event. The most favored platforms for astroturfing are Telegram and Discord, both used widely by crypto enthusiasts worldwide.