Exclusive: study finds 26% of individual responses to TGA vaping reforms contained text from template provided as part of ‘astroturfing’ campaign
Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast
More than one-quarter of submissions from individual e-cigarette users made to the Australian government’s vaping reforms consultation featured text from an “astroturfing” campaign led by the tobacco and vaping industry, “bypassing conflict-of-interest” declaration requirements, a study has found.
The World Health Organization defines astroturfing as the faking of a grassroots movement that in reality is being controlled by a hidden multinational company or organisation, in this case tobacco and vaping companies.
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup
About Author
More Stories
China ‘evaluating’ US offer to engage in trade negotiations
Federal election 2025 live: Australia polls open, voting begins; Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton on election day campaign for Labor and Coalition – latest news
AfD ‘extremist’ label sets up political high-wire act for Friedrich Merz