Not content to simply restrict their citizens' access to Internet topics they consider obscene or inflammatory, the Chinese government is now resorting to astroturfing to affect political discussions online. Astroturfing is the practice by using the relative anonymity of the Internet to create a positive image of a company, organization, person, or in this case, a generally repressive political society.
The propaganda departments of provincial and municipal governments have recently been instructed to build teams of internet commentators, whose job is to guide discussion on public bulletin boards away from politically sensitive topics by posting opinions anonymously or under false names.