In politics, it refers to the manipulation of a political agenda by influential groups in an effort to make it appear that community power is at play when in fact it was generated by a few.
Buying time: Moneyed interests and the mobilization of bias in congressional committees
RL Hall, FW Wayman – American political science review, 1990 – Cambridge Univ Press
See also mechanisms of it – astro-turfing, sock-puppeting, persona management
marchudson.net 