Please tell me this isn’t true…
Northwestern University (very, very good and well-respected university in the U.S.) teaches the first course on viral videos. OK, I get it. Viral videos are an important phenomenon in today’s media landscape & contemporary culture, and they should be studied. This is wonderful news.
Except that, according to a Northwestern press release, they teach astroturfing as a technique to help a video become viral.
Please tell me this isn’t true!
Please?
No, really, I can’t imagine ANY university teaching students to lie and use unethical tactics.
Please tell me they teach ABOUT astroturfing, but do not recommend it as a promotional tactic. Somebody, please, tell me this isn’t true…
Dr. V 
Wow, I was shocked to hear that Northwestern is teaching students to engage in unethical behavior.
By the way, I am enjoying your live tweets from the SNCR conference. Thanks!