Paramount has been caught using an "astroturf" organization called Neighbors for Strong Communities to manufacture public support for its $111 billion merger with Warner Brothers. The Intercept reports the nonprofit bombarded California residents with text messages urging them to pressure AG Rob Bonta to drop his antitrust lawsuit, falsely claiming enforcement would cost jobs due to David Ellison's threat to move Paramount to Texas.

The group's website is less than three months old, discloses no founders or funders, and lists a UPS store PO Box at 1902-A Lincoln Blvd, Suite 1314, Santa Monica, CA as its address. The Committee For The First Amendment, a coalition of consumer rights groups, identifies these as classic hallmarks of a corporate-backed astroturf campaign.

Critics note the merger will likely cause mass layoffs, higher prices, and lower-quality content as the combined entity pays down debt. Paramount leadership has also accused critics of being "antisemitic" and collaborated with Trump allies on PR campaigns. When a company must covertly fund fake grassroots support, it signals the deal harms labor, creatives, consumers, and markets.