Sock puppet
Also called: sock puppet or clone
A sock puppet or clone is a name for a fictitious online identity used to deceive on the Internet. Usually, the identity is a nonexistent person. The misleading intent distinguishes the sock puppet from a pseudonym. Creating a sock puppet is a form of astroturfing.
Sock puppets can be created to:
- Making anonymous statements on the Internet;
- Using someone else's name to portray a company or person in a good or bad light;
- Influence online discussions;
- Manipulate the outcome of a poll or poll;
- Swindle without being traceable to the perpetrator.
Sometimes a sock puppet is created by a company or even the government. The main purpose then is usually to improve one's own reputation. However, the risk of bad publicity when a sock puppet is unmasked is high. One way to recognize a clone is by analyzing the IP address used, the content and style of messages, and by comparing the times of activity.
