I am adding a new rule to my comment policy: if you use a sock puppet I reserve the right to ban you. A sock puppet is a commenter who posts under different names to seem like more than one person.
It is fine to post under different names if they do not cause confusion: like posting under Thaddeus Blanchette, Thaddeus and Thad. Everyone understands it is the same person. But posting under, say, Ahab, Derek and BrklynBryan is not.
If you have been posting under one name for a long time and want to change it – like La Reyna, Jade and Black&German have all done – then simply tell us about the change in the first comment with the new name: “Hey, this is Kat. I am now posting under the name of Jade”. That is fine because you are not trying to fool anyone.
Why ban sock puppets:
- There is no honest reason to post under different names.
- In my experience nearly all sock puppets are small-minded jerks who have no interest in serious debate.
- It creates confusion in debates.
- I am sick of warning others that x is a sock puppet of y.
See also:
- Wikipedia: sockpuppet
- My comment policy (not yet updated with this policy)
This post is self-explanatory, and I know it doesn’t apply to my case, but I’ll use this opportunity to say something.
I own a WordPress powered website. Once I log in, all my info here (and other WordPress powered websites, I guess) is automatically replaced with my username: jefflion.
I usually don’t notice this until I see I’m not listed as Mira but as jefflion. Gravatar image is the same (young Gary Oldman) so people realize it’s the same person, but I guess it can be confusing sometimes. I don’t do this deliberately, I simply don’t notice.
LikeLike
I’m Ankhesen. I’m also Moi.
LikeLike
When I first started posting on here, my screen name was L.T. I wanted a change so I became leigh204 formerly known as L.T. to clear up any confusion. It’s simply leigh204 now. 🙂
LikeLike
Hello Abagond, my pen name is now Reyna, formerly La Reyna of times past. My real name is Stephanie B. I hope you enjoy my new pen name. My Blog is still called La Reyna’s Journal.
I’m glad you wrote this because I’m beginning to see that this blog is turning into divisiveness because of some trolls who insist on posting here.
Once again, thanks for reminding me about this issue.
From Reyna(Stephanie B.)
LikeLike
LOL! 😉
LikeLike
@ Leigh204
LOL that’s cute
LikeLike
@Aiyo:
Hehe. I couldn’t resist. 🙂
LikeLike
OMG La Renya is Stephanie B. I alllllwaaayyyssss wondered where she (you) went!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh…lol.
LikeLike
for some reason I have been accused of being a sock puppet of another user but I am not.
BTW does anyone know how i can put a picture on here instead of this (angry) face?
LikeLike
^Go to gravatar.com to change your avatar… it may take a couple of hours to appear.
LikeLike
Also – if you clear your cookies/cache via tools/internet options or browser settings, it will appear much faster.
LikeLike
thankyou 🙂
LikeLike
Or just use your real name.
It is VERY easy to find out who is who here. It took me about 15 minutes of digging to scare up an ID on a certain poster here and I am certainly no haxxxxor.
Presonally, I think it’s better to presume that you are known rather than think you’re hidden behind some wall of anonymity. You’re actually safer that way and it will make you think twice before you post truly inflamatory things that you wouldn’t want to stand by IRL.
Unless you’re REALLY protecting your I.D. (i.e. posting through multiple proxxies and the like, with NO cognitive traces to anything else you’ve written on the net), I would say post under your name and leave it at that.
It’s a reminder that you are not anonymous simply because you use a handle.
LikeLike
I admit it’s not a good thing to post personal information about yourself. I have mentioned stuff that some person may find on the internet. Yes, it’s better to be careful and prudent. And you’re correct about the tracking people online thing. That’s creepy.
LikeLike
I must admit I’m not too concerned about tracking and privacy, but I don’t like sharing personal stories online. I do that from time to time on my blog, but it often makes me uncomfortable.
LikeLike
As you can see, I’ve posted a small pic of myself as my avatar. I’m still a fairly new commenter on abagaond’s blog and I wanted to put a face to the name. Sometimes I do wonder if it’s a good thing. There are too many nutcases online who may use this pic for ill purposes. I hope not, but you never know.
LikeLike
I don’t think a pic can really do any harm. Putting a face to the name is a good thing. I was never brave enough to do this, not because of privacy, but because I don’t like seeing my images all over the place (lol), but mainly because I use the same gravatar on many blogs. I posted a few pictures on my blog though.
So, all in all, I think people should be free to share all the info they want, and small picture can’t do harm if you know how to protect yourself otherwise.
LikeLike
@Mira:
I’m glad my avatar is small. I don’t really think anyone can do much with it. However, there are some twisted people out there who may use a pic of someone to, shall I say, release of sexual energy and biological buildup.
LikeLike
I’m so new to this blogging world..so any way abagond i posted around 4 comments under my real name “Island “before i created an account with gravatar and tried to use my name but was taken. So i used my name just in another language..yetukisiwa…just wanted to let you know…
LikeLike
I’ve never tried the sock puppet thing but I did used to post under the username “Paisley”. I now have a Gravatar account and am going by BleuParfumRoses/BleuParfum.
LikeLike
[…] details of your life, but if you’re a non-Asian boy, don’t claim to be an Asian girl. Sock puppets–when one person takes two user names in order to double the force of his or her own […]
LikeLike
Sock puppets make me laugh. And I’m referring to the real ones! LOL! 😀
LikeLike
I personally find them to be hilarious as well! Why get upset?
LikeLike