Sockpuppet policies? February 10, 2006 12:36 PM Subscribe
Is there or should there be a policy concerning accounts of people that admit to being sockpuppet accounts? [mi]
I think that's a perfectly good reason for having a sockpuppet, and it's great that turntables has made it clear on the userpage.
So if there's a policy, it should be to do it like this.
posted by frykitty at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2006
So if there's a policy, it should be to do it like this.
posted by frykitty at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2006
Though I do wish s/he would link to that cool grandfathered-in userpage, just for clarity, and because I wanna see it.
posted by frykitty at 12:40 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by frykitty at 12:40 PM on February 10, 2006
Create a policy and no one will admit to being a sockpuppet. Problem solved!?
posted by smackfu at 12:41 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by smackfu at 12:41 PM on February 10, 2006
I was thinking of doing the same thing myself. I have a name all picked out an' everything.
posted by Gator at 12:42 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Gator at 12:42 PM on February 10, 2006
Omg, please don't kill me.
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 12:44 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 12:44 PM on February 10, 2006
Definitely. Having a sockpuppet should only be allowed if one lies about it.
posted by insomnus at 12:45 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by insomnus at 12:45 PM on February 10, 2006
The only real problem with sockpuppets is if people abuse them in order to score points in a debate - having the sock puppet agree with them all the time and whatnot. As long as they're not using it to be dishonest in some way, who cares?
For my own part, I have a gimmick account I pull out every once in a while. I link it in my contacts, and I'd mark it 'sockpuppet' if there was such an option when adding contacts.
I really don't think it matters.
posted by Ryvar at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2006
For my own part, I have a gimmick account I pull out every once in a while. I link it in my contacts, and I'd mark it 'sockpuppet' if there was such an option when adding contacts.
I really don't think it matters.
posted by Ryvar at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2006
FYI, I live with the dude. He thinks he's reallllllly clever for having this.
posted by elisabeth r at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by elisabeth r at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2006
It's almost always easy for mathowie and I to tell who the sock puppets are, which I think reduces that chances of serious sock puppet abuse. There are a few users who have used sock puppet accounts for the purposes of being more anonymous on AskMe, or for stupid jokes that don't really undermine the general community vibe. I think the way the sock puppet's user page is set up here is pretty much best practice. mathowie has said that if people start getting out of hand with ethem he might change the rules, but with very few exceptions -- some quite notable though -- they've been mostly harmless here.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:48 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:48 PM on February 10, 2006
Besides, Matt gets 5 dollars for every sockpuppet.
posted by insomnus at 12:50 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by insomnus at 12:50 PM on February 10, 2006
Where are pot and kettle when their comments would be most valuable?
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2006
I really regret not spiffing up my userpage before the opportunity was lost.
*cries*
Let this be a lesson to all you youngins! Sieze the day! Live life as if you were going to die tomorrow! Get off my lawn!
posted by frykitty at 12:55 PM on February 10, 2006
*cries*
Let this be a lesson to all you youngins! Sieze the day! Live life as if you were going to die tomorrow! Get off my lawn!
posted by frykitty at 12:55 PM on February 10, 2006
OK, successfully changed my login.
I agree, Krrrlson!
posted by Ryvar at 12:55 PM on February 10, 2006
I agree, Krrrlson!
posted by Ryvar at 12:55 PM on February 10, 2006
stupid jokes? Hmmmpf!
posted by vraxoin's cats at 12:56 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by vraxoin's cats at 12:56 PM on February 10, 2006
For the record, all my sock puppets know they are fictional internet identities.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 1:06 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by If I Had An Anus at 1:06 PM on February 10, 2006
I don't mind getting called out, but getting pwnt by my girlfriend, not so much. :(
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 1:13 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by [@I][:+:][@I] at 1:13 PM on February 10, 2006
Right, so what about sockpuppets that make it seem like a user has a girlfriend when it may literally just be their hand?
posted by Krrrlson at 1:23 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Krrrlson at 1:23 PM on February 10, 2006
your username is very very aesthetically pleasing.
How is it pronounced?
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:24 PM on February 10, 2006
How is it pronounced?
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:24 PM on February 10, 2006
elisabeth, LOL.
[@I][:+:][@I]: dude, come on, she said you're reallllllly clever. I think she likes you. :)
posted by nkyad at 1:29 PM on February 10, 2006
[@I][:+:][@I]: dude, come on, she said you're reallllllly clever. I think she likes you. :)
posted by nkyad at 1:29 PM on February 10, 2006
I tried having a sockpuppet, but I found it made it much harder to type when I was using it.
posted by briank at 1:37 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by briank at 1:37 PM on February 10, 2006
The only real problem with sockpuppets is if people abuse them in order to score points in a debate
We're being scored? Where's the rankings? I want to make sure I'm nowhere on them.
posted by phearlez at 1:38 PM on February 10, 2006
We're being scored? Where's the rankings? I want to make sure I'm nowhere on them.
posted by phearlez at 1:38 PM on February 10, 2006
Sockpuppets are making this into an ingroup club where some people know and others don't. I really hate them. For me they wreck the sense of community. I now assume I am being constantly lied to and played in political threads and that all new members are fakes or shills. It sucks for me but it is even less fair to legit new members.
posted by srboisvert at 1:39 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by srboisvert at 1:39 PM on February 10, 2006
phearlez: We're being scored? Where's the rankings? I want to make sure I'm nowhere on them.
Basically, every 10 times someone says, "phearlez wins the thread," can be traded in for an extra virgin in heaven.
posted by Krrrlson at 1:42 PM on February 10, 2006
Basically, every 10 times someone says, "phearlez wins the thread," can be traded in for an extra virgin in heaven.
posted by Krrrlson at 1:42 PM on February 10, 2006
- The only real problem with sockpuppets is if people abuse them in order to score points in a debate
We're being scored? Where's the rankings? I want to make sure I'm nowhere on them.
Wait. Policy, or Lincoln-Douglas?
posted by cortex at 1:43 PM on February 10, 2006
We're being scored? Where's the rankings? I want to make sure I'm nowhere on them.
Wait. Policy, or Lincoln-Douglas?
posted by cortex at 1:43 PM on February 10, 2006
Oh, yeah, sure, we *all* believe that you have a *real* girlfriend! Right! You've probably even seen her naked and had sex, right?
what's it like?.
posted by jasper411 at 2:05 PM on February 10, 2006
what's it like?.
posted by jasper411 at 2:05 PM on February 10, 2006
Warm and wet and infrequent.
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:06 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:06 PM on February 10, 2006
"Warm and wet and infrequent."
*whistles innocently*
posted by Kettle at 2:12 PM on February 10, 2006
*whistles innocently*
posted by Kettle at 2:12 PM on February 10, 2006
Okay - that oughtta do it. Tea's on! (Get your) Tea's on!
posted by Kettle at 2:14 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Kettle at 2:14 PM on February 10, 2006
Huh, I would have guessed pot would be the teahead.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 2:16 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by If I Had An Anus at 2:16 PM on February 10, 2006
How is it pronounced?
'turntables'? 'two decks and a mixer'? 'wheels of steel'?
Whichever, a nice little bit of ASCII gubbins.
posted by jack_mo at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
'turntables'? 'two decks and a mixer'? 'wheels of steel'?
Whichever, a nice little bit of ASCII gubbins.
posted by jack_mo at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
Nice! Gonna call me "short and stout," now, you racist bastard?!
posted by Pot at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Pot at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
By The Grace of God: "your username is very very aesthetically pleasing.
How is it pronounced?"
"Turntables" :)
posted by 31d1 at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
How is it pronounced?"
"Turntables" :)
posted by 31d1 at 2:20 PM on February 10, 2006
Shit, and all this time I've been calling him "left-brack at I right-brack left-brack colon plus colon right-brack left-brack at I right-brack"!
posted by Plutor at 2:31 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Plutor at 2:31 PM on February 10, 2006
That was "If I Had a Clue" I was spouting off to, by the way.
posted by Pot at 2:36 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Pot at 2:36 PM on February 10, 2006
I'm sorry I didn't capiltize your name.
posted by If I Had An Anus at 2:40 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by If I Had An Anus at 2:40 PM on February 10, 2006
He should stutter in his comments. Like a reco-reco-reco-record scratching? It would be hawt.
posted by Kettle at 3:00 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Kettle at 3:00 PM on February 10, 2006
Shut up, Kettle. Puns and character gags about user names are lame.
posted by Pot at 3:02 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Pot at 3:02 PM on February 10, 2006
Not quite as lame as self-referentiality.
sez I.
posted by sonofsamiam at 3:10 PM on February 10, 2006
sez I.
posted by sonofsamiam at 3:10 PM on February 10, 2006
I really regret not spiffing up my userpage before the opportunity was lost.
*cries*
Let this be a lesson to all you youngins!
Non, je ne regrette rien!
posted by La Môme Piaf at 3:11 PM on February 10, 2006
*cries*
Let this be a lesson to all you youngins!
Non, je ne regrette rien!
posted by La Môme Piaf at 3:11 PM on February 10, 2006
I am my own sockpuppet. Deal with it.
posted by blue_beetle at 3:34 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 3:34 PM on February 10, 2006
If I'm made up, then 31d1 has TWO sock puppets.
posted by elisabeth r at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by elisabeth r at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2006
Sockpuppets are making this into an ingroup club where some people know and others don't. I really hate them. For me they wreck the sense of community. I now assume I am being constantly lied to and played in political threads and that all new members are fakes or shills. It sucks for me but it is even less fair to legit new members.
Quoted for truth.
Also, that userpage isn't really very cool.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:36 PM on February 10, 2006
Quoted for truth.
Also, that userpage isn't really very cool.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:36 PM on February 10, 2006
I'm just jealous that the footer matches the rest of the page. /grumble
posted by Gator at 4:48 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Gator at 4:48 PM on February 10, 2006
I think that sockpuppets should have to register - and an icon should be displayed by their username that says "known sockpuppet" linking back to their original account. Maybe have different coloured icons for "suspected" and "confirmed" sockpuppets.
Man, if I had my own blog, I'd make some changes, you bet.
posted by Dag Maggot at 5:08 PM on February 10, 2006
Man, if I had my own blog, I'd make some changes, you bet.
posted by Dag Maggot at 5:08 PM on February 10, 2006
Anyone with three g's in his username should be ignored on questions of policy.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:13 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:13 PM on February 10, 2006
Maybe have different coloured icons for "suspected" and "confirmed" sockpuppets.
Next thing you'll be rounding up the sockpuppets into ghettos. Pur-lease.
posted by Jimbob at 5:17 PM on February 10, 2006
Next thing you'll be rounding up the sockpuppets into ghettos. Pur-lease.
posted by Jimbob at 5:17 PM on February 10, 2006
All you haters trying to hate have a look at my way cooler grandfathered-in profile, complete with an awesome picture of our own 31d1.
posted by thirteenkiller at 5:31 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by thirteenkiller at 5:31 PM on February 10, 2006
Oh, is it my turn to speak now? I'd name my Spock Muppet and give him pointy foam ears.
posted by furtive at 6:20 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by furtive at 6:20 PM on February 10, 2006
I once dreamt I was a sockpuppet dreaming I was a MeFi user.
posted by TimeFactor at 6:58 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by TimeFactor at 6:58 PM on February 10, 2006
FWIW, I never had a sockpuppet, my username is my real first name, there's enough info in my profile for anyone to find me in a phonebook, and I still think anyone should be free to have sockpuppets if they want to.
posted by ori at 7:41 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by ori at 7:41 PM on February 10, 2006
slater, on behalf of all sockpuppets, I ask that you shut yer stinkin' trap!
posted by skank at 9:26 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by skank at 9:26 PM on February 10, 2006
I AM Alvy Ampersand - the name on the birth certificate, the picture on the driver's license, the 9 to 5, the subscription to Swank, that's the sockpuppet.
(It's like a Batman/Bruce Wayne thing.)
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:09 PM on February 10, 2006
(It's like a Batman/Bruce Wayne thing.)
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:09 PM on February 10, 2006
While my name is not Astro Zombie, it is what I do for a living.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:30 PM on February 10, 2006
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:30 PM on February 10, 2006
Before we start tarring and feathering, I'd like to mention that I am not interrobang's sockpuppet. (Though it would improve my comments I was.)
Please put down the torch and back away from the keyboard.
posted by ?! at 10:52 PM on February 10, 2006
Please put down the torch and back away from the keyboard.
posted by ?! at 10:52 PM on February 10, 2006
weretable and the undead chairs
Protocols of the Elders of Awesome
[@I][:+:][@I]
c'mon fellas, I'm running out of gold stars here, can we go back to the average names again?
posted by NinjaPirate at 6:55 AM on February 11, 2006
Protocols of the Elders of Awesome
[@I][:+:][@I]
c'mon fellas, I'm running out of gold stars here, can we go back to the average names again?
posted by NinjaPirate at 6:55 AM on February 11, 2006
I prefer combinations of european and northeast american cities in my usernames.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 7:58 AM on February 11, 2006
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 7:58 AM on February 11, 2006
I'm looking to get into the freelance sock puppetry business. Email me what you want to say and an offer commensurate with how despicable it is to say publicly.
posted by moift at 12:02 PM on February 11, 2006
posted by moift at 12:02 PM on February 11, 2006
I always thought of sock puppets as Matt's slush-fund.
And, for the record, blue_beetle is not my sock puppet.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 12:07 PM on February 11, 2006
And, for the record, blue_beetle is not my sock puppet.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 12:07 PM on February 11, 2006
Just to let everyone know: I'm God's sock-puppet.
posted by Football Bat at 2:51 PM on February 11, 2006
posted by Football Bat at 2:51 PM on February 11, 2006
To all you "sockpuppets" out there, you have no idea what its like to be a REAL sockpuppet. Some of us put our lives on the line out there in the entertainment industry.
Take me, for example. Sure, it was great when I had my show- it kept me in beer and porn for years. But when those numbnuts at Fox took it off the air, times got tough. Real tough. My agent suggested that I do shadow puppet work for chrissakes. Shadow puppets! Well, you could imagine what I told him to do with his stinkin' trap.
Things got better when I started doing understudy work for Sifl and Olly. That Olly was a great guy. Too bad about his lint problem, though.
And now with the internet, there are tons of opportunities for sockpuppets. Its like the place was made for us. I can drink beer and make posts all day, and still have time to sit out on the stoop and ogle the chicks as they walk by. But times weren't always this easy. Ooooh no.
So to all of you out there who want to complain about us sockpuppets, I cordially invite you to shut yer stinkin' trap!
posted by skank at 7:28 PM on February 11, 2006
Take me, for example. Sure, it was great when I had my show- it kept me in beer and porn for years. But when those numbnuts at Fox took it off the air, times got tough. Real tough. My agent suggested that I do shadow puppet work for chrissakes. Shadow puppets! Well, you could imagine what I told him to do with his stinkin' trap.
Things got better when I started doing understudy work for Sifl and Olly. That Olly was a great guy. Too bad about his lint problem, though.
And now with the internet, there are tons of opportunities for sockpuppets. Its like the place was made for us. I can drink beer and make posts all day, and still have time to sit out on the stoop and ogle the chicks as they walk by. But times weren't always this easy. Ooooh no.
So to all of you out there who want to complain about us sockpuppets, I cordially invite you to shut yer stinkin' trap!
posted by skank at 7:28 PM on February 11, 2006
I'd bring out my Hell-King Argyle sock puppet and let this thread have it, but it trolled the wrong guy/gal over on Slashdot, and now every time I fire it up my browser resets to some sick bizzaroe site that has bad pictures of people having kinky rough secks with socks, so it's kind of out of service just now.
I just tried to get out GoldToe (the official backup sock) but it's been too long since I used it and I can't remember my login 8-(
My casual little sock puppet (Lil'BabySoco) is in the wash so I guess I'm just going to have to post as me for now, hope nobody minds. Now, where were we?? Uh, pot, you look pretty black, yeh that's it.
posted by Ken McE at 1:11 PM on February 12, 2006
I just tried to get out GoldToe (the official backup sock) but it's been too long since I used it and I can't remember my login 8-(
My casual little sock puppet (Lil'BabySoco) is in the wash so I guess I'm just going to have to post as me for now, hope nobody minds. Now, where were we?? Uh, pot, you look pretty black, yeh that's it.
posted by Ken McE at 1:11 PM on February 12, 2006
I agree with srboisvert and chicken.
I do, too. IMO, the bulk of this thread is noise.
posted by Rash at 2:46 PM on February 12, 2006
I do, too. IMO, the bulk of this thread is noise.
posted by Rash at 2:46 PM on February 12, 2006
I can't remember which sock puppets are mine. I usually can tell when they post, but not always.
posted by freebird at 8:35 PM on February 12, 2006
posted by freebird at 8:35 PM on February 12, 2006
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
"I'm a sockpuppet, so I can use the plain text theme without messing up my grandfathered-in cool-style userpage."
posted by slater at 12:36 PM on February 10, 2006