History Main / SockPuppet

* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': When Leonard and Sheldon's research paper comes under fire by an internet troll [[spoiler:who is actually Stephen Hawking]], Raj tries to back them up with praising comments posted by by various fake researchers from around the world - each acting like overblown national sterotypes. It's clearly not fooling anyone.

*

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/TheTalosPrinciple'''s DLC "Road to Gehenna", the character of Lamb is one of these, controlled by Admin in order to encourage the rest of the bots to go along with their decisions.
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* Series/{{Watchdog}} (or at least the Rogue Traders part) had an amusing example of a case where the owner of a sewing machine company used these... over the telephone. Seriously, he'd pretend to be multiple people working for the same company to respond to complaints with threats and insults and fob off any unsatisfied customers wanting a refund. You can read their official write up of the story [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/features/rogue-traders-coopers-sewing here on their site]]
* ''Series/TheOReillyFactor'': When Bill O'Reilly was pressed to provide proof that France's economy was taking a hit because of his call for a boycott after their lack of support for the United States' actions in Iraq, he cited an article in the wholly imaginary ''Paris Business Review''.

* In the age of online gaming where one has to have an account to play a game, it's not uncommon to find people with SockPuppet / Alternate accounts. Due to the nature of this, please keep all examples in this section to general practices and notable instances.
* Players in an {{MMORPG}} might have a puppet account used simply as storage for excess items. These were often called "Bank" alts or mules, depending on the game. Sometimes a guild might actually pay for an extra account just to act as an extra storage for items.
* This practice isn't just limited to free-to-play games, mind you. Some players might have a "dummy" account just to be a {{Griefer}}. This is a special form of {{GIFT}} - because even if a player is anonymous, if they can actually get banned, one would not want to lose all that time and effort they invested into their account. On a sock puppet? They got nothing to lose. Many of the worst {{Griefer}}s out there are people on a dummy account just making the players' lives hell.
* The new ''VideoGame/DungeonKeeper'' for iOS systems had managed to get 5000 5 / 5 star reviews by people, some of them even saying "This game is trash" to "EA has another smash hit!". ''All'' 5 / 5 star reviews. It wasn't until actual gaming sites and magazines started to come out with 1 / 5 reviews that the contrast became evident seeing as its reliance on being an AllegedlyFreeGame tries to get you to pay up to 80 dollars for the largest amount of "[[InGameCurrency crystals]]".
* Some games, especially those that have factions, tends to have some sort of restriction that prevents you from interacting with anyone who doesn't pick the same side you do (Outside of PVP modes, of course). Most games let you create more than one character, but some, like ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsOnline'', don't let you create any more than a few, or even one character, keeping things like Trading impossible with most people without a second or third account.

* Another notable incident in Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} sock puppetry is the deletion debate for the article on ''Webcomic/StarslipCrisis'', a {{webcomic}} by Kris Straub. The discussion overwhelmingly favoured deleting the article, which a passing admin then enacted. At this point [[http://www.halfpixel.com/2007/03/18/delete-wikipedia-a-webcomics-case-study/ Straub revealed]] ''he'' had been the nominator. And ten of the user accounts arguing for deletion. From the same IP. Using factually incorrect arguments. It's bad form to misbehave on the Wikipedia to make a point, but everyone seemed to be too busy gaping in astonishment at [[MagnificentBastard Straub's]] [[BatmanGambit brilliant execution of the plot]] to notice.

* In the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' fandom, an individual using the handle Msscribe famously created a whole zoo of sock puppets over a period of years in order to increase her popularity and become friends with BigNameFan Cassandra Claire. She was eventually unveiled in very long and epic chronicle of her misdeeds by... a sock puppet. The event is referred to as [[http://www.journalfen.net/users/charlottelennox/784.html Puppetgate]]. There's even a meme; "Maybe they're Msscribe" or "Maybe I'm Msscribe."

* Fantasy author Creator/RobertStanek is notorious for this. He [[VanityPublishing self publishes]] his books, then creates hundred of false accounts on Amazon to praise his books, creates false fansites for his own books and [[http://conjugalfelicity.com/robert-stanek/the-photoshop-debacle/ photoshops pictures with himself and other fantasy authors]]. His sockpuppets also created Wikipedia pages about himself (before they were deleted) and extensively spammed the website LibraryThing, leading to a permanent warning on his page.
* "Songs for Tibet -- The Art of Peace" charity compilation that appeared on [=iTunes=] . It was flooded with one-star reviews written in {{Engrish}} and/or Chinese [[StrawmanPolitical referring to the Dalai Lama as a slaveowner]] and promoting the [[UsefulNotes/{{China}} People's Republic of China.]]

* This video titled [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fhvmg9oiWU Creationists' First time on the Internet]] by WebAnimation/DarkMatter2025, shows a pair of creationists using multiple accounts to flag opposing views videos and up-voting theirs.

Sock puppeteers are not limited to individuals, though. Numerous groups — political, commercial, religious, and atheistic — have attempted to manipulate public opinion on the Net using false identities that purported to be "real" people. And multiple Sock Puppets are a necessary part of any AstroTurf campaign. Fortunately, they tend to be fairly heavy-handed and reasonably obvious to most people.

Sock puppeteers are not limited to individuals, though. Numerous groups -- political, commercial, religious, and atheistic -- have attempted to manipulate public opinion on the Net using false identities that purported to be "real" people. And multiple Sock Puppets are a necessary part of any AstroTurf campaign. Fortunately, they tend to be fairly heavy-handed and reasonably obvious to most people.

The term is a long-standing one in electronic media, dating back to the early days of the Net in the 1980s. It originated on Website/{{Usenet}} and is still seen there, especially in the anti-spam groups. The term itself comes from the practice of creating a cheap puppet by pulling a sock over your hand, and then pretending to talk to it. One sub-category of the sock puppet is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)#Concern_troll "concern troll,"]] in which a sock puppet pretends to be part of a faction but makes "concerned" derogatory comparisons to another faction for whom the troll is a sock puppet. Another is TheShill.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* [[http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-02-01/ This]] ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' strip.
* ''ComicStrip/NineChickweedLane'' has had a week of Thorax and his pal Sphinxter, The Internet Comment Sock Puppet, but Shinxter's just an example of [[TakeThatCritics the numorous idiots who dare to mock his high-class strip]] about the beauty of music and ballet (and the orgasms induced by said beautiful arts). Then again, he does exist to make the author look good compared to [[StrawLoser the Internet]], which is [[WebAnimation/TheFlashTub dumb and so goddamn crazy]].
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[[folder: Print media]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

[[folder: Video games]]

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[[folder: Web Animation]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

A secondary, pseudonymous Net identity created by an individual in order to give the impression that there are multiple people who agree with a given point, idea, or action, when in reality [[VocalMinority there's only one]]. Sock puppets are usually used to post follow-ups that [[ButHeSoundsHandsome praise their owner]] or echo his convictions, in the hopes that they will convince real people to pay attention to him and/or his agenda. Alternatively, they can be used to argue against the poster's real agenda, but in such a stupid or offensive manner as to discredit the opposition. Sometimes, they are used to [[UnCancelled evade bans.]] While the first Sock Puppets appeared on Website/{{Usenet}} (i.e. they are pretty much as old as discussion on the Internet itself), they have long since spread to other electronic venues, most notably blogs.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', the Parahumans Online forums are very well moderated because [[ArtificialIntelligence Dragon]] is several of the moderators.

The term is a long-standing one in electronic media, dating back to the early days of the Net in the 1980s. It originated on Website/{{Usenet}} and is still seen there, especially in the anti-spam groups. The term itself comes from the practice of creating a cheap puppet by pulling a sock over your hand, and then pretending to talk to it. One sub-category of the sock puppet is the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)#Concern_troll concern troll]]", in which a sock puppet pretends to be part of a faction but makes "concerned" derogatory comparisons to another faction for whom the troll is a sock puppet. Another is TheShill.

This is one of the more popular "[[http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/ Internet Argument Techniques]]" very common in forums and mainly used by trolls; this can be a source of frustration to users trying to have an honest debate. Can also be a source of laughs, not only for the trolls and others in on the ruse, but for other users following the argument. Once discovered, this is commonly used as another point against the user and/or another way to discredit their arguments.[[note]]Of course, someone could always create fairly obvious sock puppets claiming to agree with the opposition for this very purpose, if they were a particularly MagnificentBastard.[[/note]]

** [[TheDitz One]] Tnophelia holds the second place after getting banned for creation of [[OverNineThousand over forty sock puppets]].

* .hack//Roots, the anime prequel to [[VideoGame/DotHackGU]], features a stocky feline humanoid named Naobi and his assassin right hand, Ender, who antagonize our heroes for the first half. Midway, it's revealed (only to the audience) that they are two of the game's MissionControl characters, Yata and Pi, respectively, who created those accounts to investigate the anomaly within the character model of the heroes' then-leader, Ovan.

* One of the worst offenders is the Wrestling/MollyHolly stalker. He has over 40 accounts on YouTube (most notably one called "noragreenwaldisacunt") plus many more on Website/BlogSpot and Website/DailyMotion. His posts are all suspiciously similar in style. WordOfGod is he fell in love with her but went over the DespairEventHorizon when she got engaged to her now-husband.

[[folder: Web Original]]
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', the Parahumans Online forums are very well moderated because [[ArtificialIntelligence Dragon]] is several of the moderators.

** Sock puppetry was a big part of the political discourse of the early American republic. UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton (yes, '''''that''''' Theater/{{Hamilton}}) was a frequent user of sock puppets in his various contributions to newspapers of the era.

* The comics author ReginaldHudlin has been caught using sock puppets to defend his work on ''Black Panther''.

* Some games, especially those that have factions, tends to have some sort of restriction that prevents you from interacting with anyone who doesn't pick the same side you do (Outside of PVP modes, of course). Most games let you create more than one character, but some, like {{DynastyWarriorsOnline}}, don't let you create any more than a few, or even one character, keeping things like Trading impossible with most people without a second or third account.

* [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial This wiki totally doesn't have any examples.]] The forum, on the other hand, has the infamous {{Venhax}}.

A secondary, pseudonymous Net identity created by an individual in order to give the impression that there are multiple people who agree with a given point, idea, or action, when in reality [[VocalMinority there's only one]]. Sock puppets are usually used to post follow-ups that [[ButHeSoundsHandsome praise their owner]] or echo his convictions, in the hopes that they will convince real people to pay attention to him and/or his agenda. Alternatively, they can be used to argue against the poster's real agenda, but in such a stupid or offensive manner as to discredit the opposition. Sometimes, they are used to [[UnCancelled evade bans.]] While the first Sock Puppets appeared on Website/{{Usenet}}, they have long since spread to other electronic venues, most notably blogs.

** Sock puppetry was a big part of the political discourse of the early American republic. AlexanderHamilton (yes, '''''that''''' Theater/{{Hamilton}}) was a frequent user of sock puppets in his various contributions to newspapers of the era.

* One of the worst offenders is the Wrestling/MollyHolly stalker. He has over 40 accounts on YouTube (most notably one called "noragreenwaldisacunt") plus many more on BlogSpot and DailyMotion. His posts are all suspiciously similar in style. WordOfGod is he fell in love with her but went over the DespairEventHorizon when she got engaged to her now-husband.

Sock puppets are banned in ''many'' online venues. {{Wikipedia}} is notoriously plagued with them; its "anyone can edit" philosophy makes it hard to keep them out, while its bureaucratic processes provide incentives for their creation.

* Another notable incident in {{Wikipedia}} sock puppetry is the deletion debate for the article on ''Webcomic/StarslipCrisis'', a {{webcomic}} by Kris Straub. The discussion overwhelmingly favoured deleting the article, which a passing admin then enacted. At this point [[http://www.halfpixel.com/2007/03/18/delete-wikipedia-a-webcomics-case-study/ Straub revealed]] ''he'' had been the nominator. And ten of the user accounts arguing for deletion. From the same IP. Using factually incorrect arguments. It's bad form to misbehave on the Wikipedia to make a point, but everyone seemed to be too busy gaping in astonishment at [[MagnificentBastard Straub's]] [[BatmanGambit brilliant execution of the plot]] to notice.

A secondary, pseudonymous Net identity created by an individual in order to give the impression that there are multiple people who agree with a given point, idea, or action, when in reality [[VocalMinority there's only one]]. Sock puppets are usually used to post follow-ups that [[ButHeSoundsHandsome praise their owner]] or echo his convictions, in the hopes that they will convince real people to pay attention to him and/or his agenda. Alternatively, they can be used to argue against the poster's real agenda, but in such a stupid or offensive manner as to discredit the opposition. Sometimes, they are used to [[UnCancelled evade bans.]] While the first Sock Puppets appeared on {{Usenet}}, they have long since spread to other electronic venues, most notably blogs.

The term is a long-standing one in electronic media, dating back to the early days of the Net in the 1980s. It originated on {{Usenet}} and is still seen there, especially in the anti-spam groups. The term itself comes from the practice of creating a cheap puppet by pulling a sock over your hand, and then pretending to talk to it. One sub-category of the sock puppet is the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)#Concern_troll concern troll]]", in which a sock puppet pretends to be part of a faction but makes "concerned" derogatory comparisons to another faction for whom the troll is a sock puppet. Another is TheShill.