# Is this socking? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 10, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142 "2003-02-10T17:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/1 "2003-02-10T17:30:00Z")
If you post under your username, but saying that you are someone else (your SO, for example), is that considered sock puppetry? Obviously it would be a bit difficult to prove, but I’m curious of the prevailing opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/2 "2003-02-10T20:18:00Z")
No, it’s not socking. But we prefer all our users to have a unique user ID. So if your SO wants to post, they can just register a new name. Should you have any problems with regard to cookies et cetera (it happens), please contact an administrator and they’ll help you out. The two posters need to have different e-mail addresses, I should add. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/3 "2003-02-10T20:28:38Z")
I’m reading it differently. Aren’t you asking f’rinstance: Hi. I’m **superbee’s** ol’ lady, and I _hate_ LOTR. But it actually _is_ superbee making the statement. Isn’t that what you mean **Wikkit**? Or should I just get back to my job and shut up? ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/4 "2003-02-10T23:18:13Z")
Aye, **superbee** be correct. Using “I’m not me” to post an inflammatory opinion or criticise a member while trying to avoid retribution. ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/5 "2003-02-10T23:26:18Z")
\ I was just in Esprix’s Pit thread concerning **jeanster** and it occurred to me - We have a term for one user posting from different accounts (sock puppet), but we apparently don’t have a term for two people posting from one account. So I came here. How about “mitten?” It’s kinda the opposite of a sock. Or maybe “Pock Suppet?” Or maybe I presume too much and the mods/admins already have a term for this? Just curious. \ ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/6 "2003-02-10T23:31:09Z")
And thus, **THespos** divines the impetus of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/7 "2003-02-10T23:32:58Z")
Well, there is a term for a handwarmer into which two hands are inserted; to quote the OED on this: > [@](#): > > **muff** [sup]1[/sup] _n_ woman’s fur or other covering into which both hands are thrust to keep them warm. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/8 "2003-02-10T23:36:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wikkit \* > \*\*Aye, **superbee** be correct. Using “I’m not me” to post an inflammatory opinion or criticise a member while trying to avoid retribution. \*\* Yes, I understood Wikkit just fine - perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. The quoted scenario is exactly why we want to avoid two people using one account. And I humbly submit “Pup Socket”. ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/9 "2003-02-10T23:50:49Z")
I like everybody’s name suggestions, except mine. C’mon **Coldie** …You mean to tell me that the mods haven’t had a pet name for this situation? Frankly, I’m surprised. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/10 "2003-02-11T04:47:55Z")
I thought the name for them was “banned”? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/11 "2003-02-11T13:39:47Z")
Didn’t **tomndebb** (sorry if I’ve misspelled that) used to be a twofer? Sorry, I’m _way_ too much a Southern gentleman to start calling anyone a _muff_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/12 "2003-02-11T13:46:41Z")
**Coldfire** is a poopy head. – The guy from ConEd who reads **Ukulele Ike** ’s meter ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/13 "2003-02-11T19:16:28Z")
Regarding the “dual-use” of _jeanster’s_ account: That has been resolved. I have contacted her husband and he’s since registered his own account. > [@](#): > > Didn’t tomndebb (sorry if I’ve misspelled that) used to be a twofer? Not really. Tom has been using that handle everywhere for many years. I remember him stating once long ago that Deb had never used it (anwhere) and had no desire to do so. If that were to change, we’d likely ask Deb to set up an independent account. ---
**Author:** ![RangerDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9e8a1a/32.png) [@RangerDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RangerDude)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/14 "2003-02-11T19:23:48Z")
_raises hand_ Yep. My bad. Didn’t know about the rule. But I now have my own account. I’m sure my dear wife read that rule a while back, but due to her recent bout of stress what with the upcoming blessed event, it must have slipped her mind when she asked me to thank someone in another thread for her kind words. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/15 "2003-02-12T04:27:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by THespos \* > \*\*\ > I was just in Esprix’s Pit thread concerning **jeanster** and it occurred to me - We have a term for one user posting from different accounts (sock puppet), but we apparently don’t have a term for two people posting from one account. So I came here. > > How about “mitten?” It’s kinda the opposite of a sock. > > Or maybe “Pock Suppet?” > > Or maybe I presume too much and the mods/admins already have a term for this? > > Just curious. > > \ \*\* Oh, I’m sure the Mods. already have a term for it. And it’s not one that they’d be willing to use on open board! 😃 Seriously, situations in which two people **must** use one account and are careful to distinguish who is saying what are permissible – when I was posting from work, and limited to the e-mail account I had there (and had no idea one could get free e-mail, the product of my own naivete), I made several posts in which I placed questions or responses from my wife on matters of interest to her – clearly specifying that I was asking or typing a response in her behalf in the post in question. **matt\_mcl** and **Hamish** , **Libertarian** and **Edlyn** , and **Joe Cool** and **Jersey Diamond** , were at one point sharing a single computer per two-person grouping, and would occasionally have situations where one posted under the other’s identity and then posted to clarify that the views expressed by “Hamish” had actually been typed by “matt\_mcl” – not noticing which login on the board was active. The moderators seem inclined to give situations like these a bye when clarification of who is actually saying what is included with the post. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/16 "2003-02-13T20:58:36Z")
There’s a difference, though, between accidentally forgetting to log off, and not having separate accounts at all. The mods (I imagine) don’t mind cases like the ones that you mention because it’s a very simple and understandable mistake, but not having an account at all is a situation which is easily remedied. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-socking/154142/17 "2003-02-13T23:18:34Z")
Say, Chronos… you’ve been awfully helpful as of late. D’ya want your old gig back? You missed out on the 2003 calendar man, and it’s _spiff-eeeee_. 😉