# "sock puppets" and "troll outings" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 19, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864 "2000-11-19T19:00:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/1 "2000-11-19T19:00:19Z")
I was just reading the BBQ pit for the first time and saw a discussion of “sock puppets” and “troll outings.” I gather that sock puppets involve some sort of misrepresentation, but I’m unclear on the specifics. Could someone help me understand? ---
**Author:** ![Lost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/22d042/32.png) [@Lost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/2 "2000-11-19T19:19:59Z")
A sock puppet is second (or third, or…) registered identity that a person creates in addition to their original registered name. This second name is usually created just to add a “you’re so right” comment to the threads posted to by the original person. Like I might post my stupid opinion, and then if the next person posting after me (coincidentally named “Losty”) woud post “oh, Lost, you are **so** right on target, you’re my hero”. Well, then you **might** think that the poster Losty was a “sockpuppet”. If you suspect someone of being a sockpuppet, you should email one of the mods or administrators, not create a thread about it. The admins of this board have ways of researching suspected sock puppets - too technical for me, maybe someone else can explain that part. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@The\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/3 "2000-11-19T19:27:17Z")
It seems to be one of the more useless “priorities” of the board, to catch sock puppets, which is pointless, since the puppets always win, and it keeps them from working on real bugs. IMHO 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/4 "2000-11-19T20:42:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Bean \* > **It seems to be one of the more useless “priorities” of the board, to catch sock puppets, which is pointless, since the puppets always win, and it keeps them from working on real bugs.** Oh I disagree. First of all, we have hard working techies who work on bugs. They are separate entities from the mods and admins. They do their thing regardless of the number of trolls or puppets. Sockpuppets were a relatively notable problem not too long ago until we insitituted a zero-tolerance policy for obvious sockpupptery. Posts from blatant puppets were deleted quickly, names were banned. We smushed the sorry little twits so bad that one of them eventually opened a thread in the Pit concedeing defeat and explaining how they used free ISPs to make detection more difficult. Thats why you’ll rarely see sockpuppets in the Pit. They get treated like prison bitches there, if you’ll pardon my use of the vernacular. Now, there still may be a few sockpuppets around. But if they do exist here, they refrain from acting in such obvious ways (most of the time) since the board in general cares little for their pathetic antics. I think that since we have effectively modified their behavior, we mods and admins are in fact the clear victor. So nyaaah. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/5 "2000-11-19T20:57:02Z")
As to “troll outings”, a troll is basically a jerk who posts just to get attention. We ban them, and they sometimes come back under a new name. When a poster thinks that a new member is actually a returned troll, they’ll often feel the urge to create a thread just to let everyone else know: This is a troll outing. Please note that this is very strongly discouraged, and repeated offenses of public “troll outing” can itself even lead to banning. If you have reason to suspect that a poster is a troll, then you should e-mail a moderator or administrator, and we’ll look into it and take whatever action is appropriate. In the meantime, keep your mouth shut about it on the board: At best, it’ll accomplish nothing, and at worst, it’ll tarnish the reputation of an innocent newbie. ---
**Author:** ![La\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@La\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_King)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/6 "2000-11-19T21:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alphagene \* > \*\*Thats why you’ll rarely see sockpuppets in the Pit. > I think that since we have effectively modified their behavior, we mods and admins are in fact the clear victor. > \*\* Wrong and wrong. The pit is mostly sockpuppets, since the Aphagenes of the board like to hound people. So they just change names and continue. No one has ever left. Least of all the “name” ones of Concrete, Parrot, and Oat Boy. Nor X-files, Mark Serlin, and the list goes on and on. All have been sighted numerous times and “banned” for about a minute. Just last week a set of 26 alphabetical socks were named, all registering consecutively on the same day, just to prove how easy it is to return. The only real jerk in the pit is named **Alphagene** , as can be seen by his lack of civility when he posts “upstairs”. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/7 "2000-11-19T23:12:30Z")
Surprise surprise, LA King is posting in ATMB just to bitch about the mods. Still haven’t found a constructive hobby? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by La King \* > **The pit is mostly sockpuppets** Care to prove that? If you know specifially which posters are sockpuppets and have decent evidence of that fact, the I’d love to hear about it. Over email of course. Otherwise, save your meanlingless public accusations to yourself. > [@](#): > > All have been sighted numerous times and “banned” for about a minute. No. When someone is banned they are banned until we decide to unban them. Sometimes they will attempt to reregister under a new name, which is a no-no. If you have proof that certain people (Like the “Magic 26” you mentioned) are sockpuppets, King, I would recommend that you again come forward over email and name them. And don’t even think of suggesting it’s andros. The IP checks we ran exonerate him, even if I was naive enough to believe a respected poster like him was behind them. Becuse you suggest that you have intimate knowldege that sockpuppets exist on the board and that you refuse to identifiy them to mods over email seems to indicate that you yourself are just one of these sorry souls whose lives are so hollow that slighyly harrssing an MB gives thme joy. Face it King, we won and they loss. They admitted it. > [@](#): > > Just last week a set of 26 alphabetical socks were named, all registering consecutively on the same day, just to prove how easy it is to return. We know how easy it is to return, but it’s quite easy to pick out who the puppets are. They tend to show up in anti-mod threads supporting each other’s opinions completely while more respected posters look on in amusement. Hell, we really don’t even need to ban them. The SDMB at large knows well enough to ignore their whines. > [@](#): > > The only real jerk in the pit is named **Alphagene** , as can be seen by his lack of civility when he posts “upstairs”. \*\* Ooh. I’m hurt. Really. I think you’ll find that most of the posters on this board are in full agreement with my position that posters who do nothing aside from whine about the mods and admins on this board are a bore. And your low opinion of me has zero impact on my life, grashopper. [Edited by Alphagene on 11-19-2000 at 05:15 PM] ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/8 "2000-11-20T00:13:33Z")
This is exactly why we have so many sock puppets around. A person makes a point and you feel you have to slander him to make yours. Face it, Alphagene, you have no credibility whatever. You didn’t before being a mod, and less now. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/9 "2000-11-20T00:53:28Z")
There was no slandering in my post, Biz. I simply asked for proof that that Pit is “mostly sockpuppets.” If he doesn’t care to share that proof with the moderators or he lacks proof altogether, then he is guitly of attempting to out sockpupptets. Which you all know by now is a no-no. If he _does_ have proof and cares to share it with us than he doesn’t qualify as a “sorry sould who’s life is hollow”. So there is no insult. In fact there have been only two insults directde towards posters in this enire thread: “The only real jerk in the pit is named Alphagene” – LA King. and “Alphagene, you have no credibility whatever.” – Biz. **You** need to face something, Biz. I respect a tremendous number of posters on this board. You are not one of them. So your declaration of my lack of credibility honestly means nothing to me and probably carries little weight with anyone who contibutes to this board in a manner other than knee-jerk mod-bashing. Most posters like me just fine. As usual, I need to remind people that crisitism against moderators belongs in the Pit. For some reason, certain posters seem to forget that. Is it the prison-bitch thing? ---
**Author:** ![DoZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@DoZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoZ)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/10 "2000-11-20T01:19:03Z")
Have you ever noticed that the only people invoking the “respected” poster on their side are people with guttermouths? The last one was this > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*“If I wanted rhythmic throbbing I’d go get fucked” > > Mods, do y’all have a problem with this sig? \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*Sue Jo, thanks for your opinion. The person whence I got the quote has no problem with me using it. But another good friend of mine on the SDMB (and very much respected poster and person) doesn’t like it. \*\* I think a lot of people respect Show\_Biz. He helps a lot and has never critized anyone but you that I can see. Saying he never contributes to this board and is just a mod basher is an outright lie, and you should be ashamed of it. Who does get respect around here? Handy, Arnold Winkelried, CKDextHavn, and the others who avoid your pit and its insults. Claiming the respected posters support you seems pretty self-serving. And saying you haven’t insulted people when you have won’t win you any laurels. We can see what you were doing, even if you did edit it. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba8739/32.png) [@No\_Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Bones)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/11 "2000-11-20T02:07:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alphagene \* > \*\*Just last week a set of 26 alphabetical socks were named, all registering consecutively on the same day, just to prove how easy it is to return.We know how easy it is to return, but it’s quite easy to pick out who the puppets are. They tend to show up in anti-mod threads supporting each other’s opinions completely while more respected posters look on in amusement. \*\* None of these posters did what you say. None of them were showing up just in anti-mod threads. Check them yourself. Here’s the link to all of them. \*\* [Scylla - You are a fortune teller - What does this mean?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=46263)\*\* They were posting quietly until banned, just for being socks, not for any other reason. And they had 365 posts among them, more than the vast majority of posters. So they were simple honest posters, nothing like the monsters you describe. So why rule out Andros, when he knows so much about them? The fact that Andros uses a different IP for “his own” posts doesn’t mean he can’t get a second, third, or hundredth free IP every day of the week, does it? Anti-Alphagene is not anti-mod. Anti-Alphagene when Alphagene is wrong is simply Fighting Ignorance, the same as when anyone is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/12 "2000-11-20T02:28:42Z")
You guys put up with all this nonsense and all you get for it is a coffee mug? I just realized there is no way I could ever be a Mod because unlike you, I do not have the patience of Job. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@The\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/13 "2000-11-20T02:48:48Z")
I believe all the nonsense was started by the mods here. I just said I thought it was a waste of time to ban socks. I said nothing of trolls. And it is a priority, and does take somebody’s time, and is a waste. ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/14 "2000-11-20T03:29:37Z")
Wow! Thanks for the info. Honestly, I just skan over those posts that merely support a previous poster. ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/15 "2000-11-20T03:30:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Have you ever noticed that the only people invoking the “respected” poster on their side are people with guttermouths? A guttermouth does not a unrespected poster make. Posters who jump at the chance to post on any and every thread that contains the word “troll” or “sockpuppet” (or “Duck Duck Goose” for some reason) only to whine about the administartion and what they should and shouldn’t do while otherwise contibuting little to a board rich with fantastic ideas and coarsing with pure knowledge make someone an annoying poster. > [@](#): > > I think a lot of people respect Show\_Biz. Then that’s great. I’m just suggesting that I dont exactly lose sleep over one poster thinking I’m a jerk. > [@](#): > > The fact that Andros uses a different IP for “his own” posts doesn’t mean he can’t get a second, third, or hundredth free IP every day of the week, does it? But why andros? What made you select him out of the 10,000 posters whe have on board? No one knows what the hell you are talking about. If you have specific evidence against andros then **show** us. If you have a specific petty grudge against andros then **spare** us. Put up or shut up already. And keep it over email. > [@](#): > > Who does get respect around here? Handy, Arnold Winkelried, CKDextHavn, and the others who avoid your pit and its insults. **My** Pit? Yeah, I invented the Pit around the time Gore invented the Internet. Please. You know what? Noodles and Dex have my respect and they respect me. As much the the “Pit and its insults” revolts your sensibilities, its where mod bitching belongs. > [@](#): > > And it is a priority, and does take somebody’s time, and is a waste. How about letting those whose time is allegedly being wasted worry about that. OK, grasshopper? I’m sorry a small percentage of you are unhappy here. And I’m sorry three or four posters out of 10,000 feel threatened by our desire to squash single users with multiple usernames. Feel free to find another MB that doesn’t find that kind of stuff tiring. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/16 "2000-11-20T04:40:32Z")
> [@](#): > > They were posting quietly until banned, just for being socks, not for any other reason. > And they had 365 posts among them, more than the vast majority of posters. So they were simple honest posters, nothing like the monsters you describe. So why rule out Andros, when he knows so much about them? Honest? Honest people don’t post under 26 different names. Why rule out Andros? I guess that innocent until any evidence says otherwise might apply. The only thing implicating him was that No Bones decided to accuse him. I searched and couldn’t find any reference to Andros actually ever commenting on those names. Anyways, I have no pity for those who are banned for deliberately breaking the registration agreement, and I doubt that more than 1% of the people here (not screenames) do either. > [@](#): > > The fact that Andros uses a different IP for “his own” posts doesn’t mean he can’t get a second, third, or hundredth free IP every day of the week, does it? While Andros being all of those names is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, that doesn’t exactly provide evidence to indicate that he is in fact any of them. There is _no reason_ to assume that Andros is in any way involved. > [@](#): > > A person makes a point and you feel you have to slander him to make yours. In case you’re illiterate, Alpha was the one that was called a jerk first. Were you at all interested in being objective, you’d also chastise that poster. But you aren’t, you are only interested in criticizing the mods here. > [@](#): > > Who does get respect around here? Handy, Arnold Winkelried, CKDextHavn, and the others who avoid your pit and its insults. Claiming the respected posters support you seems pretty self-serving. Handy gets respect? I like the guy, but his reputation around here seems to be as someone who posts indiscriminately, and off-topic, often with incorrect information. Why don’t you stick to declaring who gets your respect, as you are obviously unqualified to determine who gets respect from others around here? You speak for an incredibly small and insignificant minority around here. That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/17 "2000-11-20T09:09:51Z")
Man alive, am I the only one who feels a nauseating sense of deja’ vu? Perhaps we should have a “micro-forum” just for the periodical “the mods are blah blah blah, they do blah blah blah, respect blah blah blah” threads. ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/18 "2000-11-20T10:23:41Z")
Damn. It’s times like this that I wish this boaard wasa a democracy. Then we could get a quick show of hands and get No Bones, Do Z, Show\_Biz, and La King banned before sunrise Monday. ah well. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/19 "2000-11-20T13:01:24Z")
Just for the record and in the interest of relieving ignorance … _ **slander** _ - (noun) - the utterance in the presence of another person of a false statement or statements. I think the word you are looking for, **Show\_Biz** is _libel_. > [@](#): > > They were posting quietly until banned, just for being socks, not for any other reason. And, **Mr. Bones** , according the user agreement, this is reason enough. You seem to be awful familiar with the situation though. > [@](#): > > I believe all the nonsense was started by the mods here. No, I believe the “nonsense” was started by you, **Bean** , with a comment on how we choose to run this message board. And finally, **La King** , you also show an extraordinary familiarity with the situation. Unless you’re just blowing smoke up our asses, please come forward with you information. There’s a large number of mods/admins to which you may **e-mail** evidence of your assertions. If you just wanna snipe from the sidelines, we’d rather you keep it to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864/20 "2000-11-20T13:40:25Z")
Man, it’s just monday! I thought **Mod-Bashing 102** was scheduled for thursday afternoon. I forgot my text book, and my homework isn’t done yet. Why oh why do these people continue posting on a message board that oppresses them so much? It boggles the mind. **Show\_Biz** , I know 95% of your posts are in ATMB, but you’ve been here long enough to know that complaints about moderators don’t belong in this forum. As your particular complaint was a rather weak one, I wouldn’t advise you to repeat it in the Pit either. You are, however, free to do so of course. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-puppets-and-troll-outings/41864.md?page=2)