# The Banning of Sam Stone for Socking? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 7, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767 "2023-11-07T17:58:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/1 "2023-11-07T17:58:47Z")
Could we get some more information on this? My understanding of socking is that someone gets banned, comes back under another name and within a few weeks suspicions are raised, data checked and the person gets banned. But Sam Stone has been posted under the Sam Stone name for many years. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/2 "2023-11-07T18:03:23Z")
> [@Draft restatement of SDMB rules 9/12/2023](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/draft-restatement-of-sdmb-rules-9-12-2023/990013/2): > > **Sock puppets.** Only one screen name is permitted per user. Use of multiple screen names (“sock puppets” or “socks”) is grounds for revocation of your right to post under **any** screen name. If you have been banned from the SDMB and register under a different name, you will be banned again without notice. … ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/3 "2023-11-07T18:10:27Z")
Who knows what nefarious scheme Sam Stone had in mind. If a mod could tell a bit of the story, we may guess. I would never have thought he would ban himself like that. It’s so stupid. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/4 "2023-11-07T18:14:35Z")
Pretty sure this one will get closed, but I, for one, rejoice. His constant repeating of lies, even when faced with our evidence, is what spurred me to start the “Does this board’s mission matter any more?” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/5 "2023-11-07T18:17:00Z")
I do have a question that I don’t think crosses the line into particulars about this particular ban. Does a sock ban result if someone creates and then posts as the sock, or does the creation of a sock alone merit a ban? If the latter, not sure how it would even surface, if a post never occurred. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/6 "2023-11-07T18:18:17Z")
This post is pretty inappropriate for an ATMB thread. * * * * * * To all, I will say this much. He made a sock, he used it for one disappeared post and was caught and banned by @engineer_comp_geek. That is the whole story. * * * * * * > [@Stratocaster](#): > > I do have a question that I don’t think crosses the line into particulars about this particular ban. Does a sock ban result if someone creates and then posts as the sock, or does the creation of a sock alone merit a ban? > > If the latter, not sure how it would even surface, if a post never occurred. At least 3 of us moderators check the new posters. That is part of why you see so little spam on the board. So we will see a sock of a poster in some cases before they post. Obviously discussing any techniques we use would be a bad idea as far as catching socks, trocks and spammers. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/7 "2023-11-07T18:19:10Z")
Thanks, very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/8 "2023-11-07T18:20:33Z")
How does the system know it was a sock and not, say, someone else in Sam’s household? The chances of this are pretty low, of course, but I’m curious if there’s a way to confirm this. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/9 "2023-11-07T18:21:25Z")
Not going down this road, I’ve already said more than is normal for an ATMB thread. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/10 "2023-11-07T18:21:58Z")
Is there a way for a banned poster to get in touch if there was some misunderstanding? Like another person in the same household, or whatever triggers the sock alarm? ETA: Just saw your latest post. OK, without getting into any details about how things are detected, is there a way for a banned poster to get in touch in case there was an error of some sort? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/11 "2023-11-07T18:24:02Z")
They can contact me at [EngineerCompGeek@gmail.com](mailto:EngineerCompGeek@gmail.com). This is closed. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-banning-of-sam-stone-for-socking/992767/12 "2023-11-07T18:24:05Z")