Sockpuppet

A sockpuppet is an online persona controlled secretly by an Internet user for the purpose of deceiving others. A sockpuppet is not merely a pseudonym for protecting one's privacy online. People use sockpuppets to hide their own biases or conflicts of interest when expressing opinions. Because word-of-mouth marketing is considered more credible than traditional paid marketing, businesses, public relations firms, and political campaigns have used sockpuppets to simulate word-of-mouth marketing as they promote themselves or their clients.

Sockpuppets are relatively easy to create. On most blogs and social networking sites, users can set [Page 858]up multiple profiles with unverified information— although this practice often violates a website's terms of service. People can pretend to be almost anyone online. It is possible to uncover the identity of a sockpuppet by tracing someone's IP address, but unless other users become suspicious, a sockpuppet may go undetected for years.

People generally use sockpuppets to promote or defend their interests or to attack opponents. For example, between 1999 and 2006 Whole Foods CEO John Mackey posted messages on a Yahoo! forum under a false identity. These messages sought to bolster Whole Foods’ public image while criticizing its competitor, Wild Oats. Had Mackey posted under his own name, readers would have recognized immediately that he was a biased source. By pretending to be someone else, he apparently hoped readers would give more credibility to his comments.

Sockpuppets have played a part in political campaigns, as well. In 2006, Congressman Charles Bass, a Republican from New Hampshire, became embroiled in controversy after one of his aides was caught posting messages on Democratic websites under a false identity. Posing as a Democrat, the aide had tried to discourage other Democrats from making campaign contributions to Bass's opponent, arguing that the election was a foregone conclusion.

Sockpuppets have been used by authors to write positive reviews of their own books, by journalists to argue with their readers, and by the U.S. military to infiltrate and influence terrorist networks online. One unique type of sockpuppet is the strawman sockpuppet. People use strawman sockpuppets to make their opponents look foolish, claiming to represent a particular viewpoint, but making weak arguments for that viewpoint.

Sockpuppets are a clear violation of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Member Code of Ethics. The code requires members to avoid deception and reveal the interests they represent. When individuals or organizations are found to be using sockpuppets their reputations are likely to suffer. In some cases, the consequences can be more severe. Congressman Bass's aide was forced to resign. Whole Foods’ effort to acquire Wild Oats was delayed by a Federal Trade Commission investigation. In Europe, business people who falsely represent themselves online as customers can face fines or even prison. Sockpuppets may be a tempting tactic for communicators to employ, but the risks associated with exposure, as well as the ethical and legal considerations, argue against this practice.