Detecting sockpuppets

[botpro]

Hi mods/admins,
it is easy to create multiple accounts and then use 2 or even more identities in discussions.
Does your software care for such abuse and detect such sockpuppets?
Would be good if such sockpuppets could be detected, as such unhonest people do it for destroying serious discussions, and giving likes to each other, and promoting their (mostly marketing) content.

Here's a method:
Periodically (say every 15 minutes) scan the log and compare the IP's to detect them.
If the time for the same IP for different login names is less than say 1h then flag these accts for deeper monitoring...
I can even offer to write such a short program for you free of any charge, which you can compile and start periodically by a cronjob entry. I would just need to know the format of the relevant log lines.

 

[Baron]

I know most of the sockpuppets you speak of, and so do many other members. I let the sockpuppets ramble on only because they've been called out and exposed already by other members.

 

[Levels]

I know most of the sockpuppets you speak of, and so do many other members. I let the sockpuppets ramble on only because they've been called out and exposed already by other members.

I'm not happy with this answer. If you know who they are, yet you don't share with the rest of us, its no different than exchanges selling trading info to their rich clients microseconds sooner than they release it to every one else.... ie. a rigged system.

Magna has banned people in the past for what he says are violations of the terms of service of this website which is multiple aliases. But if your position, as you state above, is that you allow sock puppets, then I think everyone needs to know that multiple aliases are allowed, perhaps even encouraged so that people are able to post whatever personality they want to be that day.

 

[OptionGuru]

I'm not happy with this answer. If you know who they are, yet you don't share with the rest of us, its no different than exchanges selling trading info to their rich clients microseconds sooner than they release it to every one else.... ie. a rigged system.

Magna has banned people in the past for what he says are violations of the terms of service of this website which is multiple aliases. But if your position, as you state above, is that you allow sock puppets, then I think everyone needs to know that multiple aliases are allowed, perhaps even encouraged so that people are able to post whatever personality they want to be that day.

When it comes to ET a sockpuppet is someone who religiously will always defend or support another ET members posts by liking the posts or quoting the posts with a favorable reply. But mostly liking because the sockpuppet will have nothing to contribute to the thread. As an example Destriero has lots of sockpuppets.

Multiple aliases isn't really a problem on ET because the old username is abandoned for the new username - I assume ET will ban users for using multiple aliases concurrently.

 

[Levels]

When it comes to ET a sockpuppet is someone who religiously will always defend or support another ET members posts by liking the posts or quoting the posts with a favorable reply. But mostly liking because the sockpuppet will have nothing to contribute to the thread. As an example Destriero has lots of sockpuppets.

Multiple aliases isn't really a problem on ET because the old username is abandoned for the new username - I assume ET will ban users for using multiple aliases concurrently.

I think you are wrong here. I assume sockpuppets to mean that the member creates multiple aliases and uses these aliases to promote their main alias. Who here really knows someone else in the real world and has them support them at ET??? All of this is done by just one person with multiple aliases.

 

[botpro]

I think you are wrong here. I assume sockpuppets to mean that the member creates multiple aliases and uses these aliases to promote their main alias. Who here really knows someone else in the real world and has them support them at ET??? All of this is done by just one person with multiple aliases.

He said nothing differently! Sockpuppeteering can't work any different...

 

[Levels]

He said nothing differently!

I don't actually think so. He said its a member who will "support another ET member". There isn't another ET member, its the same member, just a different alias.

He goes on to say that he thinks that ET will ban users who use the same name concurrently, but this clearly isn't the case since surf has so many running at the same time, as I'm sure others do as well. And Baron seems to state that he is ok with this since most member knows who they are. If this is in fact true, then I believe he needs to "out" these members because many of us don't know and it really wastes time.

 

[botpro]

He goes on to say that he thinks that ET will ban users who use the same name concurrently, but this clearly isn't the case since surf has so many running at the same time, as I'm sure others do as well.

Like I already said to you: don't unfairly accuse someone in such public forums if you can't prove it.
Just report it to the mods if you have some evidence; the mods/admins will usually have more information in their system logs (IP, ISP, geolocation,
Browser headers (incl. screen resolution ), etc...).

 

[OptionGuru]

I think you are wrong here. I assume sockpuppets to mean that the member creates multiple aliases and uses these aliases to promote their main alias.

IMO ..... I don't think that happens on ET. Whom do you think is posting under multiple aliases? Perhaps the OP could answer.

Who here really knows someone else in the real world and has them support them at ET??? All of this is done by just one person with multiple aliases.

This is ET world not the real world. Some ET members have attracted a following of "ET bum buddies" who will vigorously defend everything they post. It might seem like the same guy using multiple aliases but in fact its some idiot - or idiots - who likes to lick some ass.

 

[botpro]

Every valid combination for sockpuppeteering is probable and I think also in use by some people.
- Some want by this way collect more Likes (ie. giving their other account Likes),
- some others use it to support their own arguments in their postings, and
- some others support from multiple accounts one other person they like or follow,
- some others want help someone else to collect many Likes...
...
Ie. to increase the "Likes" and "Followers"...
A myriad of combinations and sick reasons...