This is a sockpuppet I have created. It is a ROT13ed version of my username, for comments that I would prefer to have not associated with a simple google search of my real name. Generally personal things that I don’t mind random strangers on the internet knowing. I have only ever thought of two or three things that I would want to use this account for, and the alternative is simply not making those comments. As long as I never use this account for voting purposes, do you as a LW member feel this is an acceptable use of sockpuppetry?
I always thought “sockpuppetry” was only an issue if you used it to make it seem like more people agreed with you than actually do (e.g. by posting similar comments on the same article using multiple accounts). I see no problem with using multiple accounts as long as you don’t use them for this sort of abuse.
Some LWers don’t like Clippy or other user-as-message accounts. I would predict some of those folks wouldn’t like this incredibly-weak -anonymizer account either.
The closest normative label in common usage for the disapproved behavior is “sock-puppet”—but you are correct that the ordinary meaning of that label does not cover the behavior at issue.
This is a sockpuppet I have created. It is a ROT13ed version of my username, for comments that I would prefer to have not associated with a simple google search of my real name. Generally personal things that I don’t mind random strangers on the internet knowing. I have only ever thought of two or three things that I would want to use this account for, and the alternative is simply not making those comments. As long as I never use this account for voting purposes, do you as a LW member feel this is an acceptable use of sockpuppetry?
Is this acceptable? [pollid:373]
I always thought “sockpuppetry” was only an issue if you used it to make it seem like more people agreed with you than actually do (e.g. by posting similar comments on the same article using multiple accounts). I see no problem with using multiple accounts as long as you don’t use them for this sort of abuse.
Some LWers don’t like Clippy or other user-as-message accounts. I would predict some of those folks wouldn’t like this incredibly-weak -anonymizer account either.
The closest normative label in common usage for the disapproved behavior is “sock-puppet”—but you are correct that the ordinary meaning of that label does not cover the behavior at issue.
Hmm. I don’t like Clippy because whoever maintains it isn’t doing a good job (sorry, I mean a clippy job).
This is probably not effective. Similar attempts have been done in the past, and failed.
Can you give more details?