Sock puppets

Sock puppets are online commenters who adopt multiple usernames to influence a comment stream. Here is a flagrant example reported in last year’s presidential campaign.

Rock Island Argus community columnist Frank Mullen III offers the following insight into his commenting personalities.

Finding yourself beside yourselve online, literally

It’s a shame my puppets had to die.
I hated to kill them, but it was a matter of integrity.
Ever since the online version of this newspaper began allowing readers to post comments to stories, I’ve been perturbed by people who post under fictitious names. “Sock puppet” is the Internet term for such a devious creation; “chicken” was my name for those who used them.
While reading about the election at QCOnline.com last year, I saw an anonymous comment that infuriated me. The writer needed straightening out, and I was willing to do the job.
I live in a small town, though, and didn’t want certain neighbors judging my opinions. Just this once, I decided, I’d post under an alias.
“J. Farrell” was my sock puppet’s name. He was so effective, I allowed myself to use him a few more times when dispassionate facts were called for. Should a reader throw an online tantrum (“Only a jerk would vote for Obama — he has no government experience!”) you could count on J. Farrell’s calm, mannered authority:
“I think, kind sir, you’ve conveniently forgotten that Obama has served as both state and federal senator.”
Courteous and factual was J. Farrell. The problem was that maintaining his calm voice took a lot of editing. So, I created “Tim34,” a feisty sock puppet who spat out quick facts:
“Obama has no experience? What do you call 11 years as a legislator, pal?”
I now had two puppets in play: J. Farrell for depth, Tim34 for speed.
Then I read a QCOnline article about a moral lapse by a certain prominent conservative, noting a reader’s comment that excused the man’s behavior because “he’s a Christian.” This cried out for sarcastic response, but my sarcasm stable was empty.
With the thunder of hoofbeats, up rode “Melissa” on her high horse. She was my finest creation, a delicate balance of wide-eyed innocence and knife-edged snideness:
“Morality is optional for true believers? Please send me the address of your church; I want to join a congregation that sings ‘Anything Goes’ while they pass the plate.”
Soon I had a playhouse full of sock puppets. “Dickie” distilled “Melissa’s” in-depth sarcasm into short, biting snippets. “Jack O.” was even briefer, and “Mary” was just plain rude. Each member of my cast played a leading role in my effort to chastise readers whose opinions differed from mine.
Then came the day of awakening.
Browsing through the QCOnline archives last week, I came across a story from early January about President-elect Obama’s plans to revive the economy. The story had sparked a series of fiery comments in which irate readers ranted, shook their online fists and called each other names.
But it wasn’t the chest-puffing that woke me up; it was the names of the participants:
J. Farrell. Melissa. Tim34. Jack O.
Most of the players in this shouting match were me.
This was not a proud moment. Nothing is less flattering than going on an idiot hunt and accidentally stumbling across a mirror.
From now on, if I need to post online, I’ll do it openly, under my own name. I’ve killed off all my phony identities and buried them in the sock puppet graveyard.
Well, all but one. I hope never to use him, but it’s good to know he’s there.
Just in case. Frank Mullen III of Aledo is a retired Navy band leader.