sockpuppets
Online identity decoys
Sockpuppets are fake online identities created to deceive.
The term comes from the idea of a hand inside a puppet—one person controlling what appears to be someone else.
People use sockpuppets to manufacture support for their own views, attack critics while appearing neutral, or evade bans: He was caught using sockpuppets to boost his ratings.
The practice is considered dishonest in online communities.
Disguised sponsored advocacy
- shillFraudster's fake customer
- trollDeliberate online antagonist
- botAutomated software agent
- impersonationPretending to be another
deception · catfishing · vote manipulation · brigading · spam · fake followers · coordinated · inauthentic
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
psyops · spin · echo chamber · amplification · fake news · state-sponsored · information warfare
String-controlled theatrical figure
- ventriloquismSpeaking through apparent others
- Punch and JudyTraditional British puppet theatre
- feltCompressed fiber textile
- button eyesCraft supplies as pupils
crafts · theater · children's entertainment · stitched · homemade · googly eyes
astroturfing
Disguised sponsored advocacy
impersonation · deception · catfishing · vote manipulation · brigading · spam · fake followers · coordinated · inauthentic · burner accounts
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- misinformationFalse data spread unintentionally
- hoaxDeliberate deception for effect
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
disinformation · psyops · spin · echo chamber · amplification · fake news · state-sponsored · information warfare
marionette
String-controlled theatrical figure
- ventriloquismSpeaking through apparent others
- Punch and JudyTraditional British puppet theatre
- feltCompressed fiber textile
button eyes · crafts · theater · children's entertainment · stitched · homemade · googly eyes
- spamspam, junk mail, spam filter, spam folder, bulk mail
- disinformationdisinformation, misinformation, misinformation campaigns, fake news, propaganda
- online manipulationastroturfing, bots, bot farms, disinformation, fake news
- online trollingtrolling, trollface, bait, baiting, flame bait
- hoaxesalien autopsy, moon landing hoax, War of the Worlds, fake photos, forgeries
- botsbot, bots, chatbot, chatbots, spam bot