Sockpuppeting is not to be tolerated

scotty on 17/12/2008 - 10:24

Here is part of Wikipedia's guide to deletion, which I think should apply to OzBargain as well:

Sockpuppeting is not to be tolerated

One exception to the principle of assume good faith concerns the use of sockpuppets. This tactic is commonly employed by vandals and bad-faith contributors who create multiple user accounts in an attempt to bias the decision process. A close variation is to enlist "meatpuppets", people from outside Wikipedia to "run in" (for example, if my article about a web forum is up for deletion and I post a call for other forum members to "help keep our website in Wikipedia"). Signs of these tactics are that a contributor's account was created after discussion began, that a contributor has few edits or that a contributor's other edits have been vandalism. Other Wikipedians will draw attention to such facts and may even recommend deletion simply because apparent sock- or meat-puppets piled in with "do not delete" or other similar comments.

You might want to go on to read the Wikipedia article on sock puppets (here and here). Some points are wikipedia specific, but I think a lot of them still apply to general Internet community such as OzBargain.

I think this is specially a problem with OzBargain, which has been often targeted by marketers. Personally I have no problem if a merchant/retailer/shop owner declares his/her relationship with the said business. For example,

Note: I am an employee of FooBar Electronics.

However we often see 1st day registrants posting something like "I found this website…" or commentors saying "We have used them before, great service!" Some of them might be genuine, and people should probably be labeled as innocent until proven guilty. However it might raise suspicion amongst regulars and moderators, and we have very good resources tracking down the sockpuppets.

So, let me make it clear — sockpuppeting is an offense on OzBargain, and will not be tolerated. You will risk your accounts and business banned from OzBargain.

Site Discussion

Comments

  • HueyData on 18/12/2008 - 00:25

    However we often see 1st day registrants posting something like “I found this website…” or commentors saying “We have used them before, great service!”

    Indeed!

    Some of them might be genuine, and people should probably be labeled as innocent until proven guilty.

    Indeed.

    However it might raise suspicion amongst regulars and moderators, and we have very good resources tracking down the sockpuppets.

    Indeed ;)

    So, let me make it clear — sockpuppeting is an offense on OzBargain, and will not be tolerated. You will risk your accounts and business banned from OzBargain.

    Hear, hear. Thank you for making this clear statement, scotty.

    Now let me activate my sockpuppets and vote this comment up :)

  • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2008 - 03:10

    totally agreed - unfortunately with the anonymous nature of the internet unscrupulous people abound. Given the scams, fake lotteries, phishing, viruses, and more, sockpuppeteering is mild. But that said, it has the potential to destroy the credibility of the site and needs to be stopped. As the site grows then so will the rules.

  • HueyData on 01/01/2009 - 23:03

    Just as I was in the middle of writing "User 1 might be handing down some stern words" … Well, we should all try to take it easy this early in the new year.

    I suspect the IP addresses checked out (consecutive users created within minutes of each other), but nonetheless I may have overreacted to what appeared to be unprecedented brazen sockpuppeting (or meatpuppeting/vote-stuffing - does OzBargain have a policy on that?).

    So it's worth reiterating what scotty wrote and meant:

    Some of them might be genuine, and people should probably be labeled as innocent until proven guilty. However it might raise suspicion amongst regulars and moderators, and we have very good resources tracking down the sockpuppets.

    Edit: Just saw scotty's new post - MDF Magic Banned on OzBargain for Sock Puppeting. The track record remains intact for now …

  • Shaz8228 on 02/01/2009 - 08:47
    -1

    I would like to make a comment on this, of which if you want to ban me, then go ahead, I am totally insulted to be called a "spammer" and "sockpuppet" I made a comment on mdfmagic.com.au as a customer, I have used them in the past and WILL continue as they do have some fantastic deals. (if you had bothered to check out the site they are running some fantastic deals for Jan)
    Then a few hours later Heuy put in a comment of which a 4 letter word was used, he did put *** in the middle, but MY children soon told me what the word was, as they had been reading several different deals. I was so upset that this word could be used on a site that children can read and know what it said. So I put in a comment about he needs his mouth washed out and I would gladly send him a bar of soap.
    I was told about this site by a friend who just happens to be another happy customer of mdfmagic.com.au then I passed it on to another friend yet another happy customer of mdfmagic.com.au.
    I now ask the question how can 3 of us have the same IP address?
    I thought this site was going to be good, I now have different ideas and want to know how do I TOTALLY UNSUB too many sour grapes here!!!!!

    • kogi on 04/01/2009 - 08:04

      1) OK, 4 letter words are bad. The internet it not G-rated. Get used to it.

      2) 3 of you cannot have the same IP adress (duh)

    • scotty on 05/01/2009 - 00:05

      Let me try to reply this thread. More discussion on MDF Magic should go to this thread and will be deleted if posted here.

      1. The use of '***' is to mask out what the word is, and it appears to work as intended. Treat it like the BEEP sound on TV or radio when someone say the F-word.
      2. Our log has shown that the owner of MDF Magic has created at least 4 accounts here on OzBargain and voted on her own deal, which is clearly forbidden by the T & C of this website (which you need to agree to upon signing up).
      3. There are around 7-8 new users who come to OzBargain for the first time, register an account, browsed to that MDF Magic post and voted for it. Yes they did come from different IP addresses, but their pattern is so much like being under an instruction.

      Well. This site, OzBargain, is only going to be good if it's free from spammers and others who don't want to play according to the rules. Thanks to all who have helped out identifying sockpuppets and making OzBargain a better community.

  • elcheapo on 22/01/2009 - 19:12

    I highly suspect DailyGizmo is doing this sockpuppeting.

    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/deals/dailygizmo.com.au

    between user Gav123 and
    fantastic (http://www.ozbargain.com.au/deals/13548/voted)

    • scotty on 22/01/2009 - 21:18

      Indeed the same person. Ghost account — yes, but no clear evidence that it's sockpuppeting. I've emailed Gav123 to get this clarified.

      • elcheapo on 22/01/2009 - 22:04

        lol.. Ghost/clone accounts itself are very very naughty, right? :p

  • scotty on 14/05/2009 - 00:54

    Just banned Games101.com.au from OzBargain. I know they have been posting quite a few offers that "seem to be" well received, but after investigating on the voters and found quite a few sockpuppets voting + commenting on their deals.

    • scotty on 06/06/2009 - 00:29

      Looks like the Games101 gangs have been persistent. They have registered domains such as

      • ezgames.com.au
      • ezigames.com.au
      • weplaygames.com.au

      And post deals on those domains using multiple accounts on OzBargain. All redirected back to Games101.

      Again, ALL OFFERS FROM GAMES101 HAVE BEEN BANNED ON OZBARGAIN. Please report them if you have found Games101 posting again.

  • scotty on 29/05/2009 - 00:08
    +1

    Just banned AxisODL.com.au from OzBargain (thanks to Neil who spotted them). They posted their FX offer at 4:19pm, and within an hour 8 accounts have voted +1 for the offer, 4 of them commented on the deal on how good these guys are. However, 7 of them were created just minutes after, some are even from the same IP address.

    Epic fail.

  • mason on 22/07/2009 - 12:49
    +1

    Hey Scotty, I think you need to check the deals associated with latest offers for sockpuppeting. There seems to be alot of new accounts from melbourne today all voting on the deals from either the website or the rep.
    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/14769
    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/14780

  • Buzz on 22/07/2009 - 12:54

    Hey mason just in case you didn't know, those 2 companies are registered to the same person/company going by WHOIS ;)

    I bet "pay per click' as well.

  • neil on 22/07/2009 - 12:55
    +1

    Mason, thanks for spotting that. I've removed both deals.

  • clement.c on 22/07/2009 - 13:04

    Hey,
    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/14769
    is a legit bargain, and there were no sockpuppeting involved.
    myself and LatestOffer work in the same company but different identities.

    • neil on 22/07/2009 - 13:09

      So LatestOffer just randomly decides to ONLY vote for clement.c's deals and clement.c's just randomly decides to ONLY vote for LatestOffer's deals. Hell of a coincidence that is.

      It's the very definition of sockpuppeting.

  • clement.c on 22/07/2009 - 14:03

    I told LatestOffer about the deal and he thinks it was good and vice versa, isn't these all word of mouth?

  • zhenjie on 23/07/2009 - 02:36

    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/14736 looks like another case of sockpuppeting.

  • Mikinoz on 23/07/2009 - 08:47

    socketpuppeting not only did i learn something new i have a word i can insult people with you socketpuppet lol made my day

  • Natt on 24/07/2009 - 11:34

    Gosh the mods have been busy!

    Thanks for all your good work guys - its much appreciated :)

  • The zoo keeper on 19/11/2009 - 14:15

    very true!

  • winewizard on 30/12/2009 - 08:32

    Hi scotty and the rest of your'untouchables' for the explanation, re.sock puppeting.May the force be with you.

  • motherly23 on 30/06/2010 - 22:37

    Hi, Just wanted to find out if anyone has had any problems with signing up multiple user names from one IP Address / Computer acting as an agency on behalf of multiple brands?

    Obviously we would NOT have each of these users "voting for each other's brands" to avoid outright sock puppeting… and they are very separate companies so the deals aren't similar…

    But - really want to ensure accounts aren't being locked out on behalf of our clients just because we are managing multiple accounts from one computer?

    Would love any advice on this?

    • scotty on 01/07/2010 - 21:45

      We do have experience with those agency before — advertising, marketing and some are doing SEO work. Moderators usually will discuss and mark the merchants/accounts for investigation. If we think multiple accounts are voting each others or commenting each others' postings inappropriately, accounts/domains will be banned.

      Moderators cannot know everything — so if accounts got banned, the best way would be using the "Talk to a Mod" forum to discuss the situation with the moderators.

      • motherly23 on 01/07/2010 - 22:19

        Thanks Scotty, There have been no banning to date, so all good. Just really wanted to get some insight before signing up multiple accounts and that we're playing by the rules to get the deals out there.

        Thanks

  • chocoholic on 15/11/2010 - 23:47

    Ok, my store http://discountchocolate.com.au just got banned yesterday for so called "sockpuppeting"
    I think it was because i expressed a personal opinion about which chocolate in my range (dorina jaffa flavour) was my own favourite.

    I looking at the description of "sockpuppeting" you have to have multiple accounts and use them in bad faith to vote up your deals- NOT something i did at any stage!

    Now my store is banned! how do i get un-banned, and how do i actually talk to a mod? tried the "talk to mods" link, and all i can do is look, not post!!! the RSS feed is pretty un-helpful.

    Mods, help me out on this!

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