sock puppet
noun

- a false online identity used for deceptive purposes

Wikipedia

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PHRASE ORIGIN

Original meaning (1800s):
A simple puppet made by putting a sock on one's hand, used for children's entertainment

First metaphorical use (mid-1900s):
A person who appears to be independent but is actually controlled by another, like a puppet - often used in politics and business contexts (e.g. "The chairman installed his sock puppet as CEO")

Internet usage (late 1990s):
First appeared in online communities to describe additional accounts created by a user to appear as different people. The term caught on because:
- Like a literal sock puppet, these accounts are "operated" by the hidden hand of their creator
- They present a false front, like the decorated face of a sock puppet
- They're used to "perform" or "put on a show" in discussions

The first documented use of "sock puppet" specifically referring to deceptive online identities appears to be from Usenet discussions in the late 1990s. By the early 2000s, it had become common internet terminology, spawning related terms like:
- "sockpuppetry" (the practice of using fake accounts)
- "sockpuppeting" (the act of using such accounts)
- "meatpuppet" (a real person recruited to support someone's position online)

The term gained wider public attention during several high-profile cases, including instances of authors reviewing their own books under fake identities on Amazon in the mid-2000s.

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SEEING IS NO LONGER BELIEVING!


We’ve recently been noticing a disturbing trend on YouTube: AI generated films of deceased famous people commenting on current events that happened after their death.

As AI technology advances, hyper-realistic content—videos, voices, and even entire personalities—is becoming indistinguishable from reality. This will revolutionize entertainment, education, and communication, allowing for lifelike digital actors, historical reconstructions, and personalized AI assistants. However, this progress comes with profound risks.

When synthetic media is undetectable, misinformation and deception become easier than ever. Political deepfakes can manipulate elections, AI-generated voices can commit fraud, and digital resurrections can exploit legacies without consent. The line between truth and illusion becomes blurred, threatening trust in media and personal interactions.

To manage this future responsibly, we need robust AI detection tools, ethical regulations, and clear labelling of AI-generated content. While AI’s creative potential is immense, unchecked hyper-realism risks eroding reality itself. Society needs to act now to ensure that AI enhances truth rather than distorts it. The question is not whether we can create perfect illusions—but whether we should.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

Here are some lesser-known or more nuanced synonyms that fit the idea of something pretending to represent someone for the advantage of its creator at the real person’s expense:

- Avatar (in a deceptive sense) = a digital or false identity used to manipulate

- Chimera = a fabricated or hybrid identity with deceptive intent

- Doppelgänger (in a deceptive sense) = a lookalike or imitation that can mislead or cause harm

- Effigy = a crude representation of someone, often used in protest or deception

- Golem = a figure controlled by another, often implying manipulation

- Homunculus = a small or distorted imitation of a person, sometimes metaphorically used for a manipulated entity

- Manikin = a small imitation of a person, sometimes used metaphorically for an empty or deceptive representation

- Mountebank = an imposter or charlatan who deceives for gain

- Shade = a spectral or insubstantial imitation of a person

- Simulant = something that appears to be real but is artificial or deceptive

- Sock puppet = a false identity used to manipulate opinions or deceive others online

- Wraith = a shadowy or misleading version of a real person

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Fortunately, social media platforms are developing advanced algorithms to detect and remove SOCK PUPPET accounts.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D

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