Sock puppet accounts
Also known as:
- fake accounts
- false accounts
- anonymous accounts
What is Risk ?
Digital risk factors associated with their interests and activities
Someone might use a different name, email address or copied profile when creating and using a sock puppet account.
These accounts can be created to:
- spread disinformation
- change public opinion, for example, by making something seem very popular
- get around online restrictions, for example, when a user is banned from a platform
- anonymously harass, abuse, or troll a person or an online community anonymously
- sell illegal goods and services online, for example, child sexual abuse material
A young person using a sock puppet account may be paid to spread disinformation. A young person may also be motivated to do something anonymously because of personal interest. For example, promoting a political view.
Where this can happen
Risks and motivations
Risks
Spreading disinformation
Sock puppet accounts can mislead or deceive a child or young person.
Disinformation can negatively impact people and communities. It might:
- cause panic, anger or upset
- damage physical health
- change a young person's political beliefs
- radicalise a young person to an extreme ideology
Anonymity, trolling, and harassment
Sock puppet accounts can be one way for someone to troll or harass a person or group online.
Online harassment can make someone feel:
- distressed
- anxious
- depressed
- like self-harming
A child or young person may be banned from a platform for harassing others.
Sale of illegal goods and services
Anonymous and false social media accounts are used to sell illegal goods and services, including child sexual abuse material. These are sometimes known as burner accounts because they are intended to be quickly disposable.
A child or young person may be more exposed to harmful or illegal goods and services by following a sock puppet account.
Motivations
Reasons a child or young person might create or follow a sock puppet account include:
- anonymity
- having fun
- experimenting with identities
- bypassing restrictions or bans
- promoting someone or something
- harassing or trolling a person or group
- making money
- selling illegal goods and services
What you can do
You might be working with a child or young person who uses a sock puppet account.
There are many reasons why someone might use a sock puppet account. Not all of these are necessarily damaging or will result in harm.
Talking with a child or young person is one way to find out more about their motivations. You might also discuss:
- what disinformation is and why someone might want to spread it online
- how someone is still responsible for their actions, even when they are anonymous
- the impact that harassment can have on someone
- the importance of speaking to a trusted adult if they are ever unsure or upset by something they have seen
- how some online actions have legal consequences
If you are unsure about whether or not a behaviour is illegal, always seek legal advice.
If you think that a young person is at risk, follow your safeguarding procedure and read our safeguarding guidance.
Support
The recovery process of each child or young person around sock puppet accounts will be different.
Recovery can also involve thinking about how to minimise future risks and harms.
You could help a child or young person by:
- going over some behaviours which violate community guidelines or terms of service on platforms they use
- looking at reporting and blocking functions together on the platforms they use
- exploring how to report to other organisations, for example, the Internet Watch Foundation or the police.
Becoming familiar with what is and isn’t acceptable on a platform, as well as ways to report or block content and accounts, is one way to help a child or young person feel more confident and in control online.
Read more about sock puppet accounts
- The impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic (Springer Nature PMC COVID-19 Collection) – Journal
- The relationship between political affiliation and beliefs about sources of “fake news” (Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications) – Journal
- The prevalence and impact of online trolling (Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services) – File
- Influence of trolling on social media participation (Emergent Research Forum (ERF)) – Journal
Share your experience of sock puppet accounts
You can tell us about:
- other terms you might have heard
- conversations you’ve had with young people
- a related platform or app
- another related risk or harm