Sock Puppets

[DukeEgr93]

I was just wondering what the policy is on using sock puppets on CC. I saw the policy about, "Multiple registrations by the same individual without written permission from CollegeConfidential.com are not allowed" and was wondering what reasons there might be for sock puppet accounts. Thanks!

[JEM]

Sometimes well-known posters wish to discuss a sensitive issue without having it associated with their posting name, especially if they have disclosed a lot of personal information with their original posting name.

Just to make an example, perhaps a poster who has posted for years about her children's college plans and her own personal life (perhaps even sharing her real name and location via PMs) is confronted with a delicate situation with one of her children (perhaps an unplanned pregnancy, a disciplinary situation, etc.) and wants advice on it. But the poster does not want to have this particular situation associated with the primary posting name, and wants to keep it "private."

In such a case the moderators do allow a second registration for use in discussing the sensitive situation. (We do try to be reasonable at times.)

Usually such posters will say in their first post "I am not posting under my regular posting name."

We of course do have systems that clue us in to multiple registrations. In cases such as those mentioned above we will usually allow the poster to maintain the multiple ID's at least temporarily. But it is important that all posters know that this is an exception to the general rule.

Also, several of the volunteer moderators have a posting ID separate from their moderating ID. This is in part because they want to be able to post as "regular" folks without the baggage of their moderating "status" LOL. When they became mods they took on a new "moderator" name. But other mods, as well as the administrator (Roger Dooley), have only one name.

I hope this answers your question.

[DukeEgr93]

It does - I appreciate the reply.

[Daniel12]

Oops. I wonder how many other rules I've broken unknowingly.

I think the Terms of Service should really be linkified on the registration page. There's a reference to them, but the link is three clicks away and the navigation is nonobvious.

[tokenadult]

But other mods, as well as the administrator (Roger Dooley), have only one name.

I'm one of the one-I.D.-only guys. If it came from tokenadult, it came from my keyboard. If it came from any other I.D., it came from someone else's keyboard.

[doubleplay]

I can certainly see the need for another personality to protect family privacy. However, is there a policy regarding multiples posting on political threads? Or creating multiple public personalities?

[tokenadult]

Terms of Service:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...q_new_faq_item

Registration and Your Identity. CollegeConfidential.com seeks to maximize the utility of its forum to its members and visitors, and does not knowingly allow members to misrepresent themselves. Multiple registrations by the same individual without written permission from CollegeConfidential.com are not allowed. Re-registration by individuals who have been banned or denied posting privileges in the past is not allowed. Individuals who misrepresent themselves (e.g., posing as a student or parent when they are not, claiming a false affiliation with a college, etc.), or who register with multiple identities, or who re-register after having been banned, will be reported to the abuse department of their internet and/or email service provider and may be subject to civil or criminal action depending on the nature of their violation.