Sock puppet account

A sock puppet, sock puppet account, or sock is a false online identity used for deceptive purposes. The term metaphorically refers to a hand puppet made from a sock. Sock puppets might be created by people and organizations to praise, defend, or support themselves, to manipulate public opinion, or to circumvent restrictions such as accessing a resource that a user is blocked from. Sock puppets are unwelcome in many online communities and forums.

Generally, a sock puppet dishonestly pretends to be independent from a primary user account, in order to mislead. In contrast, a legitimate pseudonym is sometimes termed an "alt" (short for "alternate" or "alternative") identity or account.