Sockpuppet Army Detection

[bluecoat_fan]

After reading "Creating an army of sockpuppets" http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x434832 , I got to thinking how would you detect such an animal.

Sounds like to me all you need is add a "Sockpuppet Alert" button to the Post display. Then as users click the button, the source IP address/username are saved off. Eventually the IP address of the Persona Servers and Persona usernames would be identified.

The only problem I can think of is that the identified Persona Server could be a bunch of Trolls blogging at work. Troll Posts are fun sometime to read, so instead of censorship, maybe just give users a "Troll Rating".

Any thought?

[lob1]

1. I'm afraid the trolls would be the first to misuse the

troll alert button.

[bluecoat_fan]

5. OK, add Troll Rating of the button pusher to the equation

Something like a Troll Rating > X won't let you flag a Troll. Maybe also some members who are clearly non Trolls could not be Troll Flagged.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

2. Ready your armor and take up your weapons!

We must fight off the troll hordes before they ruin our fair lands...


Oh, wrong trolls...

Sorry, couldn't help myself. :evilgrin:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. A non seven solution. Tell the supposed puppet that you are a liar. You never tell

the truth, you are incapable of uttering a single truism.... then tell the alleged sock puppet that you are lying and see what the response may be.

[peacetalksforall]

4. They shoot the messenger - demean, smear, insult,

[Gold Metal Flake]

6. Here at DU, you use Alert.

If you suspect a sockpuppet or similar, explain why and suggest that maybe an IP check be done. If the mods agree, they may forward the info to Lithos, or Lithos may do it automatically when he is in the mod pool.

Lithos does the IP checks and such and so has this long history built-in of suspect IPs. As for this military shit, that sort of AI propaganda will just get better and better. Not sure how we will deal with that unless we change how our societies work. :-(

[bluecoat_fan]

8. Once these Armies arrive, Mods may be overwhelmed.

US Chamber of Congress is forming their Sockpuppet Army now, but I suspect Koch Brothers, BP, Fox News. RNC, ... will all have their own personal Sockpuppet Armies. Each Server is supposed to have hundreds of personas licenses.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. OK. All is lost.

[Blue-Jay]

7. What was your previous DU handle?

:D

[bluecoat_fan]

9. clmbusdem or something

I lost it switching PCs.