Sockpuppet
Also called: sock puppet, sockpuppet account, sockpuppeting, fake accounts
Definition
A sockpuppet is an extra account used to pretend to be a different, independent person: to agree with yourself, upvote your own content, praise your product or return after a ban. Reddit allows multiple accounts but bans using them this way.
The term comes from a hand puppet: one person, a second voice. The difference between a sockpuppet and an ordinary alt account is not the second account. It is the pretending.
Alt account vs sockpuppet
Reddit is relaxed about multiple accounts. Its help center says, "You're more than welcome to create multiple Reddit accounts," and you can verify them with the same email. People keep separate accounts for work, hobbies, or sensitive topics, and a throwaway account for a one-off question is normal.
An account becomes a sockpuppet when it is used to make others believe two people are involved when there is one. Reddit's rules cover the main ways that happens:
- Voting. Reddit says not to use any of your accounts to vote on the same posts or comments, because that is vote manipulation. See vote manipulation.
- Ban evasion. Using another account to keep participating where you were banned. See ban evasion.
- Inflating a subreddit. Reddit's spam policy lists using multiple accounts to artificially inflate a subreddit's subscriber count.
- Fake independent opinions. Reddit Rule 5 says not to intentionally mislead others, and the impersonation policy prohibits misrepresenting your identity or affiliation to deceive.
Why they get caught
Reddit does not publish how it links accounts, but its help pages describe the kinds of signals it uses for related tools: the ban evasion filter relies on how users connect to Reddit and information they share with Reddit. Moderators and users report suspicious clusters, and Reddit combines those reports with internal signals.
Users catch them too. Accounts created around the same time, with thin histories, that always appear in the same threads and always agree, are easy to spot in a post history.
When Reddit acts, it can act on the whole set. Its enforcement options include banning "the user's account(s)" and restricting the creation of new accounts.
Why it matters for marketers
Sockpuppeting is one of the quickest ways for a small brand to get into serious trouble on Reddit. It often starts innocently: a founder posts a question from a second account so the main account can answer it, or a teammate replies "I use this too!" without saying they work there. Both are deception, both are against the rules, and both are the kind of thing Redditors screenshot.
If you want more voices in a thread, the honest options are disclosure and patience: answer as yourself, say who you are, and let real users agree or not.
Frequently asked questions
Is it against Reddit rules to have two accounts?
No. Reddit allows multiple accounts. It is against the rules to use them to vote on the same content, evade bans, inflate a community, or pose as independent people to mislead others.
What is the difference between a sockpuppet and a throwaway?
A throwaway is a temporary account used for privacy, often for one post. A sockpuppet is used to deceive others into thinking a second, independent person is involved.