Hanrahan, the term 'sock puppet' means someone pretending deception by using a different nic, pretending to be someone they aren't (like some people who respond to their own blogs under different names, to give the illusion of wide support for their opinion). This is a tactic used by a number of organisations as well as individuals. There is even software available to make it easier and more foolproof for one individual to have multiple internet identities and for multiple people to share the same internet identity and post on many different internet sites, including social networking sites.
It is not a good thing to be a sock puppet, nor to get found out. It's hardly 'obnoxious' to state the fact that sock puppets exist on the internet.
It's difficult to be a sock puppet on HC for too long, because HC prevents multiple nics. That's not to say it doesn't happen.
To clarify - I am me and only one individual, and have met HC-ers in person at an HC gathering. MobyT is not a sock puppet identity.
