A covert {pseudo}, sense 1. An artificial identity created in
cyberspace for nefarious and deceptive purposes. The implication is
that a single person may have multiple tentacles. This term was
originally floated in some paranoid ravings on the cypherpunks list
(see {cypherpunk}), and adopted in a spirit of irony by other, saner
members. It has since shown up, used seriously, in the documentation
for some remailer software, and is now (1994) widely recognized on
the net. Compare {astroturfing}, {sock puppet}.
[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {astroturfing}{cypherpunk}{pseudo}{sock puppet}]