In Internet forums, the use of multiple accounts (commonly known as “vests”) to self-support or attack others usually involves unethical or even illegal strategies. The following are some common operating methods and their potential effects, but it should be emphasized that these behaviors violate the rules of most platforms, may destroy community trust and cause legal risks. The purpose of understanding these strategies should be limited to identification and prevention, not imitation. --- ###**Common strategies and methods** 1. **Ask and answer yourself (manipulate public opinion)** -Use the main account to post questions or opinions, and then “support” yourself through other accounts to create false consensus. For example, using multiple accounts to like, comment, or forward, makes the topic seem to be widely recognized. 2. **Collective siege (cyberbullying)** -Use multiple accounts to insult, taunt, or physically attack the target user, create the illusion of “most people oppose”, and force the other party to be silent or withdraw from the discussion. 3. **Falsification of identity (reverse stigmatization)** -Register an account similar to the target user (such as confusing uppercase and lowercase or special characters), post extreme remarks to frame the other party, and damage its reputation. 4. **Manipulate voting and scoring** - Swiping votes and bad reviews through multiple accounts to influence the voting results or content sorting of the forum (such as topping/sinking specific posts). 5. **Shift focus (confuse eyes and ears)** -When the views of the main account are questioned, use other accounts to post irrelevant or inflammatory content to divert the attention of the community. 6. **Abuse reporting mechanism** -Maliciously report the normal speech of the target user through multiple accounts, and use platform rules to delete their content or block their accounts. 7. **Falsification of evidence (screenshots tampered with)** -Use the vest account to fabricate conversation records or screenshots, spread false information to attack others, and use other accounts to spread. 8. **Long-term latent (emotional manipulation)** - Disguise some accounts as neutral users and lurk in the community for a long time, waiting for the opportunity to selectively support or oppose specific topics. --- ###**Technical aids** -**IP circumvention**: Use VPN, proxy server or different devices to hide the real IP and avoid the platform's multi-account detection. -**Automated tools**: Register accounts in batches through scripts or robots, automatically like/comment, and improve attack efficiency. -**Identity camouflage**: Fake email address, mobile phone number or social media associated account number to bypass the platform's identity verification. --- ###**Potential consequences** 1. **Impact on the community** -Destroy the fairness of discussions, leading to the loss of high-quality users and the deterioration of the community ecology. 2. **Risk to the attacker** -Account blocking, IP blocking, legal accountability (if it involves slander, cyber violence). 3. **Damage to the target** -Psychological pressure, reputation damage, and even offline conflicts. --- ###**How to prevent and respond** -**Platform supervision**: Identify the vest account through IP monitoring and behavior analysis (such as similar operation time/content). -**User reporting**: Encourage community members to report suspicious accounts and clean up violations in a timely manner. -**Technical defense**: Restrict the permissions of new accounts (such as posting frequency and voting weight), and strengthen real-name authentication. -**Personal response**: Avoid entanglement with the vest account, keep evidence and complain to the platform. --- ###**Summary** The use of multiple accounts to manipulate public opinion or attack others is essentially a fraudulent act that uses asymmetric information. Its short-term effects may seem effective, but it will seriously damage personal reputation and community health in the long run. The anonymity of the Internet should not become an “umbrella” for evil-doing. Maintaining an open and fair discussion environment requires platforms and users to jointly resist such strategies.