Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/AfricaTanz/Archive

28 September 2014

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.
 * Editor interaction utility

An anonymous IP user from Texas has been editing on a very similar behaviour to User:AfricaTanz; who was blocked indefinitely last year. The user mostly edits Tanzania related articles. Their editing behaviour is very reminiscent to the sock master's such as adding fact tags and engaging in undoing other's edits. This time though, I feel the user has some sort of vendetta against me (probably due to the block) and seems to be stalking my edits with utmost determination. I understand the user is well aware of the 3RR rule and is determined not to get blocked and I believe that is the reason for them to edit from multiple IP addresses.

Evidences:
 * Precision Air – Africa Tanz's edit last year and Texan IP's recent edit


 * The IP user has a penchant for adding tags - a behaviour very similar to the sock master's. 1, 2, 3 and 4


 * Wikihounding: The IP has been stalking my edits, for example, the Marine Services Company Limited - it appeared as this before i started to update it to this. The IP tracked my edits and started editing to their POV the serial comma for example. Whilst I'm not claiming ownership of the article, i believe the IP user wants to repeatedly confront my additions and aims to cause me irritation to the point of disrupting my enjoyment of editing. This was followed by further stalking on Lake Victoria ferries and Indians in Kenya articles.

[Update:] The IP address is clearly continuing to stalk my edits as evidenced by their most recent contribution on: List of airlines of Kenya, Udzungwa Mountains, Jambojet, Morogoro, Central line, Lake Malawi and 2015 Tanzania election.

The IP has also resorted to their previous method of using the 3RR to threaten other users and this shows the user is well conversant with this rule as it was blocked last year. The user informed me on my talkpage about my alleged edit warring. This can be compared to AfricaTanz's threat last year. If it is proved indeed that this is AfricaTanz, it will be ironic as the blocked user last year, barred me from its page.

Past references to suggest affiliation with AfricaTanz:
 * AfricaTanz was welcomed in November 2012 by User:Psychonaut and asked them about their affiliation to the IP ranges 70.253.0.0/16 and 75.34.0.0/16.


 * An IP with similar editing behaviour was blocked last year and User:AfricaTanz was created thereafter.


 * The IP 75.34 was mentioned in a DRN.

I hope my request will be granted. I've been trying to make constructful edits but this IP's stalking is starting to get me demotivated. The editing behaviour of the user, to my understanding, indicates, without doubt, that it is indeed stalking me. Why doesn't the user find any other articles to edit within their free time? Why constantly monitor my activities? If this user had their way, the whole of the encyclopedia would be tag bombed. But yet it chooses to focus its attention on me. Please help me. Ali Fazal (talk) 08:19, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments
— Berean Hunter   (talk)  19:23, 4 October 2014 (UTC) — Berean Hunter   (talk)  20:57, 6 October 2014 (UTC)
 * - CU is not used to publically connect accounts to IP addresses, per the privacy policy. -- DQ   (ʞlɐʇ)  16:26, 30 September 2014 (UTC)
 * The current list of IPs are somewhat outdated because the user has moved on from them. I see that there are other IPs editing those articles that you would suggest are the sockmaster? (If so, they need to be added to the above list) I see that they are adding refs and making contributions that you have been accepting. Would that be an accurate statement? I had considered placing a couple of semi-protections on target articles but if good IP contribs are being accepted that wouldn't be the best measure here I don't believe. If so, what would you have us do to help?
 * Thank you for your attention. Yes, I suspect its the same person editing these articles from a wide range of IP addresses. That would'nt be an accurate statement as the fact that i haven't removed some of the tags was because i didn't want to edit war and was awaiting the outcome of this investigation. I would request you to consider semi-protecting the target articles. Thanks. Ali Fazal (talk) 18:43, 6 October 2014 (UTC)
 * I've semi-protected some articles for a month and added PC1 as well. Closing.

10 December 2014

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.
 * Editor interaction utility

The User continues to use a range of IP addresses (of Austin, Texas origin). A past investigation was also conducted against him/her: Sockpuppet investigations/AfricaTanz/Archive. The blocked User:AfricaTanz continues to harbour some sort of vendetta against me possibly due to our past differences. The editorial habits are very similar to the master e.g. overzealous and excessive use of tags and wiki hounding my edits - which the IP 75.44.28.218 has most recently done; some of these articles are: Tanzanian general election, 2015, JNIA, Natural Gas Revenue Fund, Economy of Tanzania and Tanzania. This has led to disruption of my own enjoyment of editing. I do request these articles be semi-protected. Thank you for your time. Ali Fazal (talk) 11:22, 10 December 2014 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.'' Note that there are several more IPs being used besides the two listed in this SPI report. If a block for sockpuppetry or edit-warring is warranted, then it will have to be a range block. —Psychonaut (talk) 11:40, 10 December 2014 (UTC)
 * Editing patterns for the IPs seem to match those of User:AfricaTanz—they all have a preference for the same articles (Economy of Tanzania, Visa requirements for Tanzanian citizens, Precision Air, etc.) and for Tanzania in general. The accusatory edit summaries and focus on User:Alifazal are likewise similar.  The IPs are in the same range as some previously blocked for edit warring and believed to be User:AfricaTanz (see evidence from the previous SPI report).

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * The ranges appear a bit to wide for me to feel comfortable with blocking them. I've semi-protected five related pages for 2 weeks to help ward off the individual. Mike V  •  Talk  21:30, 12 December 2014 (UTC)

26 December 2014

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.
 * Editor interaction utility

Hi. I regret to report the block evading IP socks of User:AfricaTanz here for the third time. The user has continued his vendetta against me and my edits. I personally believe beyond any reasonable doubt that this is indeed AfricaTanz because of the following editorial behaviour:


 * Wikihounding – as most recently done by 75.34.102.210


 * The inherent tendency of not engaging with other users as indicated on its talkpage.


 * Not respecting other User's requests such as in this case; whereby requested that no edits be made in order to avoid edit conflicts but AfricaTanz wouldn't care and meddled whilst the major edit was on-going.


 * Vendetta against me and making false accusations against me.
 * For example; when correctly stated that this IP was a block evader at the WP:Airports talkpage -  he did not hesitate to reciprocate by accusing me too of block evasion today. This is tantamount to character assassination.
 * One of his other IPs had reported me to ANI. But as you can see, the result was contrary to its own expectation. protected that page; and as  stated that I wasn't the problem, but the block evading sock was.


 * Irrefutable proof (?)
 * The blockee AfricaTanz had banned me from its userpage in June last year citing my alleged incivility. This month, it did the same to and making crude remarks on its edit summary.
 * A comparable behaviour can be observed on the talkpages of both the master and the socks i.e. deleting comments made by other users: Deletion by the Master and IP sock. Whilst the user has the right to own their talkpages; such behaviors shows that both of them cannot tolerate other users opinions and hence believe in deleting the comments rather than archiving it.

Requests:
 * Can I please request you to undo this false accusation that the user had made against me: 1 and 2. This is hurtful indeed; meant to discredit me. You may request a check user to confirm this. This is indeed de-moralising. Can we allow such accusatory behaviour to prevail?


 * It appears to me that AfricaTanz is here to cause disruption. It selects a number of users to "deal with" and appears to gain immense pleasure in hounding their edits. I find this to be morally repugnant. I would therefore urge you to please do something about this block evading sock who edits from the State of Texas. If a range block cannot be made; can I urge you to please consider making an indefinite protection on these articles as per Protection_policy; in order to deter this block evading IP-hopper:
 * Index of Tanzania-related articles
 * LGBT rights in Texas
 * LGBT rights in Tanzania
 * Christianity in Tanzania
 * Harriet Mayanja-Kizza
 * National electoral calendar 2015
 * Moldovan parliamentary election, 2014
 * Buddhism in Tanzania
 * ZANU–PF
 * India–Tanzania relations
 * Yoweri Museveni
 * Foreign relations of Nigeria
 * List of wealthiest people in Tanzania
 * Ngerengere Air Force Base
 * Zanzibar
 * Dar es Salaam
 * Kilimanjaro International Airport
 * Air Tanzania
 * Precision Air
 * Mount Kilimanjaro
 * Religion in Tanzania
 * January Makamba
 * Jakaya Kikwete
 * Roman Catholicism in Tanzania
 * Serengeti National Park
 * Islam in Tanzania
 * Ngorongoro Conservation Area
 * List of wealthiest people in Uganda
 * Zanzibar House of Representatives
 * Human rights in Tanzania
 * Tourism in Tanzania
 * Visa requirements for Tanzanian citizens
 * Visa policy of Tanzania
 * Moshi, Tanzania
 * History of Tanzania
 * Godfrey Mwakikagile
 * International School Moshi

I thank you for your time and hope that this time, your decision will be more stringent to ensure that a stern message be sent to block evading socks that such abhorrent behaviour will not be allowed here. Ali Fazal (talk) 15:55, 26 December 2014 (UTC)
 * Can I also request these articles be included too which had been formerly protected (some of which will expire today):
 * Tanzania
 * Julius Nyerere International Airport
 * Tanzanian general election, 2015
 * Marine Services Company Limited
 * Economy of Tanzania

In support of the above report, I added three IPs where the user barged in while I was actively editing and started to erase my edits without leaving a comment. The articles are: List of wealthiest people in Tanzania, Patrick Bitature and Harriet Mayanja-Kizza. Thanks. Fsmatovu (talk) 17:44, 28 December 2014 (UTC)
 * In support of User:Alifazal

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Being dealt with by Special:AbuseFilter/651. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 12:44, 27 December 2014 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets



 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.
 * Editor interaction utility

There's been a complaint at Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents about this IP account's behaviour (tendentious editing, edit warring). Checking the account's contributions, I see the same behaviour and editing interests as AfricaTanz (and his socks). In particular, both accounts are concerned primarily with Africa-related topics, and in particular Tanzania, airlines, and LGBT rights. This IP, like the previous IPs, geolocates to Texas. Please consider a rangeblock and/or updating the Special:AbuseFilter/651. Psychonaut (talk) 15:07, 22 September 2016 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * This is extremely obvious block evasion. The IP appears very sticky, so I've blocked it for 6 months.-- Jezebel's Ponyo bons mots 20:19, 22 September 2016 (UTC)