Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Agljones/Archive

18 June 2015

 * Suspected sockpuppets

Summary: Editor 11thmilestone appeared as an independent editor during April-June, but on 16 June abruptly adopts distinctive phrasing and tone of editor Agljones. Both edit almost exclusively in the topic area of Isle of Man TT motor-cycle racing. Links are apparent in photographs taken and uploaded to Wikipedia. After being questioned on 16 June on whether they are one person using multiple accounts, no direct answer is provided.

The two are listed as separate members of WikiProject Isle of Man and also of WikiProject Motorcycling. They have both edited at Windy Corner, Isle of Man, at its Talk page, and at List of named corners of the Snaefell Mountain Course. (Right now wmflabs is not responding so the Editor Interaction Analyzer is not available to give a more complete report on overlaps.)
 * Background

Editor 11thmilestone first edited in numerous edits to the Isle of Man TT area during January 2008 but did not edit again until 13 April 2015. From then to 16 June they edited, again almost exclusively on Isle of Man TT related articles. Agljones edited first in 2006. Both have created and developed articles on individual "named corners" of the Isle of Man TT course; other Wikipedia editors have questioned their notability at AfDs. Numerous (dozens?) of separate articles have been redirected, deleted by PROD and/or AfD'ed. A prominent one is "Windy Corner" (article created by Agljones, defended by Agljones at its November 2014 AfD (which closed "no consensus"), defended by Agljones Dec 2014-February 2015 at its Talk page throughout RFC (closed "Merge to the Snaefell Mountain Course article's named corner section"), restored as an independent article by 11thmilestone on 10 May and developed in edits by 11thmilestone to 15 June).

List of named corners of the Snaefell Mountain Course was created by Doncram in draft form shortly after the Windy Corner RFC concluded. (With hope that it would help lower the temperature by providing support for linked substantive articles on individual named corners and as a more suitable target for redirection of those that remain sub-stubs.) Agljones has opposed development by Doncram of that list-article (see history of more than 100 edits at its Talk page split between Agljones and Doncram);  Agljones has deleted passages or all contents of the list-article itself in more than 50 edits. On 16 June 11thmilestone edited at List of named corners of the Snaefell Mountain Course for the first time, in 2 edits deleting passages in the same style as Agljones has done repeatedly.
 * Similarity: deletions at list-article

At the Windy Corner article, 11thmilestone's first ever edit at the Talk page was this edit at 20:50 15 June. From that edit I noticed similarity and suspected the two were one editor. I posed the question to them both at Talk:Windy Corner, Isle of Man (9:33 16 June), plus I also made requests at Agljones talk page and at 9:40 16 June at 11thmilestone's Talk page. The response of 11thmilestone response at their Talk page calls me a disruptive editor, speaks of editor "AGLJON" as being a different person, raises a bizarre counter-accusation that I myself use multiple accounts, and blusters further with a biblical citation (that when you look it up seems to be suggesting they expect I will be relegated to hell rather than heaven upon my demise). This is surprisingly strong from an editor who had never once addressed me previously, or even commented at any Talk page I had posted on, as far as I can tell. Their Talk page showed only my welcoming them in April 19, then commenting positively on June 10 and June 12, and no response by them (besides a blanking, quickly-self-reverted) or anyone else before my question on 16 June.
 * Response to question: Are you using multiple accounts?

Agljones did not reply at their talk page (and has not since otherwise edited there). On 17 June posts at my Talk page with no response about the multiple accounts, but giving another collection of imperatives: Do not make personal attacks anywhere in Wikipedia WP:NA Do not use my talkpages for personal attacks or user my talkpage to converse with another editor. Do not make any threats of taking action on Wikipedia and… .Do not contact me about this issue again. In respect to the British-English style, either familiarise yourself with these issues or do not edit articles with British-English. Perhaps you should familiarise withWP:Competence and in particular WP:DISRUPTSIGNS. In regard to flags Wikipedia states that "Many editors, however, feel that the UK's subnations in particular are an exception in sporting contexts." Finally, again, do not make any further personal attacks, comments or make any allegations. WP:NA. [emphasis as in the orginal]

They had been asked a question directly, firmly, and politely enough, and have provided no explanation. Neither responded with a Yes-No answer. Agljones neither denies nor admits it, and I interpret 11thmilestones' referring to Agljones as an attempted denial, albeit to be charitable perhaps only a half-hearted one, towards continued deception.

The similarity I noticed was this long edit by 11thmilestone, who had never edited on the page before It made the argument Agljones had used (that local mentions of the place suffice to establish it is notable as a general area and not merely a bend in the road). It introduced onto that Talk page the same haranguing wording that characterizes Agljones' participation at the list-article--11thmilestone wrote:"Do not apply your own (WP:OWN) policy in re-editing content from the Windy Corner when it is included in the list corners Snaefell Mountain Course. What you describe as sources being “inconsequential or completely irrelevant” in the Windy Corner article are now acceptable when you include the information in the list article Snaefell Mountain Corners. Do not summarize content from other articles as you have stated previously as it may be considered as plagiarism which is not acceptable by Wikipedia. Do not apply your own (WP:OWN) policy in redirecting articles to your list of Snaefell Mountain Course to support whimsical or flippant content which again you have already previously defined as “inconsequential or completely irrelevant.” Do not nominate articles for deletion such as Laurel Bank ..."
 * Main similarity: haranguing

Agljones has 34 usages of “Do not ..” as an imperative in current (permalinked) version of Talk:List of named corners of the Snaefell Mountain Course (search on “do not”, drop the non-imperatives out of 53 total occurrences). For example: “Do not use photographs with copyright issues”… “Do not use personal comments in respect to “disrespect.” Do not prejudge any potential comments with personal comments and show a neutral point of view to any other potential of view and again do not pre-judge another editor that has made repeated AFD nominations and unauthorised, respective deletions of articles. / Do not set your own WP:OWN editing policy…".

Another similarity is the fact of 11thmilestone adopting Agljones' practice of calling "vandalism". I had noted with concern 11thmilestone referring to “vandalism” in edit summaries at the Windy Corner article: and This was taking up the usage of Agljones at the List-article:
 * Similarity: claims of "vandalism"
 * (21:35, 10 June 2015) “Restoring article after VANDALISM. Alleged deficiencies addressed and article rewritten including OR problems resolved. No previous "Consensus" and editor WP:NOW policy”)
 * (15:46, 13 June 2015) “Restore article after Vandalism (Merger was about road feature and article is a geographical feature and issue of "independent notability" has been resolved…[more]]
 * 6-April Agljones: “Restoring article Vandalism by editor Doncram (section 2 & 3 of revised list to follow in next 3 months” (first accusation of vandalism)
 * 17-April Agljones: “Removing duplicated information and "clutter". Restoring list article after vandalism”
 * 19-April Doncram: “revert to full list-article, i.e. version of 12 April. It is nonsense, sorry, to term that version "vandalism". See Talk page for comments on how removal of all coordinates, notes, footnotes seems...not right.”
 * 20-April Agljones: “Redesigned list with less "clutter" after VANDALISM and improved design elements aimed at end-user. Removing; inaccurate, duplicated and incorrect information. Removing problems with Low-level literacy and conflict with British-English style”
 * 10-May Agljones: “Full Table with emphasis on simplicity, improved design and removing "Clutter", incorrect and badly written information (Removing VANDALISM )”
 * 17-June Agljones (after the issue of multiple accounts issue was raised): “Full-Table restored after VANDALISM removing….

I had believed at first that 11thmilestone was a separate person, and was concerned that there could be even more local persons perceiving injustice and following Agljones' lead to claim "vandalism", until I saw the long, haranguing edit of June 15.

Further, editor Rocknrollmancer reported other evidence: “comparative images allegedly from two editors, both in the same place using the same camera, both uploading to Wikipedia not Commons : “So - two different Wikipedia contributors, both contributing to IoM-only articles, both taking the same images from the same viewpoint, at the exact same point in real time, using the same model of Canon PowerShot SX120 IS camera, both uploading to Wikipedia instead of Wikimedia Commons????”
 * Photographs and attribution evidence

Also Agljones is contributor of photo of 11th milestone location.

I'll stop here. I believe there is one editor using two accounts, in violation of Wikipedia policy. The two-accounts behavior shows disregard for Wikipedia policies and practices and values. (That it further is part of a larger pattern of behavior that has rendered the Isle of Man coverage area unacceptable for others' participation is to be addressed in another proceeding.) --Doncram (talk) 8:12, 18 June 2015 (UTC); 13:01, 18 June 2015 (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

 * - - per the evidence presented above.  Vanjagenije   (talk)  12:05, 18 June 2015 (UTC)
 * ✅. T. Canens (talk) 16:02, 18 June 2015 (UTC)
 * Sock indef, master blocked for 6 months -- considering their clean block log and apparent "first offense", but that the sock has been around for 7+ years, this seems like a rather bad violation of our sockpuppetry policies -- however, the user HAS been around for 8+ years, so an outright indef seems like it might be too much. I'm hoping that before the 6 months is up they are able to make amends and succesfully lodge an unblock request and promise to stick to a single account.  ☺ ·   Salvidrim!   ·  &#9993;  20:16, 18 June 2015 (UTC)

31 July 2015

 * Suspected sockpuppets


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

Summary: Editor Plumstix edited at Isle of Man TT, the main subject of editor Agljones, on 24 June 2015, shortly after Agljones was blocked and sockpuppet 11thmilestone was blocked, on 18 June 2015. This appears to be blatant block evasion, and to directly contradict Agljones' claims on 12 July 2015 at their Talk page that they were not using any other account, as part of requesting unblock. Or, if edits by Agljones using Plumstix account did not explicitly contradict Agljones 12 July statements, they dovetailed very neatly into deliberate gaps (deliberate wiggle-room) in Agljones' 12 July statements, seemingly meant to deceive. Either way, editing as Plumstix while blocked is block evasion.

Evidence: The Plumstix editor's contributions include reverting an edit by 11thmilestone on 24 June 2015 and making further refinements to previous edits by 11thmilestone (Agljones sockpuppet), with no notice/explanation at Talk page of 11thmilestone or anywhere else, consistent with there being no need to communicate to anyone else (which would be the case if it is the same person). The timing of the edits are basically just after Agljones and 11thmilestone were blocked 18 June 2015. Plumstix began editing in 2008. They edited at Isle of Man TT in June 2014, then not again there until 18:43, 8 June 2015. They edited at Isle of Man TT on 10 June, 12 June, and 16 June, each time in a series of small edits like Agljones usually did. Agljones has previously stated/implied they have edited historically not logged in as well as under multiple other accounts which have never been identified; this appears to be one of those. Plumstix edited in a series of edits again, post-Agljones' block, on 24 June 2015.

When I addressed Plumstix by edit at Talk:Isle of Man TT in this June 25 2015 diff and then reverted every one of Plumstix's 24 June contributions, there was no response. There have been no further edits by Plumstix anywhere. Plumstix has no user page and having an inactive Talk page that only shows a Welcome long ago and a new Welcome by me in 2015; 11thmilestone operated that way forever, too, with no user page and having a Talk page opened by my welcoming them.

At Agljones' talk page, Agljones made assertions 12 July 2015 asserting or implying innocence since being blocked. In this diff on July 14 I called attention to apparent/potential hedging in Agljones' statement. I asked simple questions that they could answer to fill in the gaps: re his assertion he had edited not-logged in, I asked whether he had edited in another account during 18 June to 28 June (which the Plumstix account did on 24 June), and re his claim that he had not created any new accounts since being blocked I asked whether he had created other accounts previously. There was no answer; there has been no editing by Agljones since then. The general non-answering is like Agljones and 11thmilestone's behavior covered in archived SPI.

I'll stop here. There's no great urgency about this, but I just want it covered so I don't have to reconstruct details of this much later if and when the behavior continues, and in case I am not around when that happens. I also want to connect together the other article topics of interest to Plumstix to the interests of Agljones, which may be relevant in the future. -- do ncr  am  15:59, 31 July 2015 (UTC)

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

I can assure you I have never had any other accounts and am merely editing pages as I see errors. With regards to these talk pages to be honest I haven't got a clue about them, and frankly don't get into the Wikipedia thing obviously as much as you. I'm just not going to bother editing anything in future, frankly it's not worth the hassle. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Plumstix (talk • contribs) 16:54, 31 July 2015 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Plumstix is . Closing with no action taken. Mike V • Talk 15:18, 7 August 2015 (UTC)