Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Gilad55/Archive

12 May 2014

 * Suspected sockpuppets




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Gilad55's contributions Garrettrutledge55's contributions Revision history for Category:Ashkenazi Jews Revision history for Category:People of Jewish descent Revision history for Category:American people of Jewish descent

I became concerned about sockpuppets during a heated debate on Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Judaism that centered on whether categories like Category:American people of Jewish descent should be placed under Category:American people of Middle Eastern descent, Category:American people of Southwest Asian descent and Category:Ashkenazi Jews be placed under Category:Indigenous peoples of Western Asia. The discussion was heated, lasted nearly a month and involved many different editors.

Difference of opinion is natural, especially in this area, but all of these accounts, a) have no user page, b) edit for short periods of time (sometimes just a day) and c) have the same point of view, that all people of Jewish descent have their origins in the Middle East/Southwest Asia. This POV is not unusual and is held by some longstanding and valuable editors, so I'm just mentioning it because it is a commonality between these accounts, not that it is defining in itself. Another commonality among some accounts is labeling Wikipedia, as a project, and specific editors as being antisemitic and often their edits are reversion of edits they disagree with.

Other aspects that are suspicious are 1) several of these accounts appear exactly at the moment when the subject of Jewish origins is being debated and 2) two of the accounts' first edits were to Jewish categories, and categories is a very unlikely area of Wikipedia to begin ones editing history. For all I know, there is a debate about this Wikipedia disagreement elsewhere online and these are actually meat puppets, not socks. I spent a day searching blogs and forums and couldn't find this occurring anywhere but it's a possibility.

The reason why this SPI is important and not a fishing expedition is because the subject of Jewish descent, particularly regarding Ashkenazi Jews, is a subject of almost continual discussion. Most decisions are resolved through consensus on talk pages and so it is crucial that there be a one account:one voice situation to guide assessing consensus. I found other accounts fitting this profile going back several years but they would be considered stale so I believe all of these accounts have been active over the past year. If socks are discovered, it would be helpful if a check were done for sleeper accounts for those socks. Liz Read! Talk! 16:08, 12 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Thank you. I thought accounts were "stale" after a year but I've been told they have to have edited in the past 3 months. Liz  Read! Talk! 23:47, 19 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Thank you, Risker. I realize running these checks takes up resources and I appreciate you investigating this case. Liz  Read! Talk! 21:48, 20 May 2014 (UTC)

Comments by other users
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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - stale
 * - stale
 * - first edit is to jump into an existing editing war on a category page
 * - same as Matt Evan Carey
 * - stale
 * - same as Matt Evan Carey
 * - stale
 * - stale
 * - stale
 * - involved in similar edit wars to Matt Evan carey
 * - involved in similar edit wars
 * - involved in similar edit wars
 * - involved in similar edit wars

Someguy1221 (talk) 23:31, 19 May 2014 (UTC)
 * - Amongst the users listed are several who, as very new users, all jumped into the same or similar edit wars with Liz on category pages. I believe the evidence justifies checkuser against these users: Chailomit, Shadowstands, Matt Evan Carey, and Almasworld. Someguy1221 (talk) 23:34, 19 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Checkuser comment: No comment on the stale accounts noted above.  Of the ones highlighted by Someguy1221, they are all ❌ with no overlap in UA, IP or geolocation.  No comment on the IP addresses; however, none of them appear to be logged-out editing by accounts. One was used for pre-account editing, but that is entirely in keeping with Wikipedia rules.  Risker (talk) 03:20, 20 May 2014 (UTC)
 * As no hint of sock puppetry has been found on further investigation, I am archiving this investigation. Please re-file if behavioural evidence comes to light. AGK  [•] 18:49, 20 May 2014 (UTC)