Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/KlayCax/Archive

Suspected sockpuppets
KlayCax and OntologicalTree have very similar editing styles. They're both almost totally focused on circumcision related articles. OntologicalTree made ten quick edits to non protected pages so he could jump into editing a semi-protected page 36 minutes after making an account. Other similarities I'll write below:

Overuse of Minor Edits

A quick view of OntologicalTree's edits and KlayCax's edits shows a preponderance of minor edits that aren't minor. For example and.

Common use of 'trim' and 'verbose' in edit summaries

OntologicalTree likes to use 'trim' 3 times at, , and , and uses 'verbose' 3 times here and. KlayCax uses 'trim' 12 times in, , , , , , , etc, and uses 'verbose' 2 times in  and.

Using the same studies

Both users refer to Morris and Cox's studies to dispute the ridged band here and here. They both also keep referring to Morris in their edit summaries, although obviously this isn't a slam dunk.

el al.

OntologicalTree's new account already used it twice in summaries here and here. KlayCax used it 12 times, for example here and here.

Cblackbu1 and possible false canvassing

Cblackbu1 made a report about outside canvassing here. Like I posted in the talk page I think it's reasonable to check to see if KlayCax is the owner of Cblackbu1. Stix1776 (talk) 03:14, 5 April 2022 (UTC)
 * If unlikely, then I'll drop it. Sorry to waste everyone's time. Maybe I was just paranoid. Stix1776 (talk) 21:44, 10 April 2022 (UTC)

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

Hey! Saw that I got tagged in this and I wanted to clear some things up.


 * First of all, CBlackBu1 and the rest are simply not my accounts.


 * A checkuser will see that I briefly edited this account on a university internet connection between the creation of my account and December 2021. As explained in earlier comments on here, I also contributed on it under the name of AxiosDrive; this account is retired, permanently inactive, and followed Wikipedia's guidelines on alternative accounts while it was active.


 * I'll respond in more detail when I get back tonight to the specific allegations and "coincidences" Stix1776 is claiming.


 * Update: Checkuser has already been performed. So realize that this part has become somewhat redundant. KlayCax (talk) 13:36, 10 April 2022 (UTC)


 * I'm willing to provide IRL information to verify my identity and establish that I'm an individual person between me and CBlackBu1/OntologicalTree — if it is needed or requested. Thanks! KlayCax (talk) 17:43, 9 April 2022 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * , please consider reading through WP:OUTING. Primefac (talk) 18:25, 5 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Agreed with Primefac; you need to review this policy page before creating any more discussions or reports.  ~Oshwah~  (talk) (contribs)   01:35, 6 April 2022 (UTC)
 * I'm very sorry. I didn't think that linking a private reddit profile would fail OUTING, but I'll be more careful in the future. Stix1776 (talk) 02:50, 6 April 2022 (UTC)


 * - Please compare KlayCax and OntologicalTree, per the evidence in the filing. I don't think there is enough evidence to endorse a check on Cblackbu1. Thanks, Spicy (talk) 17:08, 9 April 2022 (UTC)
 * - different devices, different IPs, the different in the former potentially explaining the difference in the latter but the point being there is no smoking gun. Primefac (talk) 17:44, 9 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Closing without action given the CU result. Thanks, Spicy (talk) 14:50, 11 April 2022 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
(SNSP) is a new account, created on 7 November during a one-week block on 's (KC) account. Since then, SNSP has made over 40% of their edits to pages edited by KC (log). The overlap is primarily in three contentious topics: current American politics, genitalia/circumcision, and Catholic-LGBT issues. In each of these spaces, both KC and SNSP take what might be considered a "liberal" view. A review of editing times (KC, SNSP) reveals substantial overlap. For a new editor, SNSP is familiar with concepts like and. Like KC, SNSP likes pushing the limit. Two other editors, the admin who blocked KC, have endorsed this SPI's opening. ( also mentioned another editor who seems similar in naming conventions and behavior to SNSP, but this third account's interactions make me feel like they are most likely unrelated.) ~ Pbritti (talk) 22:29, 21 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Also, in the prior investigation, the word "trim" came up. Tenuous, but SNSP has it. ~ Pbritti (talk) 22:44, 21 December 2023 (UTC)
 * thanks for endorsing but when you said that makes it likely that they are a new user, did you mean "makes it unlikely"? Sorry to ping. Best, ~ Pbritti (talk) 04:18, 22 December 2023 (UTC)

Comments by other users

 * Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

Willing to privately share my IRL picture if needed. The only thing I did is follow a user's edits to further make contributions.

Checkuser me with StardustToStardust and KlayCax. ShirtNShoesPls (talk) 23:24, 21 December 2023 (UTC)


 * KlayCax stated he would give "provide IRL information to verify my identity" a year ago when a situation like this arose. Could you give a picture of yourself holding up a sign of your username? I will do same. ShirtNShoesPls (talk) 23:42, 21 December 2023 (UTC)


 * I am checking on the status of @KlayCax block since they were called on to respond in an important talk page discussion and RfC still ongoing. When will their block expire and the user be allowed to respond to the material on the RfC? Iljhgtn (talk) 15:04, 5 January 2024 (UTC)
 * My apologies if this is not the correct place to ask this question. Iljhgtn (talk) 15:04, 5 January 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Just as a provisional comment before I step out (may clerk this later, may not), I agree with Pbritti that there isn't a strong case for Prcc27's suggestion of . EIA shows at least two direct conflicts between KC and STS, and while "3D chess" sockuppetry like that does happen, it's quite rare, so we'd need very strong evidence to pursue an investigation on that front. No comment for now on the main allegation. -- Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 22:39, 21 December 2023 (UTC)
 * SNSP's account was created on 7 November through an account creation request, and after a few weeks' dormancy they dove immediately into hot-button areas. At a minimum, that makes it un likely that they are a new user. Between the topic-area overlap (relatively distinctive although far from dispositive) and similar writing styles, I see a plausible case that this is sockpuppetry—about 50/50. That is enough to justify a check, so . -- Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 04:16, 22 December 2023 (UTC) corrected per Pbritti 04:20, 22 December 2023 (UTC)
 * KlayCax and ShirtNShoesPls are very . Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 07:24, 22 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Thanks, Callan. Have you ever edited Wikipedia under another username or as an unregistered (IP) user? --  Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 06:01, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
 * Both.
 * I edited Wikipedia articles for high school. It was often assigned by my teacher for an AP class. I have not had access or used the account for years. It was for a computer lab class.
 * We'd be given a subject to chose from and we'd have to expand the article to the best of our abilities for credit. ShirtNShoesPls (talk) 06:35, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
 * @ShirtNShoesPls: Do you recall your past username, and if so are you willing to share it? -- Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 08:11, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
 * I can email you the high school. ShirtNShoesPls (talk) 03:18, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
 * @ShirtNShoesPls: The high school name won't elucidate much. Is there a reason you can't share the account's name? -- Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 00:39, 31 December 2023 (UTC)
 * The username is very close to my full legal name. (Essentially, I'm afraid I will be doxed or otherwise retaliated against.) ShirtNShoesPls (talk) 07:45, 31 December 2023 (UTC)
 * I've thought about this and talked to a few others. Among the three accounts under discussion, something feels off here, but there's nothing I can action at this time. So closing. -- Tamzin  &#91;cetacean needed&#93; (they&#124;xe&#124;she) 06:14, 11 January 2024 (UTC)