Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/MJC59/Archive

21 June 2011

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.

As soon as the main account was blocked for 3RR, the IP address continued the same patter of disruptive editing on Cornwall (see the recent edit history). I think it is very clear that this is the same editor - especially given this threat made earlier today where the user states "...I will continue to change the wording..." i.e. making it clear that regardless of what other editors thought he/she would press ahead with the disruptive pattern of editing. Simple Boba.k.a. The Spaminator (Talk) 21:56, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

Just added for vandalism to Cornwall and a similar rambling/ranting edit summary to the user's talk page postings. --Simple Boba.k.a. The Spaminator (Talk) 23:25, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

I am less certain about but the pattern is similar enough to raise suspicion. --Simple Boba.k.a. The Spaminator (Talk) 23:33, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

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

ain't no clearer duck on the planet... Choyoołʼįįhí:Seb az86556 > haneʼ 23:29, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - This is a WP:DUCK case, but I would like to see CU attention to see if there are any other accounts, as the accounts listed were created before the block, so they've been sitting around. Sh i r ik  ( Questions or Comments? ) 05:48, 22 June 2011 (UTC)
 * One more thing (to the filer) please note that it is generally inappropriate for checkusers to reveal information about IPs. Such a request would normally be declined, but I revised the request as above. Sh i r ik  ( Questions or Comments? ) 05:50, 22 June 2011 (UTC)

✅ that are the same person. There is IMHO enough of a thematic overlap to make this improper use of multiple accounts, I would say. The overlap on that AfD is not problematic though. Socks should be blocked indefinitely, the master account needs more consideration. , who has been blocked for sockpuppetry, is clearly ❌ to those accounts. I can find no use of multiple accounts there. The IP named above is again ❌ to any other accounts named. I also note that the claim made by Simple Bob in the report above is simply false: The IP edited in parallel with the MJC59 account, and never edited once MJC59 was blocked for edit warring! Regarding the comment by Seb az86556, I do not see particularly close resemblance between the edits made by IP and account. They both refer to the County status of Cornwall, but the details are very different. The claim that there "ain't no clearer duck on the planet" is nonsense. WP:DUCK is tricky, and produces lots of false positives if you apply this in disputes like this one. Amalthea 11:21, 22 June 2011 (UTC)


 * That's interesting, I did think about Govynn. So clearly he is the sockmaster as the other accounts succeeded him. WIll you block him as sockpuppet too? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Simple Bob (talk • contribs) 11:29, 22 June 2011 (UTC)
 * I leave that decision to another admin. As indicated, I believe this account warrants some consideration. While there is a thematic overlap and at least Anglo-Cornish was edited by two accounts of the same person, the motivation should be at the core of those considerations. Were the other accounts used to mislead, deceive, disrupt, or create the illusion of greater support for a position? And would blocking the master account prevent future problems? Amalthea  11:40, 22 June 2011 (UTC)

Post-mortem
I'd actually be very interested to know what lead editors to the conclusion that the edits made by these accounts must all have come from the same person? Amalthea 11:41, 22 June 2011 (UTC)
 * This is probably partially my fault, and I'll learn from this mistake. I noticed similarities in the editing styles and join dates of the sockpuppets, and blocked accordingly. After seeing the WP:EW block on the suspected master, I didn't look much further and assumed the connection after having been convinced about the sockpuppets. It's unfortunate that this is quite similar to McCarthyism and I attribute it to spending too much time in this area. I'll be a little more careful in the future. I've restored the original block parameters. -- Sh i r ik ( Questions or Comments? ) 01:47, 23 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Um... alright. I've blocked Muggetypie as a sock per these findings, but I'm leaving Govynn alone. I think we're done...? —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 02:54, 29 June 2011 (UTC)