Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Quantummech/Archive

Evidence submitted by BullRangifer

 * Colorpuncture history


 * Sockpuppetry thread


 * Talk:Colorpuncture


 * One of the socks filed a vandalism report against me. It was of course removed as "spurious".


 * Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Medicine


 * New contributors' help page


 * Editor assistance/Requests

The main problems here are edit warring at Colorpuncture, possible block evasion, and using sockpuppets or meatpuppets. Other faults are attempts to remove sourced criticism, use of the article for advocacy and promotion, and flagrant addition of unsourced and poorly sourced content. He seems to think that the article should read like a sales brochure for Colorpuncture, a fringe alternative medicine practice, and that NPOV means that no negative content can be included, which of course would violate NPOV which requires the inclusion of well-sourced criticisms.

Some of the policies and guidelines that cover this situation are WP:MEDRS, NPOV, WP:Fringe theories, Category:Pseudoscience, WP:Advocacy.

Roger Zimmerman owns a company that produces and promotes Colorpuncture equipment. He engaged in disruptive editing and (later) claimed to have used his family members to help him. These meatpuppets then engaged in more disruptive editing. His claims that they were his family members wasn't believed by all, and no matter what, they were all engaged in blockable offences and were blocked. Note that Roger Zimmerman continually lied and denied that he was engaged in sockpuppeting. It was only after CU proved the connection that he started backpedalling and coming up with other explanations. The current sockmaster is also denying everything and claiming to be a newbie, just like Roger did. That may be true, but considering Roger Zimmerman's past here, we can't take any denials at face value.

Another possibility is that we're dealing with a newbie trio of socks who aren't directly related to Roger, but who are engaged in nearly identical behaviors and arguments directed at parts of the article which they don't like. In that case, they should be dealt with and/or blocked on their own (de)merits. They came at the same time and engaged in tag team editing and reverting in what seemed a clear case of attempts to avoid violating 3RR. All three accounts have received warnings for edit warring from admins.

Quantummech has admitted here that a friend was also editing the article.

I started by placing sock templates on their user pages, but at the time wasn't able to immediately follow up here. Now I'm making a formal request for investigation. The edits for the two suspected socks are still fresh enough for investigation. The IP doesn't resolve to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which is the location of Roger Zimmerman's company, and the location of a previous IP sock, but any possible connection between these three accounts still needs to be investigated. -- Brangifer (talk) 17:23, 13 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Let's see some action on this case before it gets stale. -- Brangifer (talk) 07:44, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Further action needed
Thanks for investigating this. What about the IP? Is it related to one of them? Are they going to be warned that edit warring and the use of socks and meatpuppets to avoid 3RR is forbidden here? They should stick to one account. -- Brangifer (talk) 04:06, 16 December 2009 (UTC)


 * Thanks for dealing effectively with this situation. Let's hope that the one account will end up becoming a constructive editor. So far they seem to have little understanding of how things work here, but then we have all started somewhere. -- Brangifer (talk) 04:38, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Comments by accused parties
See Defending yourself against claims.

CheckUser requests
Requested by NW ( Talk ) 18:11, 13 December 2009 (UTC)

MuZemike 02:48, 14 December 2009 (UTC)

Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
and are  related to each other, but they appear ❌ to RogerZimmerman. RZ is in a different city about 2000 km from the others, and the UAs are different. J.delanoy gabs adds 00:13, 16 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Case moved from Sockpuppet investigations/Quantummech. If they turn out not to be related, please spin the case back out. NW ( Talk ) 18:11, 13 December 2009 (UTC)
 * Case spun back out to Sockpuppet investigations/Quantummech from Sockpuppet investigations/Roger13Zimmerman. NW ( Talk ) 00:14, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Conclusions

 * I have blocked the sock indefinitely and the master account for three days. I believe that should be enough, regardless of whether or not the IP is indeed this person. NW ( Talk ) 04:19, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

I am flabbergasted. Is it not allowed for people who know each other to edit articles? I do know Schaon but he was editing on his own. Even if we had been talking to each other while editing (which we weren't) why would that be wrong if the goal is to get good sourced info on wiki - people working together can be a good thing. Clearly there are quite a few contributors and watch dogs on this article - are they socks or meat for each other then if they agree or support each others positions (which they have). Perhaps they do not know each other outside of wiki but clearly are very familiar with each other within wiki and are working together to accuse newbies. I do know Schaon experienced multiple and immediate reverts and did not know what he was doing wrong as did I - thought hadn't saved right or somethng. What I most don't understand is this unwelcoming and accusatory environment. I for one would appreciate my name being cleared and an apology. Quantummech (talk) 20:25, 22 December 2009 (UTC)


 * See WP:SORRY: Sometimes it is better to wait for an apology, instead of demanding one. –MuZemike 23:47, 22 December 2009 (UTC)