Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Wikaviani/Archive

Suspected sockpuppets



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Some of the evidence needs some context to understand, so please bear with me. I have a long history of dispute with Wikaviani on Jabir ibn Hayyan: the talk pages from the last 1.5 years are almost entirely filled with this dispute (my early edits were as an IP starting with 2A02:1811:C1E:BE00). The very first edit I made in main space was reverted after less than an hour by 185.253.120.0/24, for whom this was also one of their first edits. Apart from reverting my edits twice more, the user of that IP range systematically opposed my proposals on the talk page without engaging in any argument. This blanket opposition led to a stalemate which I at the time believed was abused by Wikaviani to accuse us both of edit-warring, asking page protection, and put himself in the position of being able to review any change before it is made. I never suspected anything behind this (it should also be noted that I myself specifically invited Wikaviani, since he was the most active editor on the article at the time), but I recently found out that:


 * the only later edit made by the IP range 185.253.120.0/24 was to support an RfC started by Wikaviani.


 * the user of the IP range writes the first person pronoun "I" in lower case ("i"), just like Wikaviani (e.g.,, , , ; this is found in all his comments on Wiki talk pages). Note also the use of "stuffs" and the emphasis on reliable sources here and here.

The most recent dispute between Wikaviani and me at the talk page of Jabir ibn Hayyan took us to DRN, where after a week of arguing Wikaviani stated that he did not wish to discuss with me anymore, entirely giving up the concerns about which he had been discussing with me for more than a week. Less than 24 hours later, 103.115.184.0/24 started to systematically revert edits made by me, making 28 main space edits in three hours total, all targeted at edits by me. The last one of those main space edits was at Jabir ibn Hayyan, reverted by Wikaviani. Again, I suspected nothing, engaging with the IP user at their talk page and various article talk pages, even asking advice at the Teahouse. However, when I found out that the IP range was blocked as a proxy, I did become suspicious, and embarked on some research. It appears that:


 * the IP range 103.115.184.0/24 has mainly been active on pages where Wikaviani has also been active: Ayran, 6.6% authorship and 14.7% of edits; Zaza language, 4 edits; First Perso-Turkic War, 4 edits; Second Perso-Turkic War, 3 edits; The Australian, 1 edit (this is before 17 March; all edits from that day were targeted at my edits).


 * the IP range repeatedly and explicitly tried to represent themselves as a new or inexperienced editor, even while showing advanced knowledge of wiki terminology right from the bat , and having no problem with adding complex source formatting , describing this as "improved cites".


 * the IP range supported an RfC at The Australian in which Wikaviani was the first to !vote support. Wikaviani was quite active in that article around the time of the RfC, and the IP range edited the article twice in the same period to align it with the RfC.


 * the IP range edited an article "per wikiviani's comment on the talk page".


 * the IP range was co-responsible for creating the disruption at Jabir ibn Hayyan that put Wikaviani in the position to ask for page protection as described above.


 * the user of the IP range writes (e.g.,, , , , ) the first person pronoun "I" in lower case ("i"), just like Wikaviani (e.g., , , , ; this is found in all his comments on Wiki talk pages).

I tried for the longest time to hold on to the thought that my suspicions about sock-puppetry would probably turn out to be incorrect, or to be slight indications at the most. However, as I searched more, the evidence piled up, and I honestly do not see how all of the above can be explained in any other way. Apaugasma (talk&#124;contribs) 14:29, 18 March 2021 (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

 * My impression is that Wikaviani and the IPs are not the same person, mostly based on their fairly different edit summary styles. My guess is that the recent editor in the 103 range is Iranian, which might explain their use of proxies. I cannot give you a definitive answer one way or the other as to whether Wikaviani is actively working with the IP editor or they just happen to have some interests in common. Closing without action. GeneralNotability (talk) 01:18, 19 March 2021 (UTC)