Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets/Lizstjames


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the case of suspected sockpuppetry. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page. All edits should go to the talk page of this case. If you are seeing this page as a result of an attempt to open a new case of sockpuppetry of the same user, read this for detailed instructions.

User:Lizstjames

 * Midsyndicate
 * Plooa
 * Indigo1032
 * Star525
 * Pumpkinhead5
 * Dionyseus
 * SkinnyMcGee and Defender99 (same)

(for more recent diffs relating to confirmed puppets, please see Requests_for_checkuser/Case/Skinny_McGee.

Reason
 * To gather more info on inconclusive results of Requests_for_checkuser/Case/Skinny_McGee, I am requesting another check to include older users and policy abuse. I may have accidentally reported a puppet to be a master and missed the master account upon first try. Peacekpr 04:34, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

diffs
 * 67.140.86.158 made edit that is same promotional material as  posted by Lizstjames.
 * After promotional material was rv, 67.140.86.158 posted same again
 * Same material again rv by Midsyndicate who claims to be Edward Douglas  (band founder) which shows that he is editing his own bio and also indicates his disfavor of former partner.
 * 162.40.19.208 refers to "disgruntled former business partner" in summary. ...
 * Skinny_McGee's numerous reversions and removal of verifiable sources also are summarized with "disgruntled business partner"  which indicate that Skinny McGee and 162.40.19.208 and Midsyndicate, if not same, are all working under same agenda.
 * Dionyseus and SkinnyMcGee kept reverting this report even as I was attempting to post it.

Comments
 * Once this is done, I intend to evaluate material in article and either request mediation or arbitration. Peacekpr 04:34, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Abuse
 * Self-promotion: Article is rife with self-promotion on the part of current band members and cross-linking between businesses they deal with. Looking back further in history there is strong suspicion that it may have begun with User:Lizstjames (band promoter who is referenced on the band's website), User:Midsyndicate who claims to be band founder Edward Douglas, which shows that he is editing his own bio and also indicates his disfavor of former partner, and by certain IPs above ALL pointing to Chardon, Ohio, home base of the subject Midnight_Syndicate article.
 * Altering/removal of cited materials: references cited by users have been removed or context altered in order to present a deceptive view of actual events. They claim it is defamatory, however, upon further review it appears true, just not flattering (further explanation below).
 * The talk page was also archived by Skinny McGee but done so in a manner (using improper "\" instead of "/" that hides diffs and makes it impossible to link back to current talks (also claiming it to be "inactive" material).
 * Others, if not socks, appear to at least be meatpuppets of either Midsyndicate or Skinny McGee.

Futher explanation
 * This band appears to be involved in a legal dispute with a former member, who has indicated that the current members are using the Press and Wiki to try to alter history. Seems to have begun here on Wiki in Nov 2005, then picked up again in Feb 2006, same times as Midnight Syndicate announced and began to promote a cd that is alleged to be similar to one that their former producer released two years prior. Other items cited indicate that current members are trying to alter the past credits of their former member/producer. Former member also alleges some issues with band founder misappropriating album royalties and claiming work he did not do. This has been referenced at an external site [http:www.legionofthenight.com] and throughout the article's talk page.
 * My belief is that Midsyndicate, Skinny_McGee or his sock/meat-puppets are using bias, sensationalsim and undue weight, in presenting current projects and reordering past events or making the past seem insignificant in order to alter current perspective (see my post on article talk page).
 * I also believe that GuardianZ (also sockpuppeting) may be editing to balance weight and restore credits of former member. Citations by this opposing side that include older press articles, radio interviews, and copyright documents (published prior to band disagreement) support the claim that current members are now ingaging in deceptive editing.
 * However, the citations presented by GuardianZ are not favorable to current members—as they do show a definite difference between what was then publicized by two of the current members as fact and what is now being publicized by the same two current members—and that degree of alteration is initself unfavorable.
 * Therefore, it is my belief that the current members will continually seek to revert, and that the former will continually seek to edit to present the past as it was initially recorded. Peacekpr 04:34, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Requests for arbitration/Midnight Syndicate seems to be looking into this issue far more thoroughly with a team of arbitrators than one administrator could. That arbitration seems to be close to closing with active decisions. So will close this to defer to them. --AnonEMouse (squeak) 16:08, 29 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Conclusions