Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets/Mediatemple

User:Mediatemple

 * Suspected sockpuppeteer


 * Suspected sockpuppets


 * Report submission by

Euryalus (talk) 03:42, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Apparent multiple !voting in an AfD by an account and an IP address with identical editing styles, formatting mistakes and a single common interest.
 * Evidence
 * 1) Single purpose accounts - both the account and IP are solely focused on deleting the Media Temple article.
 * 2) Tag team article edits - the first edit from the IP address was to query why a PROD tag posted by the account had been removed by another editor. The IP then re-added the PROD tag using an identical rationale..
 * 3) Same format errors - both the account and the IP mistakenly describe PROD tags as AfDs.
 * 4) Tag-team on incorrectly located AfD - On 6 August 09:00 the IP address posted a malformed AfD on the article talk page. The account swiftly appeared to !vote supporting the IP address before another editor removed the incorrectly located material..
 * 5) Tag-teaming at actual AfD - A malformed AfD was lodged by the IP address then immediately !voted upon by the account which also corrected the IP's format error. The IP address then reappeared and !voted twice using the same reasoning as the account had used minutes before. and )
 * 6) No edit session overlap - on 6 August the IP address edited from 08:31 to 09:12 then ceased. The account started editing at 09:26 until 11:49, then disappeared until the IP address returned 2 hours later. Later edits are further apart but the sessions remain in sequence.


 * Comments
 * The IP address has been notified. OhanaUnitedTalk page 06:26, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * My mistake. Thought I'd already done that. Euryalus (talk) 06:52, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Having been involved with trying to sort out the PROD/Afd issue, I should say I originally thought that Mediatemple was the account created by the IP when the IP found it couldn't create Afd pages, to that extent a legitimate change to registered editing. The re-use of the IP afterwards to vote stack is obviously wrong though if it is indeed same person. -Hunting dog (talk) 07:01, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * I discussed this with another editor and we both came to the same initial conclusion that this could be someone who just forgot to log in with some edits. If so there'd be no harm in that. However, the use of both accounts in quick succession for the misplaced AfD on the talk page, then again at the actual AfD strongly implies the two accounts are a deliberate vote-stacking exercise. That said this appears to be a new editor - if sockpuppetry is confirmed the striking of the multiple vote and a stern warning might be a valid option. Euryalus (talk) 07:12, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * In this case, the account is most likely blocked for a short duration (24 to 48 hours) purely for against vote-stacking purposes because I have to give credit for IPs unable to create pages. Nevertheless, thanks for brining this to my attention. I admit I forgot about this IP restriction on page creation rule. OhanaUnitedTalk page 07:45, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * User:Mediatemple would appear to confirm this is his/her IP address here. I've struck the multiple vote at the AfD. Euryalus (talk) 10:40, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Since he admitted and apologized, I guess I will give him a warning and let him get off without a block. Sounds fair? OhanaUnitedTalk page 17:06, 7 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Yep, sounds like an good solution to me. Euryalus (talk) 21:04, 7 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Conclusions
 * Warning issued on the condition that the sockmaster sticks to his account and not any IP accounts. Case closed. OhanaUnitedTalk page 21:32, 7 August 2008 (UTC)