User:PalestineRemembered/Cheating

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Contents

[edit] Editors I'm convinced are cheating

[edit] Editors who behave as if they're cheating

[edit] Editors who behave as if they're protecting cheats

[edit] Editors who've been caught cheating and been perma-blocked

Unfortunately, the contribution records of some of these editors have been deleted and disappear, making it difficult to track exactly what they were up to, and who they were suspiciously chummy with.

[edit] Editors known to have colluded, but may not have cheated

[edit] Why has User:PalestineRemembered never been called for cheating?

Because I didn't come here to cheat, and it's not in my nature. My experience suggests it's never been going on amongst critics of Israel, most of whom (particularly in the last year) are terrified of being seen to support anyone, or even communicate in private.

Actually, I've been repeatedly called for cheating - all accusations false (some of them provably false). But this is a relatively minor part of the cheating we've seen going on, and it's less urgent to document it at the moment. PRtalk 17:00, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Editors who don't cheat

User:Ynhockey - this editor does not, and probably will not, appear on the list of cheats. Despite some initial toing-and-froing at First Aliyah (an article he started yourself) he accepted what I'd done, even perhaps helping me against real POV-pushing. I think I recall him self-reverting on one occasion when challenged. I have never noticed him behaving badly at "disciplinaries". He could be a bit "close" to editors on the cheating list, but I've still only noticed him acting honorably to the benefit of the project. PRtalk 08:33, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Four basic forms of cheating

  • Removing good material from articles. This is the cheating that probably does the most damage to the project, since it drives off good editors. It's difficult to firmly identify/prove, because deletions often come with convincing explanations which could be genuine (and may even be genuine).
  • Provoking edit-wars to waste the time of good editors and get them sanctioned (sometimes for the anger they feel and display). Many sub-categories. This is where master cheaters really show their skills.
  • Collusion. Comes in many forms but the real success comes from bitter attacks on administrators. Also on anyone acting in a collegiate fashion to an Israeli-critical editor (eg coming to my defense against often absurd accusations).
  • Inserting bad material. Irritating and unpleasant, but perhaps less of a problem since it's often from easily identifiable hate-sites or otherwise unverifiable material. (Sometimes combined with inserting foreign language material and other obvious breaches).

[edit] Personal Statement

  • When I arrived 2 years ago (Oct 06), there was clear evidence of heavy point-of-view pushing against the weight of evidence. Note - there is nothing wrong with having a POV, we all have one - it becomes a problem when it's pushed against the weight of evidence and against policy by people who seem unable to withdraw, retract or apologise.
  • Since my arrival, it appears that things have got a lot worse. I've now seen proof positive of cheating from at least 4 editors (all of it from a "pro-Israel" angle, as best I can see and believe, only 3 of them dealt with). The conduct of each of these people has always been suspicious, as if their personal integrity was worthless - and yet, other editors have often treated them with unusual friendliness.
  • An editor here keeps comments from me on his UserPage (examples all factual and mostly unarguable, I don't know why he does it or is allowed to do it). I am not retaliating at his apparent attempt at denying me AGF, but if he can do something for trivial "content dispute" reasons, I'm sure I should be able to do the same for systematic, damaging flaws that the project seems currently unable to control.
  • This account, User:PalestineRemembered is a Single Purpose Account editing to policy, hence this listing only concerns the I-P (Israel/Palestine) conflict. There are areas of the encyclopaedia even hotter than this one (particularily concerning religion) but I don't believe that cheating is as endemic, serious and long-standing on other topics. PRtalk 11:45, 11 June 2008 (UTC)