Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets/ScienceApologist (3rd)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

[edit] User:ScienceApologist

Suspected sockpuppeteer

ScienceApologist (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log · rfcu)

Suspected sockpuppets

74.63.84.70 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log)
69.86.169.166 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log)
128.59.169.49 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log)

Report submission by

Queue Pea Are (talk) 20:29, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

Evidence

74.63.84.70 This one continued his edit war at the Reiki article [1], and then responded to a request for meatpuppetry from OrangeMarlin [2] by responding on his user page here [3] and then immediately deleting the post [4]. He probably forgot who he was logged in as.

69.86.169.166 This one has edited only two articles: Force (which scienceapologist was trying to get to FA status, and Mokele-Mbembe which has one edit to revert the removal of a tag incorrectly placed there by scienecapologist. See user contribs for details [5]

128.59.169.49 This has only made a few edits. One to avoid a 4RR on scienceapologist here [6] and once to remove one of scienceapologist's pet hates - the use of the word "theory" here [7]. This IP resolves to astr@columbia

Here is another sockpuppet case against scienceapologist that came to nothing due to lack of evidence, but shows a very similar pattern.[8] —Preceding unsigned comment added by Queue Pea Are (talk • contribs) 20:59, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

Queue Pea Are was indefinitely blocked by Vassyana as a suspected sock puppet of Davkal. Cardamon (talk) 04:45, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

I understand that scienceapologist is prevented from using alternate accounts as part of his arbcom restrictions [9]

Comments

66.96.128.64 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log)

66.96.128.64 also seems to fit the mold here. I had brought this up at ArbEnf last week (currently here), but I concluded that the evidence was too weak to move forward with anything. Perhaps the combination of the evidence supplied here by Queue Pea Are will amount to something.

Fringe Theories

  • Here is a revert by ScienceApologist at WP:Fringe Theories: [10]
  • And here is the same revert by the IP moments later: [11]

Mokele-mbembe

  • Curious evidence at Mokele-mbembe of ScienceApologist making an edit: [12]
  • And here is the same edit made a bit later by the IP: [13]

-- Levine2112 discuss 20:44, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

That IP was blocked as an open proxy. It could have been anyone. GRBerry 20:58, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

I note that this report appears to be in retaliation for this one. It is possible that both, neither, or either could be correct. GRBerry 20:55, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

Let's look at 128.59.169.49 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · block user · block log), the only one of those IPs that seems to actually resolve to ScienceApologist's geographical area. One of its two edits ever was an almost trivial change of one word. In its other edit, it removed a contentious post by user:SixHorseParley, who apparently is a sockpuppet proxy of banned editor Davkal. [14]. Can anyone explain why removing posts by banned users is a heinous act? I personally don't how the evidence justifies even a short block. Cardamon (talk) 00:45, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Actually, the 69 IP also resolves to same geographical area. Vassyana (talk) 06:11, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
You're right about the location of 69.86.169.166 . I misread the whois for it. Looking at its contributions, I see 4 sessions of constructive edits related to the Force article, followed by one reversion of an edit by Niet Comrade, who was recently confirmed as another Davkal sock. Cardamon (talk) 07:43, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
Conclusions

The evidence about the open proxy is particularly convincing and concerning. The combination of responding for ScienceApologist and proxying (no pun) for him in an edit war leaves little doubt (if any) that it was ScienceApologist editing from an open proxy. ArbCom restricted SA to a single account and using an open proxy to circumvent that restriction is not acceptable in the least. As such, ScienceApologist has been indefinitely blocked. Vassyana (talk) 23:16, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

For the record: Dmcdevit gave an inconclusive response at Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Case/ScienceApologist. SA has been unblocked by Sarcasticidealist based on a current ANI discussion, here: [15]. I'll leave this page open while other people sort it out. Shalom (Hello • Peace) 03:12, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
ANI report is closed. The operating assumption is that the suspected sock puppet is actually an impersonator, not ScienceApologist. Shalom (Hello • Peace) 14:08, 9 May 2008 (UTC)