Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Middayexpress

Middayexpress

Middayexpress (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)

Populated account categories: confirmed · suspected

For archived investigations, see Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Middayexpress/Archive.

30 April 2018

– A user has requested CheckUser. An SPI clerk will shortly look at the case and endorse or decline the request.

Suspected sockpuppets

• Geneticanthro (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
• Tools: Editor interaction utility • Interaction Timeline • User compare report Auto-generated every hour.

User was created April 18 at 15:50. Goes on to edit for a half hour (16:01 - 16:37). Then is dormant until April 26.

Previous sock Troyoleg began editing for the day on April 18 shortly after Geneticanthro stopped. Troyoleg was blocked was blocked on April 24. Two days later, Geneticanthro resumes editing. Note that Soupforone had edited on all pages Geneticanthro has. See https://tools.wmflabs.org/sigma/editorinteract.py?users=Soupforone&users=&users=Geneticanthro&startdate=&enddate=&ns=&server=enwiki

Tirgil34 was my initial suspect as the sock master given their focus on genetics (and past socks having also edited on the same pages as Geneticanthro). But the African focus led me to Midwayexpress. Is it possible they are the same sock master? EvergreenFir (talk) 23:36, 30 April 2018 (UTC)

Comments by other users

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

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01 May 2018

– This SPI case is open.

Suspected sockpuppets

• Odriejh (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
• Egezal (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)

• Tools: Editor interaction utility • Interaction Timeline • User compare report Auto-generated every hour.

Reporting multiple new suspected accounts operated by Middayexpress/Soupforone per note on Middayexpress' Wikipedia:Editing restrictions entry.

Behavioural evidence:

• Accounts creation dates: Both Odriejh and Egezal accounts (as well as Geneticanthro which has a separate SPI [1]) were created within days of one another (22, 25 and 18 April respectively). It is important to note that the accounts were created around confirmed sock Troyoleg's SPI which started on 19th of April [2] (blocked on 24 April).

• Same interest in Horn of Africa projects particularly Somali and Ethiopian articles like Middayexpress/Soupforone:

• Particular interest in the Somalis article, which is a top edited article of both Soupfornone (confirmed sock) [3] and Middayexpress [4]. Examples of this include:

• Odriejh [5], [6], [7], it was their second ever edited article.
• Egezal [8] (restoring a previous edit by Odriejh).
• Geneticanthro [9], [10], [11].

• Same interest in articles related to Afro-Asiatic languages by one of the reported accounts. This is an area frequented by all confirmed socks thus far (Troyoleg [12], [13], [14], [15], Soupforone [16], [17], [18], Middayexpress [19], [20]... there are many more examples):

• Odriejh [21], [22], [23], [24]... there are many other examples.

• All accounts exhibit the same idiosyncratic editing style of making a major edit quickly followed by a minor (+1) edit:

• Odriejh [25], [26], [27]... and so on.
• Egezal [28], [29], [30]... and so on.
• Geneticanthro [31], [32], [33]... and so on.

This habit is seen in the edits of both Middayexpress and Soupforone [34], [35] (both links copied from previous SPI).

• The new accounts have a similar time card as Soupforone (who generally posted twice a day, between 2:00-6:00 UTC and between 14:00-18:00 UTC [36]). They all conform to the second editing slot: Odriejh [37], Egezal [38], Geneticanthro [39]. Please note that this is also inline with confirmed sock Troyoleg's time card [40].

• Same restoration of Nuruddin Farah file to the Somalis article:

• Troyoleg (confirmed sock) [41]. Odriejh [42]. Egezal [43]. Kzl55 (talk) 16:18, 1 May 2018 (UTC)

Comments by other users

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

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