Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Domsimsim

Domsimsim

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

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

30 October 2017

– A checkuser has placed this case on hold pending further information or developments.

Suspected sockpuppets

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

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Looking at the edit history and neither of these accounts appear to be the person's first. The accounts are promoting this husband and wife team and their books (Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist). Here is an example of one of Dom's first edits[1] and here is Rod's[2]. We see similar wording, similar headings, similar infobox. I imagine their are more socks in this group. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 05:13, 30 October 2017 (UTC) Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 05:13, 30 October 2017 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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

I am new to editing Wikipedia and I am concerned to find I am being investigated. I have never used any other userid on the Wikipedia web site, nor have allowed anyone else to use my userid. The reason you see "similar wording, similar headings, similar infobox" is because "The Best of Adam Sharp" page was created by cloning the page for the preceding book by the same author, ie "The Rosie Effect", with some consideration of the content of the page "The Rosie Project". Please let my know if anything further is required to resolve this matter quickly. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rodmill (talk • contribs) 08:00, 30 October 2017 (UTC)

Thank you for your explanation. I am a reader of many novels, and I research the novels I read, and many other topics, on Wikipedia. I find Wikipedia so useful, that over 4 years ago I started to support it financially. When a search fails, one frequently sees the message: "You may create the page ...". I have read and liked all 4 of Graeme Simsion's novels, and the first two already had Wikipedia pages. However, the third novel ("The Best of Adam Sharp"), did not have a page, so I saw it as the opportunity to make a contribution to Wikipedia. After this one was accepted (it took some time), it seemed appropriate do the next one ("Two Steps Forward"). Then it seemed logical to do the page on the co-author of that book ("Anne Buist"). The pages I have produced look similar to the earlier ones, as they are based on direct copies of those earlier pages. I can confirm that I made the edits of my own volition, was not paid and do not stand to benefit from sales of the books. Nor have I colluded with other editors. All of the content is thoroughly referenced, and is just from publicly available web sites. It seems to me to be comparable to many other Wikipedia pages on novels. I hope this is sufficient: it seems that I simply chose to work on these pages at the same time as others - there has been a lot of publicity around the new book. Rodmill (talk) 08:12, 31 October 2017 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

• @Rodmill: Hello. In order to detect promotional editing, we have to do our due diligence when it appears that multiple editors are making edits that may be intended to promote a particular person, organization, etc. in a very short period of time with similar behavior. You don't have to worry about this if you haven't done anything wrong. Having said that, do you have any connection with the subjects of the articles you've written, financial or otherwise? It's fine if you do, but this should be disclosed. ~ Rob₁₃^Talk 11:52, 30 October 2017 (UTC)
•  On hold pending response to the above. ~ Rob₁₃^Talk 11:54, 30 October 2017 (UTC)

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