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Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/TM editors

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Will Beback (talk | contribs) at 21:01, 26 January 2010 (new request). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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new request

TM editors

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


Report date January 26 2010, 21:01 (UTC)


Suspected sockpuppets
Evidence submitted by Will Beback

I sent this information to a checkuser, J.delanoy, who reported that all of the listed accounts have used IPs registered to the TM movement, in two locations, and that there were other significant similarities and overlaps between them. This is a request to confirm those findings and to determine whether WP:SOCK has been violated.

The Maharishi University of Management (MUM) is located in the small town of Fairfield, Iowa, the U.S. headquarters of the Transcendental Meditation movement. MUM is responsible for producing hundreds of studies showing the efficacy of TM technologies and products, some considered fringe theories or pseudoscience, which these editors have repeatedly added to articles.

(Note: Detractors of TM from Fairfield, IA, have also used IPs in these ranges to vandalize or add negative remarks about it. It's just a few edits, but they may be confusing.)

IPs

Several of these users have made edits while logged out, disclosing their IPs. The IPs belong to MUM or its ISP. I can send that information by email.

Sock or meat puppet behaviors

These accounts all promote the same POV. For some accounts this topic is their single purpose, while for the rest it is their primary focus. Collectively, they have made nearly half of all edits to the main articles, and a larger percentage in the minor articles. They also make a large majority of the talk page postings. Noticeboard filings about the topic have received strong responses from these accounts. (For example, four of the accounts participated in a WP:BLPN thread about a TM leader: [1] [2] [3] [4].)

3RR violations/edit warring

These users have participated in few RFAs, including these two:

RFA/Kww 3
RFA/Dreadstar
Behavioral evidence

There is some evidence indicating these users may be one or two individuals. I can send that by email.

Comments by accused parties

See Defending yourself against claims.


Comments by other users
Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments

{{RFCU}} is deprecated. Please change the case status parameter in {{SPI case status}} to "CURequest" instead.

Checkuser request – code letter: F  + D (Other reason and 3RR using socks)
Current status – Awaiting initial clerk review. (Other reason: Apparent sock drawer using IPs belonging to an organization.)    Requested by   Will Beback  talk  21:01, 26 January 2010 (UTC) [reply]