Wikipedia talk:Sockpuppet investigations/SPI/Clerks

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Trainee/clerking interest and discussion

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Iazyges

Iazyges (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

I haven't been here for that long, owning an account on here for a little more than 2 years, and making only 12000 edits, I have a lot of free time and a lot of desire to learn, I would like to take more responsibility on myself in order to help the community more. I have done some work in Dispute resolution, done some work in peer review, done some in the other boards, like redirect, article and category discussions. Iazyges (talk) 02:15, 11 September 2016 (UTC)

LouisAragon

LouisAragon (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks ^confirmed | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

Originally posted on 13 February 2017, made some additions and copy-edits on 23 September 2018
Hi. As of late September 2018, I have made some 38,000+ edits and ~ 200 articles (including numerous GA's/DYKs). My articles are mainly centered on (but not limited to) history-related topics. During my time here on Wikipedia, I have created many SPI cases with a high success rate. These included the so-called "easy" cases, but also many cases where the sockmaster had been socking intermittently for many years and hence required a high amount of diffs. Basically the "long-term abusers" (LTA's).

What distinguishes me from other candidates? Other than dealing with numerous complex LTA cases, unlike most others (I assume), I have been blocked once in the past, due to sheer admin failure. The only stain on my block log. It was eventually solved when the Arbcom comittee stepped in and confirmed that I had 0.0% relation to the sockmaster in question. A ridiculously pathetic event, but we are humans after all, and we all make mistakes. I believe that this unpleasant experience increased my "awareness" in relation to the concept of socking and SPI's in particular. After all, I received alot of crap due to "a human error", so why not trying to help this place to prevent such stuff from happening again? By becoming a clerk, I want to make sure that we can deal more accordingly (i.e. faster) with the huge backlogs. - LouisAragon (talk) 03:10, 13 February 2017 (UTC)

Money emoji

Money emoji (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfas · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE) I always thought that the spi side of wikipedia was interesting, and I have previous experience with spi, with examples here, here, and here. I was also one of the first people to encounter Bmx On Weels, So I have experience when it comes to long term abusers and their ducks. Overall, I honestly want to do this because it seems less enragingly boring than anti-vandalism and easier than content creation, which I personally feel terrible at.💵Money💵emoji💵^💸 14:18, 9 October 2018 (UTC)

Tymon.r

Tymon.r (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

I've been around for a while, primarily fighting vandalism. Having technical and procedural skills, I declare my readiness for help, if you ever need it. Best, Tymon.r Do you have any questions? 17:29, 18 March 2019 (UTC)

Dreamy Jazz

Dreamy Jazz (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfas · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

Having been involved in several SPI cases before, I am willing to help out. I have recently been helping out at AfC (which is where I find most of the users to report at SPI) and New Page Patrolling. Dreamy Jazz 🎷 ^{talk to me | my contributions} 11:55, 11 May 2019 (UTC)

creffett

Creffett (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfas · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

As you can see from my edit history, I've mostly been working to catch vandalism and promotional work. I think the SPI work is pretty interesting, and would like to put my name in the metaphorical hat to help out here. I know that I'm still relatively new, but I learn both the rules and technical stuff fast, so I think I have what it takes to be a clerk. creffett (talk) 13:09, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

@Creffett: You created your account on November 28, 2018, but didn't make your first edit until March 22, 2019. Why? You then racked up almost 3,000 edits in less than two months. Have you ever had another account?--Bbb23 (talk) 13:16, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

@Bbb23: Very reasonable questions. For the first, I made an account with the intent to edit, completely forgot about it (and editing), did the same a few months later and found that I'd already made the account, and actually started editing this time. As for previous accounts, I had one which I used intermittently but stopped using something like a decade ago (while I was still in school), but given the length of time, I opted for a WP:CLEANSTART instead of trying to recover the old one. No blocks, bans, or anything too embarrassing on the last account, just wanted the distance from younger-me. Also, please notice that most of my edits are reverting vandalism, posting talk page warnings, things like that, I basically do them while I'm waiting on some other task to finish, so I don't think the count is that outlandish. creffett (talk) 13:31, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

William2001

William2001 (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

I know that I am way too inexperienced to be a clerk, which is exactly why I'm applying to be a trainee, so I can learn and gain experience. What motivated me to come here? I recently discovered some suspicious activity in AfD, so I went to report it to SPI when I realized that there is already a request. I see that there are many investigations, and looking at accounts of blocked users made me realize that there are a lot of users blocked for sockpuppetry. Clearly, this department could use more help, and I am willing to do so (after learning how to help by being a trainee). Until now, I have been reverting/rollback/"STikiing" vandalism, good faith edits, editing an article I created, going around AfDs (only recently though), and simply looking for more ways to help. Thanks everyone. William2001^(talk) 02:38, 1 July 2019 (UTC)

KSFT

KSFT (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

I've been around for about four years now. I do some RC and new page patrolling and AFC reviewing. Especially recently, I've spent a lot of time on IRC in #wikipedia-en-help helping new editors, uninformed advertisers, and sockpuppeteers. I'm also familiar with concepts like CIDR and rangeblocks. SPI seems like a fascinating process, and I would love to train to become a clerk. KSFT ^(t|c) 20:11, 7 July 2019 (UTC)

Kb03

Kb03 (talk · message · contribs · global contribs · deleted contribs · page moves · user creation · block user · block log · count · total · logs · summary · email | lu · rfa · rfb · arb · rfc · lta · checkuser · spi · socks | rfar · rfc · rfcu · ssp | current rights · rights log (local) · rights log (global/meta) | rights · renames · blocks · protects · deletions · rollback · admin · logs | UHx · AfD · UtHx · UtE)

I would like to put my hat in the ring to help with SPI clerking. I have been around for a couple years and actively editing for one. I mostly spend my time doing NPP work, RC patrolling, AfC, and browsing previously deleted pages for evidence of socks. I am active on IRC and help out at #wikipedia-en-help. I am familliar with IP adressing/rangeblocking as well as the sockpuppetry policy. Kb03 (talk) 02:10, 3 October 2019 (UTC)

Oshwah promoted

Following discussion on the functionaries mailing list, Oshwah has been promoted to full SPI clerk. Congratulations to him. I'd also like to thank all the clerks for the work that you do on behalf of the CheckUser team. You make SPI more manageable, and we couldn't do it without you TonyBallioni (talk) 23:54, 6 July 2019 (UTC)

Congratulations, Oshwah! More work to do! ;-) Liz ^{Read! Talk!} 02:29, 7 July 2019 (UTC)

Welcome to the party, Oshwah! --qedk (t 桜 c) 04:53, 7 July 2019 (UTC)

Thank you! :-) ~Oshwah~^{(talk) (contribs)} 22:55, 10 July 2019 (UTC)

Thank you for the promotion! I won't let you down! :-) ~Oshwah~^{(talk) (contribs)} 22:55, 10 July 2019 (UTC)

+1 Congratulations.
 — Berean Hunter (talk) 23:43, 10 July 2019 (UTC)

Thank you, Berean Hunter! :-D ~Oshwah~^{(talk) (contribs)} 01:21, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

Congrats Oshwa. ‐‐1997kB (talk) 02:05, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

Much appreciated, 1997kB! :-) ~Oshwah~^{(talk) (contribs)} 03:12, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

Move/merge subpages of Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets here?

Moved from Wikipedia talk:Sockpuppet investigations § Move/merge subpages of Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets here?

--- Steel1943 (talk) 19:54, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

Hello all. In the process of doing an ongoing cleanup task, I found Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets. I was not an active editor during the time when that page was active, so from what I'm seeing, most of those subpages (Special:PrefixIndex/Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets) look like the precursor to this process. As an editor who has made several SPI reports in the past (and even as a editor who has had interest in being an SPI clerk ... a few times), I am very familiar with the fact that touching any part of the SPI archives is incredibly controversial. With that being said, here's my proposal: Merging the cases of Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets into the SPI archives. I see what would have to be done to make it happen without breaking anything, and I see the potential value in merging the archives of Wikipedia:Suspected sock puppets into this page, especially the ability to more easily track down old cases in the event it is necessary, such as if a sockmaster from the pre-SPI forum says decides to pop up again; it would make the cases on them easier to locate from the main SPI page, such as with a subpage search, and in addition, keeps the cases in order, including chronological order. If this task is approved, I would be more than willing to perform the task myself and/or discuss/create/submit a workflow for the steps necessary to accomplish this task. Also, if I can do it, if I have to technically be a SPI clerk to perform this task, I am willing to undergo the training to accomplish that status. Steel1943 (talk) 23:07, 12 July 2019 (UTC)

I have no clue what Steel1943 has done or why. Could someone else please look at this? @TonyBallioni and JJMC89:?--Bbb23 (talk) 21:20, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

...Well, I haven't "done" anything yet. This is, more or less, an inquiry. Steel1943 (talk) 21:46, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

I'm also not entirely sure what we're talking about here, but it seems like a lot of work for little benefit. None of those accounts would have any CU data, and if they've been active this long, we likely know enough about them that adding a few more accounts to the archive from years ago wouldn't help much. TonyBallioni (talk) 21:27, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

I get that, but on the same token, it seems related to a point where it could be helpful, considering the SPI site seems to not have a method at the present time to search through the archives of the page I referenced. Anywho, I'm just inquiring potential interest in this ... and I could get it done since I tend to work with archives a lot here ... but if there isn't any, no worries and I'll just be on my merry way. Steel1943 (talk) 21:46, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

Ah, I misunderstood. You just moved the conversation; you didn't do the merge. I got confused by what you said at the top. Then it's easy. Don't do the merge. Thanks.--Bbb23 (talk) 22:02, 16 July 2019 (UTC)

The sockmasters whose activity spans both SSP and SPI usually have links to the SSP archives on their SPI page. "Whatlinkshere" from a master/sock's userpage or user-talkpage could also turn up anything else, though it could be drowned in other links. If there is actually some uniquely useful information in the SSP forums/archives/subpages beyond that, I would suggest just making a custom search link for them. Absolutely no need to move thousands of pages. Someguy1221 (talk) 00:58, 17 July 2019 (UTC)

Yep, there are links to SSP already, as well as the historical page which points to all of the other archives. Sure, we could merge and sort them, but it isn't useful, as other editors have said above. --qedk (t 桜 c) 06:41, 17 July 2019 (UTC)

Technical limitations of CheckUser

Question of CheckUsers (ping @Bbb23:, @Berean Hunter:, @NinjaRobotPirate: as recently active CU's). How do you want clerks to handle cases where we have reason to doubt the effectiveness of CheckUser evidence? Specifically, I'm looking at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Gardendr. Given the subject matter and editing dates, the accounts in question were likely caught up in the Block of Wikipedia in Turkey meaning they would have be using VPN's. Sir Sputnik (talk) 01:33, 15 September 2019 (UTC)

Some IP ranges are so busy, the servers choke if you try to do a sleeper check. Other ISPs dump people randomly on a /12, making any kind of range block or sleeper check impractical (that's sixteen /16s). It's not just VPNs that can cause problems. I usually leave a note when the tool isn't much use. However, I've seen cases where the tool wasn't much use one time, but it helped the next time, so I try not to speak in absolutes ("do not endorse requests in this case because the tool is guaranteed to be useless"). Although VPNs can be a pain, other times I can still confirm a few accounts. I guess it depends on the VPN used, the technical skill of the sock puppeteer, and how paranoid they are. Zzuuzz probably knows more about dealing with annoying LTAs on proxies and VPNs than me, though. Many of the editors that I block are fairly unsophisticated. NinjaRobotPirate (talk) 02:14, 15 September 2019 (UTC)

(Not pinged, but I'll comment) Use your judgement. Any administrator can block an account for socking without CheckUser evidence. If you feel it is justified without CU, you are free to block even if an SPI filer has requested CU... Turkey I've never had problems with (people tend to use the same VPN service, so we can find sleepers, etc.)

More generally, interpretation of CU results requires judgement, and some CUs are more comfortable with different VPNs, networks, regions, etc. If you think it is useful, there's no reason to not endorse. We may run it without posting results at the SPI if we aren't confident in them, and leave it for another CU to see if they can come to a different conclusion, because of familiarity with the case or with how a network works. If you want an example: I refuse to run CU on anything remotely related to Nepal because I will only return  Inconclusive because of how the internet in that country works. Others don't mind running it. That's fine, and reflects acceptable judgement on all parts. TonyBallioni (talk) 02:22, 15 September 2019 (UTC)

Sir Sputnik, neither account is using a VPN or proxy of any other sort. They are not anywhere near Turkey either. One is using a sticky IP that acts like a static line with no other socking associated on that IP. The other editor appears to be hundreds of miles from that one in the same large country. They appear unrelated by locations and useragents. Does this help with the general question?
 — Berean Hunter (talk) 03:37, 15 September 2019 (UTC)

Yes. Thank you all for your input. Sir Sputnik (talk) 01:53, 16 September 2019 (UTC)

Tool suggestion

What if the master (the first registered account) is not the first blocked? It could be that G5-able articles are being overlooked. A tool to scrape the usernames from the {{SPIarchive notice}} and {{checkuser}} templates on the SPI page and its archives, and find the earliest indef would (IMHO) be useful.

Using Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Peter.hantz as an example...

the four currently tagged accounts are, 'Peter.hantz', 'Physisc42', 'Cakeseed', 'Yksi11'

quarry:query/39019 and quarry:query/39020 are my attempts at a useful query. Any thoughts or objections before I look for someone to code it? Thanks, Cabayi (talk) 17:03, 18 September 2019 (UTC)

Cabayi promoted

After discussion with the functionaries team, Cabayi has been promoted to full SPI clerk. Congratulations! On behalf of the CheckUsers, thanks to Cabayi and to all the SPI clerks for the hard work and dedication they give to the SPI project. We couldn't function without you all. :-) Katie^talk 17:30, 23 September 2019 (UTC)

Welcome to the club, @Cabayi: I hope the *slightly* bigger fez fits! --qedk (t 桜 c) 18:20, 24 September 2019 (UTC)

yeah, welcome to the club old friend :) —usernamekiran(talk) 18:49, 24 September 2019 (UTC)