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Revision as of 22:10, 26 January 2010 editTimidGuy (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers11,259 edits →Comments by accused parties: clarifications← Previous edit Revision as of 22:39, 26 January 2010 edit undoWill Beback (talk | contribs)112,162 editsm →Evidence submitted by Will Beback: mail linkNext edit →
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;'''IPs''' ;'''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. 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 ].


;'''Sock or meat puppet behaviors''' ;'''Sock or meat puppet behaviors'''
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;'''Behavioral evidence''' ;'''Behavioral evidence'''
There is some evidence indicating these users may be one or two individuals. I can send that by email. There is some evidence indicating these users may be one or two individuals. I can send that by ].


======<span style="font-size:150%"> Comments by accused parties </span>====== ======<span style="font-size:150%"> Comments by accused parties </span>======

Revision as of 22:39, 26 January 2010

TM editors

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

For archived investigations, see Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/TM editors/Archive.


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: .)

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. I have only one Wiki user account and I always log in before making edits. I am not a sockpuppet.-- — Kbob • Talk • 21:47, 26 January 2010 (UTC)

Here's something I don't understand about IP investigations. If several different editors have the same Internet provider, and if that Internet provider dynamically assigns IPs, isn't it possible at some point that two different editors could have been assigned the same IP over time, especially in a small town like Fairfield? I've noticed that my ISP in particular frequently assigns me a new IP even if I don't shut down my computer. Also, I would point out that of the approximately 2,500 people living in Fairfield who practice TM, perhaps 150 at most are employed by Maharishi U. And perhaps 50 at most by a few other organizations. The rest are otherwise employed and moved here to be part of the community. So note that you can't assume that someone editing from Fairfield is employed by an organization here. And yes, I have used two different sock puppets in the past when I didn't understand the issues regarding them. Big mistake. One was inspired by Philosophus, who openly used a sock puppet to get involved in messy areas while leaving his other account pristine and whose use of a sock seemed to be accepted by everyone. I used it for three edits but not on any article otherwise edited by me. It got blocked after that third edit. And I created a second sock at one point for editing some technology articles, but it's long since been abandoned. TimidGuy (talk) 22:10, 26 January 2010 (UTC)
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)


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