Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Lightburst/Archive

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Lightburst

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

20 May 2024

Suspected sockpuppets

Lightburst was  Confirmed to User:Operationendgame and User:Gristleking in April 2019; see this discussion with Checkuser DoRD and the discussion on those socks' talk pages. For due diligence, I asked a Commons admin for a copy of the deleted screenshot mentioned on Lb's talk page, which further demonstrated the connection. The accounts were used for votestacking at AfD and to continue disputes Lb had with other editors.

The Wm355td account was registered in August 2019, and was used until October 2020, when Lb took a break from editing. The "355" in the name seems to refer to a guitar Lb is interested in. The Lb and Wm accounts were used to votestack in (~50?) several discussions, including AfDs and RfAs; see this exstensive editor overlap report, which makes the connection undeniable. From what I've seen, the accounts never voted differently from each other when voting together and use similar vocabulary and reference the same sort of polices and essays. I ruled an ARS association, or two people having the same views out; discussions like Talk:Dubai Marina, Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Hijiri88 (where Hijiri88 noticed that Wm was a sock, but wasn't sure of who), and Template:Tuskegee Airmen show more obscure and specific overlap. There is also a topical overlap between the two accounts, mostly on midwestern American musicians and culture, and some general American culture-- such as Tuskegee Airmen, or Samson (gorilla).

Given the evasion of scrutiny and the socking at the time, which Lb had been extensively warned for, I am blocking the Wm account. Moneytrees🏝️(Talk) 22:06, 10 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by other users

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

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

  • I have blocked and tagged Wm335td. If this had been discovered at the time, the Lightburst account would have been indefinitely blocked. But since it's been nearly four years since Wm last edited, I will not block. Closing. Moneytrees🏝️(Talk) 22:06, 10 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]