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KlayCax

KlayCax (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/KlayCax/Archive.


14 November 2024

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– A checkuser has completed a check on relevant users in this case, and it is now awaiting administration and close.

Suspected sockpuppets

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KlayCax (KC) was an editor who was mainly focused, among other topics, on circumcision-related articles (stats). He had also received a topic-ban in August 2024. DerApfelZeit (DAZ) was created on November 3 2024 and begun the first edit-war on November 10, three months after KC's latest activity. Already, DAZ showcases exceptional familiarity with wikipedia, particularly in the articles where KC was previously active (despite claiming ten-year absence). Their overlap (EI) so far covers a wide range of topics and raises justified suspicions.

KC had a tendency of boldly and persistently removing large amounts of content, or completely clearing pages, with the pretext of moving or merging articles:

  • In 2022, KC created Views on circumcision and in 2023 proceeded to 'merge' (diff) the older Ethics of circumcision into it, essentially deleting the old article, since its content had not actually moved. This was also pointed out at the talk, where he insisted on the move.
  • On February 2024, KC cleared the article Genital modification and mutilation with the pretext of 'merging' it (diff). Same month KC again proposed a move request (diff). DAZ on Nov 2024 says I may submist a move request... (diff).
  • On Nov 10 2024, DAZ created Views on genital modification (now deleted) and proceeded to delete content from the original article with the pretext of 'moving' it into the new one (diff, diff). They had already edit-wared in this article, removing 17K and 13K bytes of content with just their 7th and 10th edit respectively. This bold editing behavior was almost exclusively showcased by KC in these articles (comparison)
  • DAZ's new article is evidently exceptionally well-written and sourced for a new editor, serving the same purpose as KC's article, with a language very reminiscent of his. KC: ...has played a significant cultural, social, and religious role...This has subsequently led to differing viewpoints..., DAZ: Cultures, religions, and societies hold many views on.... The distinction between genital enhancement and genital mutilation, added there by DAZ (diff), was first introduced by KC on July 2024 (diff)
  • These articles, despite their somewhat controversial nature, were still relatively obscure, meaning they did not get as much attention. KC was the only editor who excibited such a persistent and strong opinion about these issues and would always come back to instigate editwars, every few months or even years later. (GMM, Talk:GMM). Basically, here DAZ continues what KC left behind in spring 2024.

Talkpages/Edit summaries

  • When opening discussions, KC had a tendency of @pinging several editors on top to get their attention and possibly gather support for their edits (KC) (DAZ) (OT)
  • The same rationale of 'systemic bias', older editors' 'conflict of interest' etc. (random example from KC: diff, DAZ: diff)
  • The same rationale of WP pushing "Western, left-wing, autonomy, secular etc." viewpoints (KC: diff, diff; DAZ; diff)
  • Female Genital Mutilation: both explicitly oppose the religious justification in the lead: KC: diff, DAZ: diff
  • After their first editwar, DAZ rushed to complain about circumcision-related articles at the same editor's talkpage, like KC used to (comparison). It is exceptionally suspicious that a new user would open up so fast to an editor right after their first editwar, unless they were already familiar with the area. Besides that, their comments essentially say the same things (complain about the nature of some articles and other editors) using similar tone and language.
  • The excessive roleplay as a German (like this diff), which feels a bit random, raises even more suspisions, as KC had also edited in the German wikipedia too (contribs)

Note: In case the technical evidence is insufficient for whatever reason, there is still much behavioral evidence, not presented so far, which if/when evaluated together with the above, per WP:DUCK, would effectively leave little to no room for doubt. Piccco (talk) 11:47, 14 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Update
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OntologicalTree (OT) was active since March 2022 editing exclusively alongside KC on circumcision and reproductive anatomy articles (EI). They stopped on February 2023 at ~250 edits. OT was suspected as a sock, but no action was taken then. The sudden resurgence of OT on November 2024 (+ ~200 edits), the same time as DAZ, and three months after KC's topic ban, now makes the connection certain.

  • On November 4 2024, the newly created DAZ complained 3 times about the lack of genocide mentions in Australia (diff, diff, diff) calling it Whitewashing. Since they didn't yet have permission to edit the article, they remembered their old sock, OT, inactive since February 2 2023, who returned on November 7 2024 to readd this in Australia (diff): Restored material removed in an apparent attempt to whitewash Australia's history, utilizing the same source (Australian Museum) that DAZ proposes in all three of their messages.
This also connets them to KC who was initially negative about mentions of indigenous genocide in USA (see random talkpage:diff, more discussions) saying that Other Anglophonic countries (Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) exclude mentions of "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing" from their articles. He later balanced things out by adding similar mentions in the Canada article (diff) and had since then a strong opinion about this. After some editwaring (diffs), OT even opened an RfC.
  • OT's last TP message was a "complain" by KC, intended to deflect suspisions, similar to how on Nov 11, DAZ referenced a discussion initiated by KC (diff) saying that Another editor made similar observations a few months ago.

The sanction-free OT could also evade the American politics topicban (RP, RP talk, DP, Washing. etc.) At the first SPI, KC confirms to have used "university internet". Per the CU result, they were indeed using different devices, apparently to appear unrelated to OT. I wouldn't be surprised if a CU is again inconclusive, although this time their shared overlap on a wide range of topics (from circumcision and reproductive anatomy to genocides etc), strong behavioral evidence, and recent perfect timing proves that the trio KC-OT-DAZ is indeed related (SOCK or MEAT). Piccco (talk) 13:24, 16 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Moved from below
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Hello @TheresNoTime thanks for reviewing the case. Yes, I decided to present the strongest evidence that made the socking activity pretty obvious. There's indeed more evidence which I chose not to add keeping it for possible future socks, as it is common in SPIs. Of course if you need further confirmation, it could be provided. Piccco (talk) 13:29, 14 November 2024 (UTC) (moved from "Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments" section) — Red-tailed hawk (nest) 04:13, 17 November 2024 (UTC) [reply]

Comments by other users

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Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.
  • This is a bit too much of a text wall as far as SPIs are concerned but the KC has a habit of interacting with their socks reminds me of the now-blocked ShirtNShoesPls account that I reported here. KC ended up testifying against that account at ANI, which surprised me. Maybe it was a bit of 4-D chess, but I wouldn't discount the possibility that there are multiple passionate novice editors in these subject areas. ~ Pbritti (talk) 14:06, 16 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
    Thanks for the feedback, but since I remember this case, despite the initial suspicious behavior, SNS ended up having a completely different POV (the opposite, actually) than KC-OT-DAZ at the end. As I said below, there's also more evidence for the KC-DAZ connection that I didn't bring it up because it's too much in this page so far. Piccco (talk) 14:14, 16 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]
    (edit conflict) Ok, that's a good point. I also just looked back at the archive. I'd favor someone with the relevant tools and experience chasing this a little further. ~ Pbritti (talk) 14:24, 16 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

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