Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Zongqi

Zongqi

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

Populated account categories: suspected

For archived investigations, see Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Zongqi/Archive.

30 March 2022

– An SPI clerk has requested administrator assistance for action regarding the case below. The requested action is below.

Suspected sockpuppets

• Dorthyyellow (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
• Kindbynature (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
• Troyfall (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
• 2405:6E00:208D:CBF4:14A3:E7AE:89D0:4230 (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · filter log · WHOIS · RBLs · proxy check · block user · spi block · block log · cross-wiki contribs · CheckUser (log))
• 49.183.166.253 (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · filter log · WHOIS · RBLs · proxy check · block user · spi block · block log · cross-wiki contribs · CheckUser (log))
• Tools: Editor interaction utility · Interaction Timeline · SPI Tools

Zongqi was blocked from editing on 8 February 2021; several socks were then identified in May 2021. Since then, the Dorthyyellow account was created on 27 August 2021, Kindbynature on 24 November 2021, and Troyfall on 17 February 2022 (but only has a single edit). Both Zongqi and Kindbynature have edited various articles about Chinese and Japanese traditional practices ([1] and [2]), with both repeatedly editing Wuxing (Chinese philosophy) and articles about Aikido. Zongqi heavily edited Gogyo, a topic they also repeatedly introduced at other articles (bizarrely inserting it into the opening paragraph of Shinto, for example; [3]). Dorthyyellow, meanwhile, has almost exclusively edited the Gogyo article; the only exception being an edit to Wuxing (Chinese philosophy) ([4]). Troyfall was also responsible for introducing information about Gogyo to an article on aikido ([5]). This sock is heavily preoccupied with Gogyo and Wuxing.

Both Zongqi and Kindbynature show similar patterns of adding information that is either unreferenced or cited to inappropriate sources, a willingness to edit war, and similar idiosyncrasies in their writing style, such as words beginning in upper-case that would normally begin in lower-case (compare [6] and [7]). Both the Zongqi and Kindbynature accounts use the same terminology in their edit summaries, i.e. regularly starting with "Addition of[...]" ([8]. [9], [10], [11], [12] and [13], [14], [15]) or including the terms "foundational" ([16], [17] and [18]) and "Clarification" ([19], [20], [21] and [22]). The accounts repeatedly use the same terminology against those who revert their contributions; Troyfall complains of their "mallice [sic] edit" ([23]), Kindbynature accuses others of "malicious exciting [sic]" ([24]), while Dorthyyellow favors the accusation that others display a "malicious manner" ([25]; [26]; [27]) and "malicious intentions" ([28]). Dorthyyellow also makes false accusations of "vandalism" against editors who revert them ([29]; [30], [31]), which was exactly what Zongqi was originally blocked for ([32]).

The sock is clearly using multiple accounts on the same article, specifically Aikido styles. On 22 November 2021 (two days before the creation of Kindbynature), a Sydney-based IP added a paragraph discussing Gogyo to the article. Their edit summaries also began with "Addition of..." ([33]), just like Zongqi and Kindbynature. The addition was removed, at which Troyfall appeared on 17 February 2022 and restored it ([34]). Again it was removed, at which another Sydney-based IP restored it; again their edit summary began with "Addition of..." ([35]). After it was yet again deleted, Kindbynature appeared and edit warred to re-instate the same paragraph on 26 and 27 February 2022 ([36], [37]). Two IPs in the same city and two accounts all trying to get the same paragraph into the article; highly suspicious.

This is an obvious case of a blocked editor trying to re-establish their presence on Wikipedia. They are clearly edit warring using multiple accounts and IP addresses in the Sydney area and are repeeating behaviors which got them blocked to begin with. Midnightblueowl (talk) 21:37, 30 March 2022 (UTC)

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 thought the editing at Aikido styles was rather suspect, so I ran a check. There isn't a lot to go on, but what there is suggests that Kindbynature and Troyfall are  Likely to one another - too likely for me to believe that Troyfall showing up at that article to reinstate Kindbynature's content could possibly be a coincidence. The other accounts are all stale, but the geolocations are a match for the CU log records of Zongqi and previous socks. Behavioural comparison would be needed to be sure of the connection to previous accounts, and to be confident about the Dorothyyellow account. Girth Summit _(blether) 11:39, 31 March 2022 (UTC)
• Based on the evidence in the filing, I'm convinced that Kindbynature and Troyfall are socks of each other and of Zongqi. (I'm quite sure Dorthyyellow is too, but since that account only edited for a single day in August 2021, I'm not sure blocking it at this point would serve a preventative purpose).  Awaiting administrative action - please indef Kindbynature and Troyfall. No action with the IPs for now, as they haven't edited recently. Thanks, Spicy (talk) 20:57, 31 March 2022 (UTC)

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