Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/MemaidenModus/Archive

MemaidenModus

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

11 June 2022

Suspected sockpuppets

108.30.74.80 (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · filter log · WHOIS · RBLs · proxy check · block user · spi block · block log · cross-wiki contribs · CheckUser (log))
DietCokeFeast (talk⁺ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki) ( Clerk note: original case name)
Tools: Editor interaction utility · Interaction Timeline · SPI Tools

DietCokeFeast (DCF) and the probable socks are editors with a history of not using edit summaries, ignoring grammar, MOS and templates, avoiding talk page discussions, adding (and re-adding) original content and weak sources, and even silence on DCF's own talk page comments - these are general similar signs and patterns among the 3 editors. MemaidenModus has not been active since July 2019, but the edit pattern in their article history was identical to DCF and the IP 108.30.74.80, whose edits over 2020-22 were similar on topics preferred and edited by DCF, prominently Pescetarianism and Pollotarianism. Zefr (talk) 14:20, 11 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Another DCF-like edit on 14 June by IP 108.30.74.80, here. Zefr (talk) 14:36, 14 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

and further activity by DCF on a pescetarian topic today, fyi Spicy. Zefr (talk) 20:14, 15 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by other users

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

I believe there is some strong behavioural evidence that MemaidenModus is DietCokeFeast based on their obsessive edits on the pescetarianism article. Both of these accounts have attempted the re-write this article with some of the same and much similar unreliable material that has been reverted. We are not talking about just a few edits here both accounts have added mass material to the pescetarianism article. If you check the history of this article, no other user apart from the above accounts and myself has made mass edits to certain sections of the article. I improved the history section but if you check DietCokeFeast and MemaidenModus' edits on this article they have repeatedly edited the "Motivations and rationale" and "Trends and demographics" sections with unreliable primary sources and other dubious material. No other user has put so much time into editing those sections with mass content like these two accounts. I am pretty sure it is the same user, with the same editing interest.

The MemaidenModus account was created in April 2019 to almost exclusively edit or promote Pescetarianism or articles related to semi-vegetarianism. DietCokeFeast's account was created on [1] December 2019 to edit Semi-vegetarianism and other articles on diet. Both these accounts have an interest in "semi-vegetarianism", not many other users have edited these topics in this much depth. In January 2021 the DietCokeFeast account started to edit the pescetarianism article. In regard to editing behaviours both accounts have a bad history of not formatting references properly, both use VisualEditor and both have an occasional habit of marking big edits as minor. For example [2], [3], both users also appear to edit at the same times from around 10 or 11pm to the early morning and again at around 6pm and neither respond to messages on talk-pages. Psychologist Guy (talk) 02:46, 12 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I have just spent a few hours looking at this. To me, DietCokeFeast is definitely a sock-puppet of Zalgo. I have done extensive research into this users vandalism on and off this website so I know their editing interests. This user has previously used the accounts Heatxiddy, Skyisdeep, BecomeFree and LizardMeat to promote the carnivore diet/Monotrophic diet and edit content related to semi-vegetarian diets. After promoting the carnivore diet he has now switched gears and is promoting pescetarianism. Last year I suspected that DietCokeFeast was Zalgo but I never filed an SPI because LizardMeat was blocked on 8 May 2021, whilst DietCokeFeast's account was created on 4 December 2019 but it was clearly a sleeper account.

If you look at the editing patterns they do match. Skyisdeep was blocked on 28 May 2020. DietCokeFeast resumed editing on 9 June 2020. If you check Zalgo's archive the last blocked account was LizardMeat on 8 May 2021. There have been no other blocked socks over a year since that date for this user. It is because Zalgo is now using the DietCokeFeast account a stable account so he doesn't need to create others. It should be noted that DietCokeFeast is using a mobile [4]. This method helps to avoid being detected. DietCokeFeast has actually edited the Monotrophic diet [5] article which he was obsessed with editing on several blocked accounts.

Zefr has noted that DietCokeFeast never uses talk-pages or leaves comments to other users, to me this is because he knows he is being watched and because he has had extensive discussions with myself and several other users on his blocked socks in the past he will give the game away if he gets chatting again. However, DietCokeFeast today finally left a comment on a talk-page related to semi-vegetarianism [6]. Note that they use the term "ASF" (Animal source foods), this is a term not often used by people, let alone Wikipedia users. I have raised this before in Zalgo's archive how this user has used that term. He edited that article on many blocked accounts e.g. Moresdevin,OneFortyTwo but won't edit that article now as it is heavily being watched. In conclusion I am pretty sure that DietCokeFeast is Zalgo. It is a shame they have not been blocked sooner, they have been very clever this year at avoiding detection. Psychologist Guy (talk) 22:32, 13 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

CU Clerk declined - MemaidenModus is Stale and CU cannot be used to connect accounts to IPs. Spicy (talk) 19:24, 11 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]
MemaidenModus and DietCokeFeast are most likely the same person, but there is no temporal overlap, so we can disregard that – although it would have been good practice to disclose. I would also consider it essentially proven that they are the same as 108.30.74.80; that overlap is concerning, but I'm not convinced the logged out editing is in bad faith – it certainly has a disruptive effect however. I see where the Zalgo theory comes from, and I can't completely discredit it (though I will note he isn't the only master with a passion for meat-based diets), but the IP is not a proxy, very stable, and – if memory serves – geolocates about 500 kilometres south of Zalgo's usual location; the long-term stability indicates that this can't just be explained by travel. Accordingly, I'm going to treat this as a simple case of first-offence loutsocking without prejudice against refiling under a previous master if more concrete evidence surfaces. The other behavioural issues mentioned in the filing are out of scope for this venue and are best addressed through regular dispute resolution channels. IP blocked for 6 months and I'll issue a stern warning to the master. Closing. --Blablubbs (talk) 10:05, 16 June 2022 (UTC)[reply]