:User:NinjaRobotPirate/Identifying sock puppets
Types of new users
New editors generally come in a few broad archetypes. Among others, these include sock puppets, overly enthusiastic younger editors, clueless newbies, spammers, college students, and nerds. Spammers and sock puppets should be indefinitely blocked. Overly enthusiastic younger editors should be coached or mentored if they become a pain. Clueless newbies should be assisted or perhaps directed to the Teahouse. College students should have institutional help but may need direction to on-wiki sources of help. Nerds come in many different varieties, including scientists, academics, and IT workers. They are generally the opposite of a clueless newbie and may draw suspicion because they don't act clueless enough.
| class="wikitable"
|+ Differentiating between various types of new editors | ||||||
| Action | Sock | Child | Newbie | Spammer | Student | Nerd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acts like a bossy know-it-all | {{yes}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|name=random|children do random things for no discernible reason}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{maybe}} |
| Indignant at being treated like a newbie | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| Repeatedly requests advanced permissions | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|name=spam|mostly limited to creating articles, new page patrol, or AFC}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
| Installs user scripts and gadgets | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|the most enthusiastic ones will, but most won't}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=spam}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| Gaming autoconfirmed | {{yes}} | {{yes}}{{efn|name=random}} | {{rarely}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Gaming extended confirmed | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=random}} | {{rarely}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Goes directly to a drama board | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|it does happen...}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Instant drama with established editor | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|when very clueless newbies meet very irritable regulars}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| User page is a rant | {{yes}} | {{yes}}{{efn|mostly limited to ranting about forums, parents, etc}} | {{no}}{{efn|only if they've been bitten}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|nerd rage...}} |
| Cluttered userpage with lots of userboxes | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}} | {{no}} |
| User page copies an established editor | {{yes}} | {{yes}}{{efn|name=random}} | {{rarely}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Repeated clueless posts to project space | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Immediate barnstar from another newbie | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
| First edit is to vote at AfD | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|generally indicative of having been canvassed off-site}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| Votes at RFA or major RFCs | {{yes}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|name=cent|remember, this stuff is advertised at WP:CENT}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=cent}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=cent}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=cent}} |
| First edit is to declare, "I'm not a sock" | {{yes}} | {{yes}}{{efn|name=random}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Edits policy pages, complex templates, etc | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{no}}{{efn|not intentionally, though some clueless editors may end up in the wrong namespace}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
| Excessive interest in sock puppetry cases | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|mostly limited to computer security nerds}} |
| Recreates deleted articles | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=random}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=legit|on legit topics}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}}{{efn|name=legit}} | {{yes}}{{efn|name=legit}} |
| Creates inappropriate articles | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} |
| Moves bad articles out of draft space | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{rarely}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Promo or U5 content in sandbox | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} |
| Requests creation protection be removed | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=legit}} | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=legit}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=legit}} |
| Complains about filters, blacklists, etc. | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=prob|see Scunthorpe problem}} | {{yes}} | {{rarely}}{{efn|name=prob}} | {{no}} |
| Confirmed to many accounts | {{yes}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|siblings, classmates, alternate accounts, multiple clean starts, etc}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|especially if it's an editathon}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{maybe}}{{efn|if editing from work}} |
| Action | Sock | Child | Newbie | Spammer | Student | Nerd |
{{notelist}}