Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/John Foxe/Archive

;Suspected sockpuppets

• {{checkuser|1=Hi540}}

• [http://toolserver.org/~betacommand/cgi-bin/uc?uc=John%20Foxe User compare report] Auto-generated every hour.

Primary evidence is the overlap on obscure articles related to Christian fundamentalism and historical sites: [http://toolserver.org/~mzmcbride/cgi-bin/wikistalk.py?namespace=0&user1=John+Foxe&user2=Hi540&user3=&user4=&user5=&user6=&user7=&user8=&user9=&user10=]. Fully one-third of all articles that Hi540 has edited have also been edited by John Foxe (http://toolserver.org/~soxred93/topedits/index.php?name=Hi540&namespace=0). Most recent overlap was at Bob Jones, Jr. which both accounts edited within the past 60 days. Neither account has disclosed or acknowledged a connection; I have [https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/w/index.php?title=User_talk:John_Foxe&diff=445273052&oldid=444605347 inquired] of John Foxe but received an [https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/w/index.php?title=User_talk:John_Foxe&diff=445407321&oldid=445273052 evasive answer].

If there is sockpuppetry occurring, it is fairly mild at present. The User:Hi540 account is not particularly active and actually makes positive contributions overall. But it doesn't seem to fall under the exceptions given in WP:SOCK#LEGIT, and (potentially) violates a few of the illegitimate uses of alternate accounts: contributing to the same page or discussion, avoiding scrutiny, and acting as "good hand"/"bad hand" accounts. More seriously, in the past (2-3 years ago) it participated in support of User:John Foxe in arguments about Mormonism—if it is a sock, this was a clear abuse that has never been acknowledged and thus might be repeated in the future. (See e.g. [https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith&diff=prev&oldid=322748882], [https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith&diff=prev&oldid=320260282], [https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/w/index.php?title=Golden_plates&diff=prev&oldid=273448696].)

Another concern is that User:Hi540 might be a role account, since it is the [http://www.bju.edu/academics/courses/?subject=History#Hi540 catalog name of a history class] taught at Bob Jones University. User:John Foxe has publicly disclosed to a newspaper reporter that he is a professor of history at BJU ([http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/article/700105517/Wiki-Wars-In-battle-to-define-beliefs-Mormons-and-foes-wage-battle-on-Wikipedia.html]). There is further evidence connecting both User:Hi540 and User:John Foxe to the same real-life individual but I do not wish to make that public out of respect for his privacy; I can disclose it to a checkuser if requested.

If these are found to be connected accounts, I do not recommend a block of the User:John Foxe account. He should be trouted and asked to renounce his abusive use of the sock account in the past, and that account should be blocked indefinitely. alanyst 23:46, 17 August 2011 (UTC)

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

• I think it's likely. Both accounts are old, though, and John Foxe has over 10,000 edits. I'd rather not block without concrete evidence, so I'm endorsing. — HelloAnnyong ^{(say whaaat?!)} 02:10, 19 August 2011 (UTC)

:*{{confirmed}}. Hersfold ^(t/a/c) 02:22, 19 August 2011 (UTC)

• DQ blocked and tagged, so.. I guess we're good. — HelloAnnyong ^{(say whaaat?!)} 02:47, 19 August 2011 (UTC)
• {{ec}} Sock blocked/Tagged. Gave the master some time for socking and evading the community. -- DQ (t) (e) 02:50, 19 August 2011 (UTC)

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