Forum:CT Archive/Sockpuppet policies?

Wookieepedia &gt; Consensus track &gt; 

RMF recently pointed out to me that we don't seem to have written policies on sockpuppets. We customarily block sockpuppets of vandals when found (and have done since our earliest vandalism incidents back when we only had two admins), but it might be good to formalize those policies and put them somewhere: possibly Blocking policy? &mdash;Silly Dan (talk) 00:16, 16 July 2006 (UTC)

Policy proposal
Sockpuppets are alternate usernames created by a registered user. The use of sockpuppets is discouraged on most wikis, including Wookieepedia. Sockpuppetry may be dealt with by administrators as follows:


 * The use of sockpuppets to get around a ban will result in the sockpuppet username being permanently blocked. At the discretion of the administrators, the length of the original username's block may be extended.


 * The use of sockpuppets to create the impression that multiple users support a single user's views will result in the sockpuppet username being permanently blocked. However, the original user should not be blocked: only warned.  Persistent use of such sockpuppets may be considered disruptive behaviour similar to vandalism, however.


 * If a user with multiple registered usernames wishes to change his or her username, this is not an example of sockpuppetry. (This is important to note: one of our founders changed his username early in this wiki's history.) The old username need not be blocked: however, a note must be placed on their old userpage noting the change of name.
 * Similarly, if a user who has used sockpuppets in the past wishes to change their username to that of one of their sockpuppets &mdash; even one which has been previously blocked &mdash; this is acceptable if the original username is not currently being blocked. The "new" name must then be unblocked, and the old user page must note the namechange.


 * The use of multiple accounts for other reasons (for example, registering a separate account in order to run a bot or "droid") may be acceptable. In fact, if a user wishes to run helpful bots, this is necessary so an accidentally out-of-control droid can be blocked while the droidmaster is still allowed to edit.  However, the identity of the main user must be specified, and the secondary account cannot be used to vote separately in discussions.  Use of alternate usernames solely in order to make additional userpages &mdash; i.e. for purposes of vanity &mdash; will contravene our user page policy (once we have one.)

Comments? &mdash;Silly Dan (talk) 00:16, 16 July 2006 (UTC)