More of that raw Wikipedia_POV data goodness:
Guerrilla skeptics
The self-assigned name for a group of pro-science skeptics who are openly editing Wikipedia in a coordinated way. They attack psychics, quack medical practitioners, pseudoscience pushers, and related issues by editing Wikipedia articles using undeclared socks. For whatever reason, Rupert Sheldrake is a favored target. His BLP has become absurdly long and abusive for a semi-obscure figure.
Contents |
[edit] past explosions
Mentioned in the following Wikipediocracy threads:
- "Guerrilla skeptics" once again, December 2013.
- "Rupert Sheldrake's BLP conspiracy", November 2013. Sheldrake is a favorite "target" for the Guerrilla Skeptics due to his aggressive promotion of his rather odd scientific views.
- "Phil Klass", June 2013.
- The Stollznow/Radford stink, March 2014. An extremely embarrassing public dispute between two prominent scientific skeptics, with consequences on Wikipedia. The Guerrilla Skeptics are involved in all the related articles.
[edit] members
The principal member is Susan Gerbic, Sgerbic (T-C-F-R-B). Socks which appear to be directly involved include Barney_the_barney_barney (T-C-F-R-B), MrBill3 (T-C-F-R-B), Alfonzo Green (T-C-F-R-B), Joshuafilmer (T-C-F-R-B), Valis55 (T-C-F-R-B) and others. Many are members of Wikiproject Skepticism, a project with some rather questionable members. (See Joshua Schroeder, Tyciol, Noleander, Ellen Smith, Frank Bednarz, Sage Ross, William M. Connolley. Plus longtime players Aaron "VoiceOfAll" Schulz (currently a WMF software developer), "Loremaster" (see Transhumanism), "IRWolfie", Doug Weller, and WMUK pest Martin Poulter, many of whom are savage anti-Scientologists.)
Occasional rare spluttering about their activities has appeared on noticeboards.[1][2][3][4][5]
There was a 2011 Signpost article about Gerbic and company. "Despite assurances from Gerbic that "it's not vandalism, which it kinds of sounds like, because we are totally following the rules", concern has already been expressed that editors may attempt to give otherwise neutral articles a pro-skeptic slant. Although in the past there have been crackdowns on religious POV-pushing (most notably the Scientology arbitration case), Gerbic was clear that what has been left behind is not sufficiently pro-skeptic, describing the "skeptical content" on Wikipedia as "not very good". "
As mentioned on Wikipediocracy[6], it appears that "Barney the barney barney" has extremely close connections to retired British archaeologist, Francis Pryor, and has done almost obsessive glorification of Pryor, his family, his friends -- but has also participated heavily in the attacks on Sheldrake.
[edit] Tim Farley
One of the worst sock operators, and the principal attacker of Sheldrake, is Vzaak. He appeared on Wikipedia in July 2013 and did almost nothing but fight over the Sheldrake bio and that of Terence McKenna. Vzaak is suspected of being Tim Farley, a fire-breathing skeptic blogger whose Wikipedia bio was created by Susan Gerbic. Farley also operates Krelnik (T-C-F-R-B), his primary account. Another account dating from July 2013 and having a similar profile (fighting over the Sheldrake article and arguing on talkpages) is Manul (T-C-F-R-B).
Yes, he is openly using sockpuppets to editwar. And he has never been called to account for these sock accounts on any Wikipedia noticeboard. Although he is allowed to fight with administrators on noticeboards, there is no evidence of resulting restrictions. Vzaak made a terror of himself on arbitration enforcement areas. [7][8][9][10] And Vzaak is allowed to heap assorted evidence onto his enemies on Sockpuppet Investigations. He is a remarkably determined "Wikilawyer". [11][12]
Some time in 2015, all of Vzaak's contributions and logs mysteriously vanished. There is no visible evidence of an oversighter destroying his history -- most likely it was merged to the Manul account. It was obviously done to cover up Farley's years of abuses (however incompetently). This explanation seems likely, as Manul then replaced Vzaak on noticeboards and arbitration enforcement complaints. [13][14][15]
[edit] External items
The Skeptics group operate openly on blogs:
- Guerrilla Skepticism On Wikipedia, their major blog, operating since 2011
- occasional mentions on the Bad UFOs blog
- and occasional mentions on Skepticblog
- "Fix Wikipedia", "marching orders" on the website operated by noted skeptic and Wikipedia fan Michael Shermer. His WP biography is carefully manicured by the Guerrilla Skeptics.
- Many are believed to also hang out on RationalWiki, where they behave like insane adolescents.
- 2015 podcast interview with Gerbic in which she admits creating sockpuppets on Facebook to fight with people she dislikes.
- Rome Viharo's endless war with Gerbic and Farley.
No comments:
Post a Comment