Template:Sockpuppet/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Sockpuppet.
It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

Brief guide to using this template

{{Sockpuppet|sockmaster|blank/blocked/proven/confirmed}}

Sock has been blocked based on edits: {{Sockpuppet|Master account|blocked}}
Sock has been blocked based on CheckUser evidence: {{Sockpuppet|Master account|confirmed}}.

To append links, evidence, or a brief note, use |3=. Useful for adding a diff to a checkuser's talk page, if the check was not conducted at SPI. If explaining behavioural evidence, be mindful of WP:BEANS.

For sockmasters, use {{Sockpuppeteer}}.

This template is used on approximately 250,000 pages.
To avoid major disruption and server load, any changes should be tested in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. The tested changes can be added to this page in a single edit. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Usage[edit]

In general, this template should only be applied by Administrators or Clerks as part of the Sockpuppet investigations process.

For use with a single master[edit]

Code Use Displays

{{sockpuppet|Example|blocked}}

The account has been blocked based on behavioural evidence.

This account is a suspected sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs) and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

{{sockpuppet|Example|proven}}

Behaviour proved beyond a reasonable doubt (WP:DUCK) or similar but there is no CU

Confirmed result (CU may have given another result).

This account is a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

{{sockpuppet|Example|confirmed}}
{{sockpuppet|Example|cuconfirmed}}
{{sockpuppet|Example|nbconfirmed}}

A CU has

Confirmed that the accounts are related.

This account has been confirmed by a CheckUser as a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

{{sockpuppet|Example|confirmed|locked=yes}}

Account has been confirmed by a CU, locally blocked indef and globally locked.

This account has been confirmed by a CheckUser as a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely as well as locked globally.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

For use with a suspected alternate master[edit]

(can be used in addition to the parameters below)

Code Use Displays

{{Sockpuppet|Example|confirmed |altmaster=Example2|altmaster-status=proven}}

User:Example has been confirmed to another sock account but there is a very strong connection to another master (Example2) who is not CU confirmed.

This account has been confirmed by a CheckUser as a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs) and is also a sockpuppet of Example2 (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

{{Sockpuppet|Example|confirmed |altmaster=Example2|altmaster-status=suspected}}

User:Example has been confirmed to another sock account but User:Example2 is the suspected master.

This account has been confirmed by a CheckUser as a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs) and is also a suspected sockpuppet of Example2 (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

{{Sockpuppet|Example|proven |altmaster=Example2|altmaster-status=suspected}}

User:Example is proven to be a sock of another account but both are suspected to be a sock of User:Example2.

This account is a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs) and is also a suspected sockpuppet of Example2 (talk · contribs · logs), and has been blocked indefinitely.
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

The template adds the __NOINDEX__ magic word.

Parameters[edit]

The first parameter in this table is required and the template will fail without it. All the other parameters are optional.

Parameter(s)	Values	Notes
First positional parameter (optionally `\|1=`)	Username of the sockmaster or suspected sockmaster	Just include the name, no "User:" or square brackets.
Second positional parameter (optionally `\|2=`)	`spi` `blocked` `proven` `confirmed` `cuconfirmed` `nbconfirmed`	`blocked` - this is used for sockpuppets that have been blocked on behavioural evidence (the duck test) or behavioural evidence combined with a non-conclusive CU result (such as Possible). `proven` - Behaviour is beyond reasonable doubt but there is no CU Confirmed result (CU may have given a different result). `confirmed`, `cuconfirmed` and `nbconfirmed` - A CU has Confirmed that the accounts are related.
Third positional parameter (optionally `\|3=`) `\|evidence=`	Evidence of sockpuppetry	This field can be used to link to the evidence of sockpuppetry, or to give a very brief summary (a couple of words). If this parameter is left blank and the sockpuppet investigation case page is a blue link, then a link to the case page is provided automatically.
`\|spipage=`	Subpage name (just the master) of the SPI if not the same as the master	This field can be used to specify a different SPI page if the page is not named for the master in parameter 1.
`\|locked=`	`yes`	Use `\|locked=yes` if the account is globally locked.
`\|notblocked=`	`yes`	This parameter can be used to remove the note about the account being blocked, such as if an account is globally locked as a sockpuppet, but has not been blocked locally. This parameter works with all parameters.
`\|length=`	Length of time the sockpuppet or suspected sockpuppet was blocked	Use this field if the sockpuppet or suspected sockpuppet was blocked for a specific length of time. This parameter defaults to "indefinitely". This parameter is ignored, and does not default to indefinitely, if `nbconfirmed` is used.
`\|cat=` `\|category=`	Custom category name for the sockpuppet or suspected sockpuppet	This parameter defaults to the category "Wikipedia sockpuppets of X" if the second positional parameter is set to "confirmed", and "Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets of X" if the second positional parameter is set to anything else. Here, "X" is the username specified in the first positional parameter.
`\|nocat=`	Suppresses categorization of the page	When set to `nocat=1`, the page will not be categorized. Should only be used in test or example uses of the template.

Deprecated parameters[edit]

Use of this template with the second positional parameter suspected or spi or without any second positional parameter will produce

An editor has expressed a concern that this account may be a sockpuppet of Example (talk · contribs · logs).
Please refer to the sockpuppet investigation of the sockpuppeteer, and editing habits or contributions of the sockpuppet for evidence. This policy subsection may be helpful.

Account information: block log – contribs – logs – abuse log – CentralAuth

The template should not be used in this manner, as Wikipedia:Sockpuppetry#Handling suspected sock puppets mandates that only blocked accounts be tagged as sockpuppets.

Categories[edit]

This template adds pages to one of (as appropriate):

Category:Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets and Category:Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets of {{{1}}};
Category:Wikipedia sockpuppets of {{{1}}}.

TemplateData[edit]

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Sockpuppet in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Sockpuppet

This template is placed on the user pages of accounts which are sockpuppets, usually by patrolling administrators at SPI.

Template parameters
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Master's username	`1`	Username of the sockpuppeteer	User	required
Status	`2`	The status of the account. Set to "spi" or "suspected" if the user is not yet blocked or confirmed by a checkuser but is under investigation. Set to "blocked" if the user has been blocked on behavioral evidence (checkuser not used). Set to "proven" if the user is a sock beyond reasonable doubt. Set to "confirmed" "cuconfirmed" or "nbconfirmed" if the account has been confirmed by a checkuser. If defined, defaults to the 'not yet blocked or confirmed by a checkuser but is under investigation'.	String	suggested
Evidence	`3` `evidence`	Use this parameter to specify evidence different from the normal link to the case page	Content	optional
Block length (if not indefinite)	`length`	The length of time the user has been blocked for. Defaults to indefinite.	String	optional
Not blocked?	`notblocked`	Set to "yes" if the account has not been blocked and the status template is not the default	Line	optional
Globally locked?	`locked`	Set to "yes" if the account has been globally locked	Line	optional
Subpage name of SPI	`spipage`	Define if the SPI has a different name to the master	String	optional
Custom category	`category` `cat`	Adds the user to a custom category. Defaults to "Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets of [sockmaster]" or "Wikipedia sockpuppets of [sockmaster]" based on the "Status" parameter.	Unknown	optional
Remove categories	`nocat`	Defining this parameter will remove the categories	Line	optional

Usage[edit]

For use with a single master[edit]

For use with a suspected alternate master[edit]

Parameters[edit]

Deprecated parameters[edit]

Categories[edit]

TemplateData[edit]

See also[edit]