Sock-Puppetting and the Current Affairs Forum

EmmetSpiceland · 06-01-2022 2:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426861#Comment_118426861

To be fair, F, the user did produce evidence to back up the claim. They weren’t to know it was state sponsored or that there was an “amnesty” due to the statute of limitations running out.

I think the one real “take away” we can hope that comes from all of this is that the mods, and admins, will continue to focus on users with particular party “backing”, along with those with a history of running extra accounts to back up their own beliefs, making them appear far more popular than they are.

Beasty · 06-01-2022 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426861#Comment_118426861

Absolutely they would be removed

If the discussion concerning yourself had involved current accounts they would have been deleted from this thread

Equally any comments of that nature cast doubt on a poster which is unfair unless proven. I have already dealt with your recent example which was fully approved, and I now owe it to you to revisit the earlier example being mentioned here. I have absolutely nothing at this stage to suggest anything untoward but at the request of others will dig a bit deeper. In the meantime, as I mention above, it should not be discussed further here as that is very unfair to you. You do though have the right to defend yourself in this thread given posts already made her

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426967#Comment_118426967

The poster refused to accept the explanation and it led to a pile on of other posters making accusations.

The original poster has had ten years to have their suspicions investigated. Weird if not a bit creepy that they brought them up now.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 3:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426998#Comment_118426998

The GDPR request removed posts from one account.

If you want to know what was in the removed posts (I hope they are still not being retained) let me know and I can tell you.

06-01-2022 3:14pm

Can I ask again if it's possible to get a link to the posts mentioned in the OP

I'm banned from that thread and have never been able to get a mod response about it (appreciate ppl are busy but this was more than one attempt and long before the move)

Cards on the table I think if it was in a round of tit-for-tat with a horde of sockpuppets or if it was for opining that SF were running games on boards.ie then I'd like that to be reviewed in light of these events if possible.

blackwhite · 06-01-2022 3:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427001#Comment_118427001

In respect to Beasty's request to not to keep dragging this on - all I'll say is that this is the first time I've seen a Feedback/Helpdesk thread regarding sockpuppeting or multiaccounting.

Yet again though - lies and personal abuse is all that you ever seem to be capable of stooping to. Consistent if nothing else.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 3:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427204#Comment_118427204

To be accused of 'sock puppeteering' by somebody who sat on the suspicion for 10 years and to have my explanation rejected is personal abuse of the highest order IMO.

I'm not your punchbag...you punch, you get punched back.

atticu · 06-01-2022 3:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427163#Comment_118427163

There are a lot of Moderator decisions that need to be reviewed in light of these events.

Johnny Dogs McMurphy was moderated with a 'light touch'.

I once posted that I did not believe Johnny Dogs, and received an on thread warning for that. Later when Johnny Dogs posted that he did not believe me, and I pointed it out to the mods, I was informed that disagreeing with a poster in a condescending manner was not against the rules.

So, it was one rule for Johnny Dogs and another rule for me - why?

There was another more recent incident where I was replying to posts by McMurphy, and a Moderator sent me a PM suggesting that I look at some other forums on Boards.ie, such as the mustard forum. I asked the Moderator why they had sent me this PM - the answer that I received was very bazaar, the Moderator told me that they had received complaints from a poster that I was only replying to their posts, so the Moderator had taken it upon themselves to ask me to leave the forum, even though I had not broken any rules, but rather because they wanted to look after McMurphy.

Why?

There have been other instances of double standards in Moderation, but the common theme has always been the poster Johnny Dogs McMurphy.

06-01-2022 3:37pm

It is an awful shame that the Prison forum is gone. Like a digital version of heading to the hanging in the town square for a gawk.

atticu · 06-01-2022 3:38pm

Quote: "Sock-puppeting has always been something that is not tolerated. Sock puppeting involves deceit. It involves individuals, groups of individuals or indeed organisations co-ordinating accounts to improve the appearance of their particular "cause" which may be political, but extends across all discussions where there can be a difference of opinion. It can create the impression that one side of the argument is stronger than the other. That can be done by having different accounts supporting the "cause", or indeed looking to discredit the other side by posting stuff that would typically wind up neutrals into opposing that particular side."

This happened in a thread yesterday, and I reported it. No action has been taken.

I can only assume that the Moderators have not got around to doing anything about it yet, as I know that you would not say one thing here, and allow a different situation on another thread - that would be double standards.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 3:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427163#Comment_118427163

If it's any help...both you an Ha Long Bay were thread banned for comments directed to me. The banned accounts were not involved in the discussion at that time.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116966249#Comment_116966249

Beasty · 06-01-2022 3:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427433#Comment_118427433

Your report was looked at and there was zero evidence to support your claims.

06-01-2022 3:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427475#Comment_118427475

Thanks Francie

As I said, if (in any format you wish to speculate) SF supporters have been co-ordinating activity across threads on boards.ie and I and others were banned for referencing this, I'd like that reviewed.

If we have accounts rolling 14 hours a day to the tune of thousands and thousands of posts in a year on SF only topics then for me that's as suspicious as ten sockpuppet accounts doing the same, and I think that in light of the events that prompted this thread it would be ridiculous to action anyone saying so.

The idea that someone would be threadbanned for the above in light of the carryon in those threads is frankly preposterous, especially if there's now (and always has been tbh) good reason to suspect all manner of SF co-ordination in boards politics threads.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 3:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427548#Comment_118427548

You can't and I can't make unfounded accusations. Yonder lies chaos.

None of the recently banned accounts was involved at the time you got banned for attacking a poster and not the post. Also a staple of boards rules, regardless of who might be orchestrating things..the mythical Shinnerbots or Anonymous FG accounts etc.

They also have to observe the rules or get banned. I have been threadbanned myself for a bit of robust comment, so I feel your pain.

06-01-2022 3:59pm

Francie you had a lot of info there to hand very quickly, I find it ironic for a fella throwing shade an hour ago on a poster able to identify your own little boo-boo that you can dig up the post I was banned for and tell me who was in and around the thread that night several months ago.

Many thanks for your kind assistance.

Beasty · 06-01-2022 4:01pm

I said drop it. Now drop it. I will review in due course

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 4:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427609#Comment_118427609

Two seconds to search, using the parameters on the right, your offending post comes up first.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427622#Comment_118427622

Apologies...can't delete

Beasty · 06-01-2022 5:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427645#Comment_118427645

As I mentioned I am happy for you to defend yourself against such claims. I think that is only fair. Equally though others should not be making further comments about you while I undertake my review

If anyone does have additional information they consider relevant they can always PM me

06-01-2022 5:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425526#Comment_118425526

Employees of charities quangos, political parties, corporations, foreign govenments, organised religions and true believers of every kind

Working class heroes · 06-01-2022 5:50pm

After reading this thread and been a neutral observer one can be in no doubt, there is a serious, serious stink about all this.

Very hard to know exactly what to make of it all.......

06-01-2022 5:53pm

I recall on politics.ie when it was still popular there were a number of accounts, always acting as apologists for Islam or Socialism, that appeared to have multiple people posting under the one username. the style, diction and even spelling would change at regular intervals

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 6:00pm

If you think sock puppeting hasn't been an issue, do a search ...over 10k posts on it across all forums, all types of users too of all persuasions.

Just sayin'.

06-01-2022 6:02pm

Any unusual posting activity from Serbia I wonder???

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 6:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428332#Comment_118428332

Or FG HQ.

Just sayin Doc.

AndrewJRenko · 06-01-2022 6:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428115#Comment_118428115

So that's pretty much the entire population then.

blanch152 · 06-01-2022 6:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427380#Comment_118427380

This has been an interesting learning experience, glad I started the thread. Thanks to Beasty for his many clarifications and await the results of his latest investigation with interest.

I do agree with Atticu on the review of mod decisions. One of the advantages of having multiple accounts would appear to be the ability to look like an innocent with no grudge, while your other accounts report all posts you disagree with. It would be interesting to know whether there was multiple reporting of other posters by the sock-puppetting accounts. From what we have seen so far, to be able to carry it out in such a sustained manner suggests a serious organised intent.

Clarification of the rules on allowing second accounts would be useful also, as some of us don't seem to have the same access to this facility as others.

06-01-2022 6:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428598#Comment_118428598

No. A very miniscule portion of the population trying to leverage their influence , out of all proportion to their actual support or number Also good for business and dissenting views need to be drowned out with a wall of shrill condemnation(from multiple socks)

Edit for spllings and gremmor only

blanch152 · 06-01-2022 7:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428317#Comment_118428317

Lots of allegations, yes, but only one case where up to 10 accounts, six of them prolific, were proven to be acting as sock-puppetteers for one political view, that political view being in support of Sinn Fein. What will remain unknown, and can never be proven is whether that was an individual acting on their own behalf or something more organised. One can draw one's own conclusions either way, but that will only be opinion.

FrancieBrady · 06-01-2022 7:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428803#Comment_118428803

Wrong. If you go through some of those 10k posts you will see all sorts of accounts being banned.

Sock-Puppetting and the Current Affairs Forum

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