Wikipedia:Conflict of interest/Noticeboard
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Samir Shah[edit]
I've indefinitely blocked OliverSeager as a compromised/shared account and followed up on their talk page. Hopefully the person most recently operating the account, if they create a new one, is now aware of and will stick to the COI guidelines. If not, yes a partial block would probably be in order. – Joe (talk) 08:33, 5 April 2022 (UTC) |
- The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
- Samir Shah (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- OliverSeager (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Samir Shah is an article created by OliverSeager as this draft who has made no edits outside the article and the draft was refused at AfC. I became aware Samir Shah was likely a notable figure and improved the draft and took it so mainspace as the AfC was long and their were existing poor quality redirects occupying the mainspace target name. In that process I became aware likely had an undeclared paid coi with the article (probably not trying to be deceptive about it), and challenged him on that point, but he has continued to add unsourced but likely WP:V continued contribute to the article. at e.g. Special:Diff/1079790593 which is to a agree promotional, especially given Shah's production company. I'm reluctant to keep reverting and need other eyes on this. Thankyou. Djm-leighpark (talk) 21:01, 28 March 2022 (UTC)
- If I am not mistaken a snapshot of Shah's Juniper website from 16th March 2022 [1] is a strong indicator of an undeclared paid relationship in the team at that or an earlier point. Thankyou. Djm-leighpark (talk) 00:13, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
Propose page block for OliverSeager on Samir Shah as in apparent position of (former) PA (Personal Assistant) really needs to have editing on the article restricted unless they can demonstrate no COI/PAID connection. Edit request on talk page via {{Request Edit}} would be welcome. Djm-leighpark (talk) 09:29, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- There has been a response at Special:Diff/1080932411 and I'd be grateful if someone else could ensure they have matters handled with due diligence and respect. I need to micro-wikibreak shortly on :en:WP after adding some sources I've just found to a draft article. It is just possible a page block could be avoided. Thankyou. Djm-leighpark (talk) 10:17, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- Notice that the person who responded with the OliverSeager account calls himself "Tomos Harrison", who claims to have "taken over" from Oliver Seager as Shah's assisstant. Looks like there are some WP:ROLE account concerns here. Miracusaurs (talk) 12:24, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- The [current version of the webpage] above is compatible with that claim. The easiest way out of this will likely be indef OliverSeager and require the current account operator to create another account properly declaring the COI from the start. But that's really up to the user which may they want to try to handle this situation. Thnakyou. Djm-leighpark (talk) 18:48, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- How can I resolve this issue? I really would like to avoid having the page come down completely, and would appreciate any advice from you. I'm not overly-familiar with using Wiki, so am unsure what the best options are at this point. Thanks again for your help. OliverSeager (talk) 08:00, 5 April 2022 (UTC)
- The [current version of the webpage] above is compatible with that claim. The easiest way out of this will likely be indef OliverSeager and require the current account operator to create another account properly declaring the COI from the start. But that's really up to the user which may they want to try to handle this situation. Thnakyou. Djm-leighpark (talk) 18:48, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- Notice that the person who responded with the OliverSeager account calls himself "Tomos Harrison", who claims to have "taken over" from Oliver Seager as Shah's assisstant. Looks like there are some WP:ROLE account concerns here. Miracusaurs (talk) 12:24, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
California Housing Shortage[edit]
- California housing shortage (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- FinancialCents (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Replace this with a brief explanation of the situation. FinancialCents (talk) 05:19, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
This topic is presented as factual but is rather a biased point of view. I have made an initial attempt to edit the article and present that there is an opposing viewpoint. I was told to create a separate page. But, this keeps the topic of the "California Housing Shortage" in the hands of those promoting the viewpoint as factual. What would the separate page be? Developers and others in real estate and construction-related industries are poised to receive massive funding and highly profitable advantages, under the guise of "affordable housing" which largely fails to benefit the populations purported to be central to the state mandates. Agencies referred to as "experts" are advancing overly simplistic Supply-Demand models which need to be replaced by more sophisticated and up-to-date Queueing Theory models recognizing the dynamic nature of demand, such that additional supply will simply attract more people to the state that is already drought parched and strained in resources and infrastructure. I need a source - other than those maintaining this biased article - to allow inclusion of the opposing viewpoints. I will add the required links to reference article. First I need to be allowed access to this page to make the edits. FinancialCents (talk) 05:19, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
- @FinancialCents: Can the template you have put in. Thanks. scope_creepTalk 08:42, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
- Hi, please pardon that I am not completely sure what you are asking me for. Do you mean the existing article page on this topic? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_housing_shortage Or do you mean the edits I am attempting to make to the page? I am following what Slywriters says that I have to begin with the sources and then add the text, so I suppose I will need to do some searches for fairly major obvious ones. FinancialCents (talk) 06:34, 6 April 2022 (UTC)
- @FinancialCents: Is the California Housing Shortage a draft. I made an attempt to fix the template but doesn't seem to be an article there. Can you please take a look at them. scope_creepTalk 08:47, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
- Sources are your friend. You can not just add what you perceive at the truth, you need to provide sources that WP:Verify the information you are adding to an article.Slywriter (talk) 14:01, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
- @FinancialCents: Can the template you have put in. Thanks. scope_creepTalk 08:42, 30 March 2022 (UTC)
Steve Kirsch[edit]
- Steve Kirsch (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Monsieur Voltaire (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
The editor left a message on the talk page of the Steve Kirsch article, suggesting the article was biased. The latest of probably, now about 6-9 editors who have came in, in the last few months and tried to alter the article, or suggested altering in a way that breaks neutrality. The article has recently undergone a consensus based update with a group of editors and is largely accurate based on the source and within NPOV. This editor seems to think its ok to break NPOV and I believe they have some kind of coi. scope_creepTalk 10:54, 3 April 2022 (UTC)
- Atm I don't get why you think this is an editor with a COI rather than an editor with an opinion. Per definition, WP:NPOV doesn't apply to a talkpage comment, and they haven't edited the article, not yet anyway. The SK talkpage edits are their first edits this year, afaict they're far from disruptive. What action against this editor are you hoping for? Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 12:16, 3 April 2022 (UTC)
- I doubt this is stkirsch (talk · contribs) (who is indefinitely blocked). Probably just someone who read one of Kirsch's social media posts complaining about the article. MrOllie (talk) 12:53, 3 April 2022 (UTC)
- Possibly. There has been six to eight people in the last couple of months trying to change the article. That is a pattern. scope_creepTalk 10:32, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
Sudhir G. Pawar[edit]
- Draft:Sudhir Pawar (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Sudhir G. Pawar (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Looks like a duck to me Pavlov2 (talk) 10:55, 3 April 2022 (UTC)
Black_hole_information_paradox[edit]
- Black hole information paradox (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Jacob2718 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
It seems that jacob2718 is an active researcher in the field of black hole information. His edits have mainly supported the (sometimes disputed) conclusions in journal papers listed below, see the article talk page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Black_hole_information_paradox#Technical_details
1) "Lessons from the information Paradox", PhysicsReports https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0370157321003720
2) "The Entropy of Hawking Radiation", Reviews of Modern Physics https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.93.035002
According to Wikipedia policy, jacob2718 should declare a COI regarding edits to this article, or clarify that he or she has no conflict of interest with respect to the article. Signature by user:Xcalmet User talk:Xcalmet Added by scope_creepTalk 19:19, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
- I don't understand what the COI is. The fact that he's an active researcher in the field of black hole information is a good thing; we want more subject-matter experts editing our articles, not fewer. His talk page posts seem to be suggesting that the article should cite more to actual scientific research than pop science media outlets; again, this strikes me as a good thing. So what is the COI? Is he adding links to papers he authored or something? Mlb96 (talk) 21:52, 5 April 2022 (UTC)
- Black hole information is an area of active research, and there is sometimes sharp disagreement between experts as to what is known or not known, what has been rigorously established, etc. It seems that Jacob2718 is using this Wiki article to advance his own opinions. He is not fairly describing other work in the field. For example, the work in
- "Lessons from the information Paradox", PhysicsReports https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0370157321003720
- of Raju et al. have been criticized and are not widely accepted, see e.g. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2203.04947.pdf. But this work features prominently in Jacob2718's recent edits.
- Jacob2718 eliminated a discussion in the Recent Developments section about the work of Calmet et al. He moved mention of published papers in top journals like Physical Review Letters [16] and Physics Letters [17] into the Popular Culture section. It appears that the original reference to this work, written by Jacob2718 himself, described it as supportive of Raju et al.'s earlier papers. It is strange that it has now been moved into the entirely wrong section.
- How can Jacob2718 justify first citing Calmet et al. as (presumably) important work in the Recent Developments section, supporting Raju et al., and now claim it is only an example of Popular Culture? This is not only unjustified, it shows active bias at work. Xcalmet (talk) 11:41, 6 April 2022 (UTC)
- Being biased is not the same as having a conflict of interest. Based on what you've posted, I do not see any evidence of a conflict of interest. Your concern seems to be about NPOV, not COI. Mlb96 (talk) 22:51, 6 April 2022 (UTC)
- My interpretation of the Wikipedia page on COI is that self-promotion (in this case, promotion of the research of Jacob2718) falls under the definition of COI. The information I provided above documents bias. The likely motivation of that bias is self-promotion.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest
- "Readers expect to find neutral articles written independently of their subject, not corporate or personal webpages, or platforms for advertising and self-promotion."
- It is also true (as discussed in my previous post) that Jacob2718 does not exhibit a NPOV, and I will make a separate note of that here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view/Noticeboard Xcalmet (talk) 10:39, 7 April 2022 (UTC)
- @Xcalmet:, I do not see any "Jacob" listed as an author or researcher in any of the sources you have mentioned. So how exactly do you classify it as self-promotion? I think you were closer to the mark in your previous comment when you used the phrase "active bias". --SVTCobra 15:47, 7 April 2022 (UTC)
- Being biased is not the same as having a conflict of interest. Based on what you've posted, I do not see any evidence of a conflict of interest. Your concern seems to be about NPOV, not COI. Mlb96 (talk) 22:51, 6 April 2022 (UTC)
nanoFlowcell[edit]
- NanoFlowcell (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Alemanis2016 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
User seems to have edited nothing but that particular page... but something more suspicious happened last October when they completely shortened the article that also happens to remove negative information of the company, which should make anyone suspicious of what they're doing. FMecha (to talk|to see log) 01:42, 8 April 2022 (UTC)
- They've also deleted a post on the company's talk page criticizing the company. Suspicious.... Miracusaurs (talk) 13:32, 8 April 2022 (UTC)
Patrick Roche (Northern Ireland politician)[edit]
- Patrick Roche (Northern Ireland politician) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- DrRochy (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Identifies as the subject of the article, and persists in editing despite a COI warning. FDW777 (talk) 12:36, 8 April 2022 (UTC)
- @FDW777:, please notify the user of this discussion per the instructions at the top of this page. Thanks, --SVTCobra 12:48, 8 April 2022 (UTC)
John Junior[edit]
- John Junior (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Walker567 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Stickers1882 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Mayhem223 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Hogroast92 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Recyclebean103 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Cheshitewriter99 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Manicmonday22 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Scooterlife (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Gamingnicole305 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Helskini77 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Jockey8821 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Franmcr89 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
- Gamingnicole305 (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
This is only a partial list of suspicious accounts as there are many. The subject of this article does not appear to be particularly notable judging from the number of followers on various social media. The length and number of edits to the article thus seems rather odd. Particularly so when one considers that a number of the main editors have only ever contributed to this one article. It seems possible that one or two individuals, potentially with conflicts of interest, are setting up multiple accounts to edit this article while attempting to avoid detection. 2A02:C7C:362C:4B00:6925:230E:1318:36E8 (talk) 13:24, 10 April 2022 (UTC)
- May meet notability via breath of coverage, but the article has serious flaws and the number of SPAs is staggering. At a glance, this needs attention. --SVTCobra 00:53, 11 April 2022 (UTC)
- I filed a report at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Scooterlife, which is the oldest account of the ones above. This might be the work of one or more sockmasters, or a ring of WP:MEATpuppets that were WP:CANVASSed. --Drm310 🍁 (talk) 15:04, 14 April 2022 (UTC)
User:Sahiba Ahluwalia[edit]
- PTC News (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- PTC Punjabi (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- PTC News (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Draft:Rabindra Narayan (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Sahiba Ahluwalia (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
User seems to be employed by the subject of these articles as suggested by their message on my Talk Page and a quick Google search. No disclosure of paid editing even after multiple notices. Entire editing history promotional in nature and devoted to these articles. Tow (talk) 16:08, 11 April 2022 (UTC)
Metropolitan College of New York[edit]
- Metropolitan College of New York (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Tgeorgiou (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
This editor is a single-purpose editor who only edits this article. WP:OUTING prevents me from saying exactly who this editor likely is and their relationship with the college but I trust that anyone else who spends a few seconds looking into this will come to the same conclusion. They have not replied to a Template:Uw-coi-username template left on their User Talk page. Their continued editing appears to be a clear violation of WP:PAID. ElKevbo (talk) 22:44, 11 April 2022 (UTC)
Webhelp[edit]
- Webhelp (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- ABWebhelp (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Article about a large "Bpo/Business process outsourcing" company. Recent editing clearly in favor of it. Geheimnisenthüller (talk) 19:38, 12 April 2022 (UTC)
- I just restored the article to the last version that wasn't edited by obvious COI editors. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 19:48, 12 April 2022 (UTC)
Note: - User has been blocked by Ponyo. --SVTCobra 01:00, 13 April 2022 (UTC)
Child In Need Institute[edit]
- Child In Need Institute (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Kausikmaitra (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
This editor has an undeclared COI and continues to add promotional, unsourced, and/or poorly sourced language to the Child In Need Institute Even after multiple warnings . VVikingTalkEdits 12:51, 13 April 2022 (UTC)
Remote (company)[edit]
- Remote (company) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Husond (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
Since his recent return to Wikipedia, Husond created an article about an HR company that does payroll and employment verification: subjects not known to attract edits from ardent fans. Jeepday speedy deleted it but Husond complained only hours later, so Jeepday restored the article and draftified it. The next day, Husond moved the draft back into main namespace and then removed the tag questioning subject notability. I nominated the article for deletion. Husond has not disclosed a CoI even after I pressed him on the subject, opining that he doesn't have to disclose and even if he did I'm not allowed to ask. It would seem to me that Husond came back to Wikipedia only to edit for hire and is now pushing to defend his actions. Chris Troutman (talk) 21:48, 13 April 2022 (UTC)
- I find your obsession slightly disturbing and will not entertain this discussion. Húsönd 08:20, 14 April 2022 (UTC)
- @Chris troutman: I believe that is well. Its native advertising. scope_creepTalk 08:27, 14 April 2022 (UTC)
- I almost brought this here myself as I noticed Husond basically being resurrected just to spam some non-notable corporation that has been advertising for months for an article. But their insistence that they don't have to disclose leads me to believe that 1.) there's a COI and 2.) they don't know policy. CUPIDICAE💕 18:49, 14 April 2022 (UTC)
- With such strong suspicions I'm surprised you guys are not spending a few hours trying to find actual evidence of COI. Oh wait, maybe you have already.
- On a serious note though, I had no idea the company had been trying to get an article (where?). Irrespective of it, I do think it should have one. It's a $4B business, it's notable, it's sourced, people will look for it on WP. Inevitably we will have to have an article on it. Húsönd 13:10, 15 April 2022 (UTC)
- Noting that this is now at ANI, that passions went a bit high but at least some parties are dialing back the rhetoric. If someone sees this here and feels the need to participate at the AFD, that's great, but please do go evaluate the sources there impartially. While opinions vary, at least some of us have found them quite sufficient. @Praxidicae:, if indeed this company has been "advertising for months" for a paid article, that would indeed change presumptions. Do you have direct evidence/knowledge of that? It would also be easy to be mistaken about that. Martinp (talk) 12:22, 16 April 2022 (UTC)
Sarah Paravia[edit]
- Ash Bowers (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Matt Stell (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs)
- Sarah Paravia (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · block log)
The user has repeatedly made non-neutral edits to Ash Bowers in an attempt to erase his previous career as a singer and over-emphasize his current role as a songwriter/producer/manager. The edits contain promotional verbiage like "chasing the music of his heroes" and "Ash took fellow songwriter Jimmie Allen under his wing". User also removed a DOB from Matt Stell, an artist who is part of Bowers' management company. Ten Pound Hammer • (What did I screw up now?) 18:58, 15 April 2022 (UTC)