Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Procedures

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Contents

[edit] General notes and scope

  • Clerks are interested individuals who have volunteered to help keep RFCU clear, to expedite the processing of requests. They are not checkusers, nor reserve checkusers; they are also not request screeners, meaning clerks should not give an opinion on how likely a case is to be accepted.
  • Clerks should avoid giving the impression that they are intermediaries between those making requests and the checkusers. Clerks should not express opinions on the merits of checks, and should remain mindful of the impression their clerk actions convey. Use a light touch.
  • Actions, other than simple reformatting, should be noted with {{clerknote}}. This will serve as a public indicator that the action was a clerk action, and will be a signal to the checkuser that there is clerk activity going on.

[edit] Tasks and procedures

[edit] Listing stage

This is the stage when cases have been just created.

  • Make sure that the case is named correctly. Cases should be named Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Case/(sockpuppeteer). The most common mistakes are naming the case after a sockpuppet rather than the suspected puppeteer, and creating a new case Case/Foo 2 when Case Foo already exists. The checkusers prefer to keep all the requests for the same person on the same page.
  • If the proper case name already exists (ie. for a previous request), the best option is to copy-and-paste the request to the correct page, indicating that you are doing a copy-and-paste move in the edit summary. Tag the old page for speedy deletion using {{db-reason}}.
  • If the correct pagename doesn't exist, simply Move the page to the correct name, and delete the old page (after notifying the requester of the change)
  • Ensure that the {{checkuser}} and {{checkip}} templates are used correctly in the top area of the request, and that the list of usernames is bulleted.
  • Ensure a code letter is provided, or that "none applicable, see below" is clearly stated by the applicant. If it isn't, post {{codeletter}} on the talk page of the applicant (see template page for usage details). Annoate the request for checkuser with {{moreinfo}}, stating that you have requested a code letter, to avoid confusion/doubling up between clerks.
  • Some code letters specifically ask for diffs and/or links to other material (eg. ArbCom decisions). See Template:Requests for checkuser header for the list (which is transcluded onto the main RFCU page). If diffs are explicitly requested, and they are not given, add {{diffneeded}} on the talk page of the applicant (see template page for usage details). Annotate as per above.
  • Fix other general formatting problems, including how diffs are added (RFCU prefers [1] rather than http://www.example.org). Also used {{unsigned}} for requests which aren't signed, and remove any unneeded bolding etc.

[edit] Intermission stage

This is the stage when cases have been successfully listed (see above), but are waiting a checkuser to act on. Cases in this stage are located in Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Pending, which is transcluded to be the "Oustanding requests" section on the main RFCU page.

  • Watch for checkusers requesting more information. If they do, follow the procedures in the above section regarding {{codeletter}} and {{diffneeded}}. If, somehow, both a code letter and diffs are requested, use {{codeletterdiff}} (see details on template page).
  • Ensure that the requests don't become discussion/arguments between the accused and the applicant. Generally, let the accused respond with one comment. If then the applicant responds, remove both the initial response by the accused and the subsequent response by the applicant to the talk page, marking this by using "{{clerknote}} discussion moved to talk page" etc. under an appropriate header. Also, link to the talk page in the clerk note, to make naviagtion easier. Any further comments not made by checkusers/clerks should be moved there.
  • Watch if checkusers request any other clerk assistance, which is generally marked by the {{clerk request}} template. Follow their requests and instructions to the best of your ability, and if applicable discuss at the noticeboard for assistance.

[edit] Archiving stage

  • Requests are either Completed (given some sort of answer, such as confirmed, possible, unlikely, etc) or Declined. Move such cases to the appropriate section of Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser at the top of the section, separating cases with a horizontal line (----.

Three days after being answered or declined, cases are archived

  • Remove from the main RFCU page.
  • Add the archival templates to the top and bottom of the request
    • Where the to-be-archived request is the first made on that page: Place {{subst:rfcua}} above the first line of the request, and {{subst:rfcub}} below the last line.
    • Where the to-be-archived request is the second to be made on that page: Remove the top archiving formatting for the first request, leaving the bottom. Then add the {{subst:rfcua}} (top) template above the first line of all the text. This will create one shaded box holding both requests.
    • If there are multiple requests on a page: Combine into a single archive by using {{subst:rfcua}} at the top, {{subst:rfcub}} at the bottom, and removing all intermediate archive code.
  • List the case at Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Case, following the pre-existing format. The date we use is the one that the checkuser gave his/her findings. The list of alleged sockpuppets should not be Wikilinked, however appropriate use of the <tt> tags can occur when "bad letters" (eg. I l) are used in impostor accounts.

Scripts

  • A set of archiving/icon scripts can be found here.

Revised requests

  • If, during the three days, a user presents more evidence etc. or requests a further check on more accounts, move the case back up to the pending queue, annotating your move with the {{clerknote}} template and a message. General trolling/dissent towards a checkuser decision does not require this move - use common sense.


[edit] Non-compliant requests

If a request does not comply with specific guidelines, clerks or checkusers may remove it from the list of pending cases, and move it to Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Non-compliant. Clerks should use careful discretion when doing so, and should explain their rationale both at the case page and the submitting user's talk page ({{clerknote}} and {{rfcu problem}} are both useful). When reasonable, clerks should try to provide assistance to any users who require it.

If a non-compliance issue isn't resolved after several days (three to seven, generally), a clerk may tag the request with {{delisted}} and archive as normal.

Cases may be non-compliant if they...
  • Cite no code letter, or multiple code letters.
  • Do not include diffs when the given code letter requires them.
  • Do not list any accounts or IP addresses to be checked.

[edit] IP Check

The bottom section of WP:RFCU is for requests to identify and block the IP address of vandals when there is no suspected registered user acting as a puppet master. Users sometimes confuse the two, and clerks should be prepared to create proper case subpages for sockpuppet checks that are filed in the IP check section, and to remove IP check requests that are incorrectly filed on subpages and place them on the main page (deleting the irrelevant subpage).

Once an IP check is answered it is moved to Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/IP check. After 7 days it is deleted. No archives are kept here since there is no registered user acting as puppet master to keep track of.

[edit] Communication and co-ordination

There is no head clerk. Such coordination as is necessary from time to time is done through the clerk noticeboard. Please watchlist the noticeboard. The other clerks will coordinate their activities there, and the checkusers will leave messages and instructions as needed.

Ther is also an IRC channel #wikipedia-checkuser-clerks on Freenode. Every clerk is welcome, however not required nor expected, to be in the channel; that said, if you have access to IRC/Freenode, it would be great if you could idle in the channel, where you can be pinged if required. Ask Mackensen for an invitaiton.

[edit] Enforcement

Typically, enforcement is the responsibility of the person who made the request, and the checkusers generally refer users to the administrators' noticeboard. However, clerks who are also administrators are invited, but not required, to act on requests.

[edit] Indicator templates

Below is a list of the case indicator templates used, their source code, and any notes associated with their usage. The table uses the abbreviation "UBCO" for space reasons, which means "Used by checkusers only".

Source code Template Notes
"Completed requests" templates
{{confirmed}} Confirmed UBCO
{{confirmed-nc}} (See template page) UBCO
{{likely}} Likely UBCO
{{possible}} Possible UBCO
{{unlikely}} Unlikely UBCO
{{inconclusive}} Inconclusive UBCO
{{unrelated}} Unrelated UBCO
{{IPblock}} IP blocked UBCO, mostly in "IP Check" section
"Declined requests" templates
{{declined}} Declined UBCO
{{thrown out}} Rejected UBCO
{{crystalball}} Checkuser is not a crystal ball. UBCO
{{fishing}} Checkuser is not for fishing. UBCO
Other templates
{{takenote}} Note: UBCO, Sometimes used by checkusers to annotate an unconventional result
{{clerknote}} Clerk note: See #General notes and scope section, bullet point 5.
{{moreinfo}} Additional information needed See #Tasks and procedures section, sections 1 and 2, relevant bullet points.
{{clerk request}} Clerk assistance required: UBCO, See #Intermission stage section, bullet point 3.
{{delisted}} Delisted See #Non-compliant requests.
{{relisted}} Relisted  
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