Hi! Are you, Chris Langan, the same as the subject of the article Christopher Langan? - Scarpy ( talk) 18:38, 24 September 2019 (UTC)
Hi, and that's correct. Thanks for your offer of attention. Chris Langan ( talk) 00:00, 25 September 2019 (UTC)
exc
Hi Chris Langan! Thanks for contributing to Wikipedia. We hope to see you there!
Delivered by HostBot on behalf of the Teahouse hosts 16:04, 25 September 2019 (UTC) |
This is your only warning; if you make personal attacks on others again, as you did at Talk:Simulation hypothesis, you may be blocked from editing without further notice. Comment on content, not on other contributors or people. Roxy the elfin dog . wooF 15:56, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
Lol do you even read what you write?
“What personal attacks” roxy?
And then
“ they are trolls”
Nigerian chess player ( talk) 18:43, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
Hello, Chris Langan. We welcome your contributions, but if you have an external relationship with the people, places or things you have written about in the page Christopher Langan, you may have a conflict of interest (COI). Editors with a conflict of interest may be unduly influenced by their connection to the topic. See the conflict of interest guideline and FAQ for organizations for more information. We ask that you:
In addition, you are required by the Wikimedia Foundation's terms of use to disclose your employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution which forms all or part of work for which you receive, or expect to receive, compensation. See Wikipedia:Paid-contribution disclosure.
Also, editing for the purpose of advertising, publicising, or promoting anyone or anything is not permitted. Thank you. Roxy the elfin dog . wooF 15:58, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
As I previously mentioned on the biography article's talk page, what matters for Wikipedia are independent sources. Wikipedia not being a research journal, cannot be used as such (
WP:NOT) and primary sources are discouraged with exceptions. Wikipedia not being for self-promotion, instead of trying to debate the topic itself to cite your own material (which talk pages are not for either), you should present third party sources that refer to your work. Wikipedia as an encyclopedia does appeal to authority (
WP:RS). Third party sources that discuss yours is what could convince editors that what you are proposing is
WP:DUE. I've noticed that some editors that you claim to know may not themselves reflect the spirit of
WP:TPG and they could eventually face sanctions for that. Assuming it was the case, this would nevertheless still not magically make your material legitimate at
simulation hypothesis. The claims about that being Wikipedia's problem are typical and cannot change or avoid its core policies. We've all read complaints like Among the problems faced by Wikipedia is this: few knowledgeable and well-intentioned people have time for an "encyclopedia" glutted with rampaging trolls and Wikipedia warriors who, when they run out of real "pseudoscience" or "pseudomathematics" or "pseudophilosophy" about which to complain, will settle for pretty much anything.
Again, for emphasis, an independent reputable source would help to show that your own material has received attention from relevant people and may possibly serve to argue that the edits you propose are acceptable. —
Paleo
Neonate –
12:14, 13 June 2020 (UTC)
I hope you're not being disingenuousI prefer the term artificial person myself. The reason for this joke is that I may be repeating like a robot. If other editors are misbehaving with personal attacks, the procedure is to warn them about WP:PA on their talk page; if they persist, they can be reported at WP:ANI. Comments like
as any intelligent person ...are not very convincing on Wikipedia that must simply cover what's in reliable sources... On the treatment of pseudoscience, it's also part of the encyclopedia's policies ( WP:PSCI and WP:FRINGE), not the result of an activists cabal (and the fringe theories noticeboard is part of Wikipedia's processes where anyone can participate). Sometimes the demarcation problem is not unambiguous, here again sources should help to determine. In any case, in this particular instance, Talk:simulation hypothesis is the place to seek consensus, but I tried to explain above why the current approach is unlikely to succeed. — Paleo Neonate – 23:28, 15 June 2020 (UTC)
...please go to WP:OTRS and contact the folks there. As I'm sure you understand, anyone could show up here and claim to be a notable person. Beyond My Ken ( talk) 19:14, 13 June 2020 (UTC)
I have protected talk:Simulation hypothesis due to edits by people who seem to be there primarily to troll you. That protection will probably also stop you from editing, but I don't think there's anything more to say there anyway. You can always comment here. Guy ( help!) 17:33, 16 June 2020 (UTC)
The CTMU has indeed received mention in reliable secondary sources. It has been mentioned, for example, by several television networks and national publications including Popular Science starting in the late 1990's, and discussed by Wikipedia bio subjects like Malcolm Gladwell and Ben Goertzel. Yet in the past, it has emerged that such sources are not secondary, independent, or reliable enough to satisfy certain parties here at Wikipedia.
the publishing houses are now squarely in the academic sphere
An interview is properly solicited by the interviewer. The Weinsteins probably regard me as a competitor in the field of reality theory, which makes such an interview highly unlikely.
Chris Langan Re: The case for the CTMU was made here in 2006 with reference to most of the supporting citations. The citations were summarily discounted, and justified resistance by CTMU supporters was met with concerted action by several administrators. The editors and administrators responsible were ultimately supported by the Wikipedia ArbCom. If this seems unimaginable, rest assured that it was an eye-opener for everyone who knows anything (valid) about me and the theory. I'm only here now on the possibility that Wikipedia has improved in this regard over the last 1.5 decades.
Ahh yeah I see the talk page ( Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe) and AfD discussion ( Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe) even some discussion on the AfD ( Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe). Looks like it generated a lot of discussion outside the article as well ( Special:WhatLinksHere/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe)... but The Wayback Machine doesn't seem to have it. So I'm still missing the citations in the 2006 version of the article. I've never had to ask before, but I believe I've seen admins are able to restore these for reference outside of main namespace. I'll ask and see. (edit also an AfD here Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Cognitive_Theoretic_Model_of_the_Universe and revision history exists for the redirected version although as Tim Smith pointed out there's many different versions of that article).
I think CTMU deserves a second shot at passing GNG, and if I have the time and resources during the pandemic I could do the research, writing and give it a shot. I'll warn you, though, you may not like how it turns out. Not out of any kind of malice towards the CTMU, but the WP:RS out there (assuming there's enough to meet notability requirements) may not be flattering and the Wikipedia article would reflect that... because for better or for worse that's how Wikipedia works. - Scarpy ( talk) 21:30, 22 June 2020 (UTC)
My point is simply that the relevant and worthwhile viewpoints of some notable people are effectively locked out of Wikipedia on this basis, and that where the circumstances are exceptional, rational allowances should be made for them. Otherwise, Wikipedia is simply ensuring that they're locked out for good.
If you are the person represented by this username, please note that the practice of blocking such usernames is to protect you from being impersonated, not to discourage you from editing Wikipedia. You may choose to edit under a new username (see information below), but keep in mind that you are welcome to continue to edit under this username. If you choose to do so, we ask the following:
If you are not the person represented by this username, you are welcome to choose a new username (see below).
A username should not be promotional, related to a "real-world" group or organization, misleading, offensive, or disruptive. Also, usernames may not end in the word "bot" unless the account is an approved bot account.
You are encouraged to choose a new account name that meets our policy guidelines and create the account yourself. Alternatively, if you wish for your existing contributions to carry over under a new name, then you may request a change in username by:
{{
unblock-un|your new username here}}
below. You should be able to do this even though you are blocked. If not, you may wish to contact the blocking administrator by clicking on "Email this user" from their talk page.{{
unblock|Your reason here}}
below this notice,.
Beeblebrox (
talk)
20:19, 15 July 2020 (UTC){{
unblock|reason=Your reason here ~~~~}}
.
TonyBallioni (
talk)
19:48, 21 July 2020 (UTC)Chris Langan ( block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser ( log))
Request reason:
Your reason here Apparently, I've been blocked for following Wikipedia's own advice.
Requested details:
View source for Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe ← Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason: Your username or IP address has been blocked. The reason given is: There are multiple blocks against your account and/or IP address. Start of block: 20:32, 21 July 2020 Expiration of longest block: no expiry set Relevant block IDs: #9962223, #9962213 (your IP address may also be blacklisted) Your current IP address is 216.139.113.98. Please include all above details in any queries you make.
On July 17, 2020, I was blocked from the CTMU Talk Page for using the identity of a well-known person. (This was apparently triggered by a user calling himself "beeblebrox".) I am in fact the person in question. Per instructions, I wrote to the Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team. The response was as follows:
Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team Jul 18, 2020, 11:02 AM (3 days ago) to me
Dear C Langan,
Let's start by figuring out whether you really want to confirm your identity and use that account.
But first, I hope you appreciate that, assuming you are the subject of this article: /info/en/?search=Christopher_Langan
That the block was done for your protection. We don't want someone who is not you creating a username that leaves the impression that they are you.
The next step is to determine whether you want your account name to reflect your real-life name. Many people edit Wikipedia using pseudonyms and that is an option. Many people write into this address, asking for help confirming their identity because their goal is to edit the article about them. When I point out our guideline: /info/en/?search=Wikipedia:Autobiography
And they realize they should not be directly editing the article about themselves, sometimes the request goes away. If your sole goal is to edit the article about you, then it may not be worth jumping through the hoops to confirm your identity.
You might wonder why I talk about "jumping through hoops". After all, isn't it trivial to provide a scan of a passport or driver's license? It is, but we do not want to have those documents in our possession for a variety of reasons.
We have other alternatives for confirming identity and we can investigate those if you still want to get it under your real name. If you want to edit under a pseudonym , with the caveat that the prohibition against directly editing the article about you still applies, you are free to do so and if you have difficulty creating an account with a pseudonym I can help you.
If your intention was to edit articles other than about you and you want to edit using your real name, let me know and we will walk through the options for confirming your identity.
Yours sincerely, Stephen Philbrick
Notice the part about establishing an alternate identity. I didn't want to use an alternate identity, but after four days, I relented and created one. That is, I waited four days before taking Wikipedia's advice and obtaining an alternate account. During this period, a number of false and/or defamatory statements about me and my work appeared on the page I had been editing.
Evidently I was unblocked in the early afternoon of July 21, but when the notice came, I was already in the process of responding on the CTMU Talk Page. Again, this response was necessitated by the false and/or misleading statements, and was worded in a perfectly civil and respectful manner.
Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team 1:02 PM (2 hours ago) to me
Dear C Langan, I unblocked you. I didn't jump through all the hoops I probably should have but I do remember your name from 999 or mega or something, so I'm convinced.
In short, (1) I do not attempt to edit articles in which I have a conflict of interest; (2) When I encounter inaccuracies (or trolling), I calmly edit the talk pages to request changes or make my points; and (3) I am to my knowledge in actual violation of no Wikipedia rules whatsoever.
Please note that we live in a very rural area. Much of this county shares the same ISP, and (up to) several residents may have contributed to the bio article, its talk page, and the CTMU talk page.
Please unblock my wife and me, as we have broken no rules here.
Addition: I just found this under my unblock request. It seems to suggest that TonyBallioni has decided not to honor it.
"You also pretended not to be yourself (referring to yourself in the third person), edited with that account after this account was unblocked, had an implied threat that more SPAs would be created, and had created two additional sleeper accounts that you looked to try to be aging for use later. Now, to be fair, I don't know whether it was you or your wife that created the sleeper accounts, but that does make it hard for me to assume good faith. TonyBallioni (talk) 20:49, 21 July 2020 (UTC)"
Hold on a minute. Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked for "pretending to be a well known person", which is why I was blocked the first time. I don't know anything about any "sleeper accounts" - as I explained, I like to contribute under my own name. And as for "good faith", it's supposed to work both ways, I can tell when I'm getting it, and the only one on that page who has come close to showing me any good faith worth mentioning is the user called "Scarpy".
Please let me know if I need to go the the Arbitration Committee (or Mr. Wales) with this, because it's getting very tiresome. Thank you.
Addition 2: "Anyway, like I said, its up to the reviewing admin how to review this and your wife's block. I'd point them to GorillaWarfare's comments on the history here in the SPI, though."
Then perhaps I should add that GorillaWarfare has not been what I'd call a wellsprings of "good faith" where I'm concerned. She is responsible for protecting the inclusion in my bio of libelous accusations sourced to a no-name journo "Justin Ward" in a sporadically published "magazine" called "The Baffler". With all due respect, the inclusion of hurtful and spurious accusations which were themselves unsourced by Ward/Baffler fails to strike me as remotely consistent with WP:BLP. Perhaps it would be better if the reviewing admin were to review my actual comments as opposed to the opinions of administrators with their own special viewpoints in play. But thanks anyway.
Addition 3: "Arguing that criticism published in a reliable source ought not to be whitewashed off the page simply because the article subject finds it unflattering is not acting in bad faith, nor is it contrary to WP:BLP." - GorillaWarfare
I most emphatically disagree. WP:BLP states that "We must get the article right. Be very firm about the use of high-quality sources." The Baffler is absolutely not a "high-quality source". A high-quality source would carefully source hurtful accusations like "racism" and "antisemitism", making sure that they are substantiated by my own output rather than go fishing for anonymous scuttlebutt on 4chan and Stormfront (at neither of which I've ever posted). These journalistic frauds did nothing of the kind and this was duly pointed out, but there was simply no stopping GorillaWarfare and company. (Wikipedia needs to be much more careful about damaging accusations for which its supposedly "reliable sources" give no actual evidence.) It's a violation of WP:BLP plain and simple. GorillaWarfare is an administrator, others tend to follow her lead, she has been sitting on this article for months, and she unquestionably bears a good deal of responsibility for its content.
Addition 4: If I'm not mistaken, I've just been explicitly accused of "lying" by one "TonyBallioni". This accusation is false and defamatory, and therefore cannot be rationalized in terms of "good faith". I have only one alternate account, I have proven here that Wikipedia advised me to create it, and third-person self-references are not "lies". Rather, under the circumstances as explained here, they were perfectly explicable given Wikipedia's 4-day lag in unblocking me under my real name per this request, which it did mere minutes before I posted under "Ctmu" (I usually check my email only twice a day or so, so if you wait days to respond to a simple request, don't be surprised if I assume you have no intention of doing so). This accusation is a mistake on TonyBallioni's part, and on the part of anyone who publicly credits or repeats it. My own good-faith explanations have been ignored, a false scenario has been concocted, and harmful accusations have been made in a pretty obvious departure from "good faith".
I also note that the decision has been made by JzG or "Guy", who has a conflict of interest. Specifically, he appears to be retaliating for a perfectly civil comment I made regarding his long-term (15 year) policy of disparaging me and the CTMU without having the vaguest idea what it is or what it says. Although he claims that I was "litigating content", this is false, just as it is false that the CTMU was ever presented as "a scientific theory" as JzG asserted. The argument was over notability of the topic and the reliability of given sources.
Administrative decisions based on opinion and speculation, and false accusations based exclusively thereon, cannot coexist with credible claims of neutrality, objectivity, or even decency. I hope that Wikipedia has at least one administrator capable of admitting it, and of removing this block. Thank you. Chris Langan ( talk) 17:32, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
Addition 5: "My only involvement has been triggered by Chris' BLP complaint, and this was a procedural close: it was not a properly-formed unblock request. But whatever. Fact is, it's a doomed request: two people and five accounts, all pushing the same POV, technically indistinguishable from each other. Guy (help!) 08:28, 23 July 2020 (UTC)"
Pardon me, but (1) Wikipedia sanctions pseudonymous accounts, as we know from the above email which I received directly from Wikipedia; (2) I am not required to coordinate with my wife regarding her accounts, pseudonymous or otherwise (and I neither know nor care what alternate accounts she may possess except insofar as they may permit her to operate here in a corrective capacity despite what she tells me is chronic interference); and (3) it is not our fault that we are forced to share the same ISP, so lumping us together on that basis is untenable.
It appears to me that JzG is simply trying to patch together an impromptu rationalization for what he has been doing here, reverting to the 15-year-old pattern mentioned above. Again, I request that a neutral administrator - and when I say "neutral", I mean emotionally uninvolved and cognizant and respectful of the rules here - reverse this block. Again, please bear in mind that I am in violation of no rules myself, and have confined myself to what I see as helpful, civilly worded talk-page suggestions, precisely as Wikipedia suggests. Thank you.
Decline reason:
Most of this is not an unblock request, but an attempt to relitigate, yet again, the content question. Guy ( help!) 15:05, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
If you want to make any further unblock requests, please read the guide to appealing blocks first, then use the {{ unblock}} template again. If you make too many unconvincing or disruptive unblock requests, you may be prevented from editing this page until your block has expired. Do not remove this unblock review while you are blocked.
.
Arguing that criticism published in a reliable source ought not to be whitewashed off the page simply because the article subject finds it unflattering is not acting in bad faith, nor is it contrary to WP:BLP. I am also not "responsible" for its inclusion–I was one of the people who commented that I believe it ought to remain in place, but I was hardly the only voice in that discussion. GorillaWarfare (talk) 23:30, 21 July 2020 (UTC)
Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked...". I think that is a likely explanation (and consistent with the instructions given) for why Ctmu wrote "Langan has never presented the CTMU...". Johnuniq ( talk) 07:10, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
Johnuniq, just as a bit of background here GW flagged this for an uninvolved CU to look at because she suspected that Ctmu was DrL. I agreed there were similarities that if they were the same person would amount to abuse of multiple accounts, and I ran the checked. I discovered the two sleepers, and the husband/wife pairing. I was not aware of the username block/relation when I ran the check, but discovered it afterwards and before blocking.
I considered the softblock/create a new account option and debated not blocking because of it, but the reason I ultimately ended up doing so was because I saw what to me appeared to be a fair amount of intentional bad faith. The sleeper accounts, which are either Chris or DrL (I just requested Mz7 re-run the check and he came to the same conclusion), could easily be explained away was experimenting if it was just one of them, but there are two. To me, that is more than just experimenting. I also think that the post on the talk page and the discussion of being an SPA was essentially a threat that more would appear. Both of those together combined with the fact that the block had recently been lifted (albeit ~40 minutes earlier) led me to the conclusion that a block would likely be the best starting point for any future discussion. I'm also fairly unimpressed with the continued denial about the two sleepers: like I said, I don't know which spouse it is, but one of them created the accounts.
That being said, the reason I made it a regular block and not a CU one is because I get the complexities of this case, and since everything but the sleepers is fairly obvious/admitted to, there's nothing really private. Having community members and admins outside of the SPI world look at it seemed like the best way to deal with the complexity to me. So, in that regards, I don't mind you doing whatever you think is best. I'd also be fine with you taking it over as a "disruptive editing" or similar block if you think that'd be more accurate to describe the issues. TonyBallioni ( talk) 20:27, 23 July 2020 (UTC)
For what it's worth, I do agree with Chris Langan that it would be best to leave the unblock request open for an admin who has not been involved in the content discussions. (Ping JzG). GorillaWarfare (talk) 23:38, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
The above is entirely consistent with someone unfamiliar with Wikipedia trying to follow the instructions given.- Johnuniq I agree here. In fact if it wouldn't be redundant I would just quote everything you said because they're such excellent points. Unless DrL and Chris have an interest in editing on topics outside of CTMU and closely related concepts, I would suggest stepping away from Wikipedia (even if it's something like raising a concern on your talk pages --those might be better handled through WP:OTRS).
I also think that the post on the talk page and the discussion of being an SPA was essentially a threat that more would appear.- TonyBallioni I think this is a stretch. Looking at the contributions from Marxist Frogg and Lemail they don't seem engaged on Langan/CTUM stuff.
two people and five accounts- JzG is it five? am I missing one? I see four mentioned here.
That his theory is "religiously-based", without evidencethe papers are public and so is the information about the association with ID proponents, the journal without proper peer review, etc. You may want to read the talk page of the BLP article, the previous deletion discussions, etc. — Paleo Neonate – 15:49, 25 July 2020 (UTC)
I closed your unblock request on purely procedural grounds as addressing the content question not the block. Please read WP:GAB, which describes how to write a well-formed unblock request. Note that you need to focus on the specific reasons for blocking, and show how community concerns will be addressed. I think you don't have a big problem there because you have to date been very patient and not aggressive, and we generally err on the side of allowing biography subjects some leeway in order to keep our biographies accurate. You are absolutely allowed to open a new unblock request following WP:GAB. Guy ( help!) 09:09, 24 July 2020 (UTC)
I would like to draw attention to certain irregularities in the circumstances surrounding the two blocks here, the denial of the unblock request, and the conduct of the administrators involved.
In brief, it appears to me that:
I hope that the details below will prove useful to Chris and to any uninvolved administrator who gets a chance to review the situation.
Background
User:Chris Langan is the subject of the BLP Christopher Langan. His identity has been verified by OTRS (see below).
His account was created in September 2019. Its edits have been entirely confined to talk pages, where he has made suggestions for improving some articles and asked editors to respect WP:BLP in connection with him and his work.
Block by Beeblebrox
On 15 July 2020, Chris was blocked, without warning, by User:Beeblebrox, because his username "Chris Langan", which he had been using for 10 months, represents a well-known person (Chris himself). Beeblebrox issued this block
WP:BEFOREBLOCK says: In general, administrators should ensure that users who are acting in good faith are aware of policies and are given reasonable opportunity to adjust their behavior before blocking
.
When questioned on his talk page about his action, Beeblebrox characterized it as "routine". Asked if it was in accord with WP:BEFOREBLOCK, he replied that he had "adequately explained [him]self" (in fact, he never contacted Chris before blocking him) and that he didn't "feel inclined to continue discussing this here".
Block by TonyBallioni
Chris then reached out to OTRS, who told him that unblocking his account would involve "jumping through hoops" to confirm his identity, that "[m]any people edit Wikipedia using pseudonyms and that is an option", and that "[i]f you want to edit under a pseudonym", "you are free to do so".
Chris's initial preference was to use his real name, and he waited several days for OTRS to confirm his identity. When this did not happen, he relented and created a new account, User:Ctmu. He made a single edit with it, on the talk page about his theory, making suggestions to "move the debate in a positive direction" with reference to WP:BLP. In this edit, he referred to himself in the third person, explaining afterward that "Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked for "pretending to be a well known person", which is why I was blocked the first time." Independently, in the hour between the creation of the new account and its single edit, OTRS confirmed his identity and unblocked his original account.
One hour later, without having made any further edits with either account, Chris was blocked indefinitely by User:TonyBallioni, for "abusing multiple accounts". Here is the sequence of events:
Tony seems to have been unaware that Chris had just been told by OTRS that "[i]f you want to edit under a pseudonym", "you are free to do so". Additionally, Chris uses a shared IP, so there was some confusion regarding his wife's account ( User:DrL), whose relationship to him had already been disclosed, and two others ( [5] and [6]) with no connection to Langan-related topics, neither of which had been used in over a month, and of which Chris disclaimed any knowledge.
WP:SOCKLEGIT says:
Alternative accounts have legitimate uses.
[E]ditors who contribute using their real name may wish to use a pseudonym for contributions with which they do not want their real name to be associated.
[I]f you are blocked for having an inappropriate username, and that is the sole reason for the block, you are permitted to create a new account with an appropriate username.
These accounts are not considered sockpuppets.
None of the above constitutes "abusing multiple accounts".
The fact that Chris's single edit with User:Ctmu was on a page that he had edited a single time before as User:Chris Langan might seem to run afoul of
WP:BADSOCK's rule against Contributing to the same page or discussion with multiple accounts
. However, in Chris's defense:
Thus, Chris's single edit with User:Ctmu seems to have been a good-faith attempt to move the discussion in a positive direction with reference to WP:BLP, while adhering to WP:REALNAME and not representing himself as a well-known figure.
Tony also brought up Chris's remark that "when single-purpose troll accounts are tolerated, single-purpose corrective accounts may spring into existence", interpreting this as a "threat" to create more accounts and/or deploy existing "sleepers". Tony seems to have missed the context of this remark, which was Scarpy's comment two posts above on the same page, addressed to "IPs and single purpose accounts" defending Chris's work. Chris was pointing out that in addition to the IPs and SPAs referenced by Scarpy, there had also been opposing SPAs targeting him and his work, (e.g. [7], [8]). None of these were created by Chris.
Denial of unblock request by JzG
Chris then made an unblock request, which was denied by involved administrator Guy ( User:JzG). Guy was involved in a recent dispute about the notability of Chris's work, involved with the article about Chris, had disparaged Chris's work as "pseudoscientific", and had used incivil language in reference to Chris and his wife.
WP:INVOLVED says that In general, editors should not act as administrators in disputes in which they have been involved. [...] Involvement is generally construed very broadly by the community, to include current or past conflicts with an editor (or editors), and disputes on topics, regardless of the nature, age, or outcome of the dispute.
When confronted with his previous involvement, Guy claimed that his denial of the unblock request was only "procedural", misrepresenting the request as an attempt to "relitigate the content issue". In fact, the unblock request argues that Chris was "blocked for following Wikipedia's own advice", citing communication with OTRS, and that he has broken no rules. There are no procedural grounds that would allow an WP:INVOLVED administrator to close it. Even if it were attempting to "relitigate the content issue", that is a content issue in which Guy was involved.
Conclusion
The two blocks and the denial of the unblock request were subject to a number of irregularities. The first block violated WP:BEFOREBLOCK and provided no evidence of wrongdoing, the second failed to WP:AGF and disregarded WP:SOCKLEGIT, and the denial of the unblock request violated WP:INVOLVED.
Chris Langan seems to have made a good-faith attempt to comply with Wikipedia policies and with what he was told by OTRS.
I hope that this situation can be reviewed and steps taken to rectify it, beginning with unblocking Chris. Tim Smith ( talk) 03:51, 13 August 2020 (UTC)
Hi! Are you, Chris Langan, the same as the subject of the article Christopher Langan? - Scarpy ( talk) 18:38, 24 September 2019 (UTC)
Hi, and that's correct. Thanks for your offer of attention. Chris Langan ( talk) 00:00, 25 September 2019 (UTC)
exc
Hi Chris Langan! Thanks for contributing to Wikipedia. We hope to see you there!
Delivered by HostBot on behalf of the Teahouse hosts 16:04, 25 September 2019 (UTC) |
This is your only warning; if you make personal attacks on others again, as you did at Talk:Simulation hypothesis, you may be blocked from editing without further notice. Comment on content, not on other contributors or people. Roxy the elfin dog . wooF 15:56, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
Lol do you even read what you write?
“What personal attacks” roxy?
And then
“ they are trolls”
Nigerian chess player ( talk) 18:43, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
Hello, Chris Langan. We welcome your contributions, but if you have an external relationship with the people, places or things you have written about in the page Christopher Langan, you may have a conflict of interest (COI). Editors with a conflict of interest may be unduly influenced by their connection to the topic. See the conflict of interest guideline and FAQ for organizations for more information. We ask that you:
In addition, you are required by the Wikimedia Foundation's terms of use to disclose your employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution which forms all or part of work for which you receive, or expect to receive, compensation. See Wikipedia:Paid-contribution disclosure.
Also, editing for the purpose of advertising, publicising, or promoting anyone or anything is not permitted. Thank you. Roxy the elfin dog . wooF 15:58, 12 June 2020 (UTC)
As I previously mentioned on the biography article's talk page, what matters for Wikipedia are independent sources. Wikipedia not being a research journal, cannot be used as such (
WP:NOT) and primary sources are discouraged with exceptions. Wikipedia not being for self-promotion, instead of trying to debate the topic itself to cite your own material (which talk pages are not for either), you should present third party sources that refer to your work. Wikipedia as an encyclopedia does appeal to authority (
WP:RS). Third party sources that discuss yours is what could convince editors that what you are proposing is
WP:DUE. I've noticed that some editors that you claim to know may not themselves reflect the spirit of
WP:TPG and they could eventually face sanctions for that. Assuming it was the case, this would nevertheless still not magically make your material legitimate at
simulation hypothesis. The claims about that being Wikipedia's problem are typical and cannot change or avoid its core policies. We've all read complaints like Among the problems faced by Wikipedia is this: few knowledgeable and well-intentioned people have time for an "encyclopedia" glutted with rampaging trolls and Wikipedia warriors who, when they run out of real "pseudoscience" or "pseudomathematics" or "pseudophilosophy" about which to complain, will settle for pretty much anything.
Again, for emphasis, an independent reputable source would help to show that your own material has received attention from relevant people and may possibly serve to argue that the edits you propose are acceptable. —
Paleo
Neonate –
12:14, 13 June 2020 (UTC)
I hope you're not being disingenuousI prefer the term artificial person myself. The reason for this joke is that I may be repeating like a robot. If other editors are misbehaving with personal attacks, the procedure is to warn them about WP:PA on their talk page; if they persist, they can be reported at WP:ANI. Comments like
as any intelligent person ...are not very convincing on Wikipedia that must simply cover what's in reliable sources... On the treatment of pseudoscience, it's also part of the encyclopedia's policies ( WP:PSCI and WP:FRINGE), not the result of an activists cabal (and the fringe theories noticeboard is part of Wikipedia's processes where anyone can participate). Sometimes the demarcation problem is not unambiguous, here again sources should help to determine. In any case, in this particular instance, Talk:simulation hypothesis is the place to seek consensus, but I tried to explain above why the current approach is unlikely to succeed. — Paleo Neonate – 23:28, 15 June 2020 (UTC)
...please go to WP:OTRS and contact the folks there. As I'm sure you understand, anyone could show up here and claim to be a notable person. Beyond My Ken ( talk) 19:14, 13 June 2020 (UTC)
I have protected talk:Simulation hypothesis due to edits by people who seem to be there primarily to troll you. That protection will probably also stop you from editing, but I don't think there's anything more to say there anyway. You can always comment here. Guy ( help!) 17:33, 16 June 2020 (UTC)
The CTMU has indeed received mention in reliable secondary sources. It has been mentioned, for example, by several television networks and national publications including Popular Science starting in the late 1990's, and discussed by Wikipedia bio subjects like Malcolm Gladwell and Ben Goertzel. Yet in the past, it has emerged that such sources are not secondary, independent, or reliable enough to satisfy certain parties here at Wikipedia.
the publishing houses are now squarely in the academic sphere
An interview is properly solicited by the interviewer. The Weinsteins probably regard me as a competitor in the field of reality theory, which makes such an interview highly unlikely.
Chris Langan Re: The case for the CTMU was made here in 2006 with reference to most of the supporting citations. The citations were summarily discounted, and justified resistance by CTMU supporters was met with concerted action by several administrators. The editors and administrators responsible were ultimately supported by the Wikipedia ArbCom. If this seems unimaginable, rest assured that it was an eye-opener for everyone who knows anything (valid) about me and the theory. I'm only here now on the possibility that Wikipedia has improved in this regard over the last 1.5 decades.
Ahh yeah I see the talk page ( Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe) and AfD discussion ( Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe) even some discussion on the AfD ( Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe). Looks like it generated a lot of discussion outside the article as well ( Special:WhatLinksHere/Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe)... but The Wayback Machine doesn't seem to have it. So I'm still missing the citations in the 2006 version of the article. I've never had to ask before, but I believe I've seen admins are able to restore these for reference outside of main namespace. I'll ask and see. (edit also an AfD here Wikipedia:Articles_for_deletion/Cognitive_Theoretic_Model_of_the_Universe and revision history exists for the redirected version although as Tim Smith pointed out there's many different versions of that article).
I think CTMU deserves a second shot at passing GNG, and if I have the time and resources during the pandemic I could do the research, writing and give it a shot. I'll warn you, though, you may not like how it turns out. Not out of any kind of malice towards the CTMU, but the WP:RS out there (assuming there's enough to meet notability requirements) may not be flattering and the Wikipedia article would reflect that... because for better or for worse that's how Wikipedia works. - Scarpy ( talk) 21:30, 22 June 2020 (UTC)
My point is simply that the relevant and worthwhile viewpoints of some notable people are effectively locked out of Wikipedia on this basis, and that where the circumstances are exceptional, rational allowances should be made for them. Otherwise, Wikipedia is simply ensuring that they're locked out for good.
If you are the person represented by this username, please note that the practice of blocking such usernames is to protect you from being impersonated, not to discourage you from editing Wikipedia. You may choose to edit under a new username (see information below), but keep in mind that you are welcome to continue to edit under this username. If you choose to do so, we ask the following:
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below this notice,.
Beeblebrox (
talk)
20:19, 15 July 2020 (UTC){{
unblock|reason=Your reason here ~~~~}}
.
TonyBallioni (
talk)
19:48, 21 July 2020 (UTC)Chris Langan ( block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser ( log))
Request reason:
Your reason here Apparently, I've been blocked for following Wikipedia's own advice.
Requested details:
View source for Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe ← Talk:Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reason: Your username or IP address has been blocked. The reason given is: There are multiple blocks against your account and/or IP address. Start of block: 20:32, 21 July 2020 Expiration of longest block: no expiry set Relevant block IDs: #9962223, #9962213 (your IP address may also be blacklisted) Your current IP address is 216.139.113.98. Please include all above details in any queries you make.
On July 17, 2020, I was blocked from the CTMU Talk Page for using the identity of a well-known person. (This was apparently triggered by a user calling himself "beeblebrox".) I am in fact the person in question. Per instructions, I wrote to the Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team. The response was as follows:
Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team Jul 18, 2020, 11:02 AM (3 days ago) to me
Dear C Langan,
Let's start by figuring out whether you really want to confirm your identity and use that account.
But first, I hope you appreciate that, assuming you are the subject of this article: /info/en/?search=Christopher_Langan
That the block was done for your protection. We don't want someone who is not you creating a username that leaves the impression that they are you.
The next step is to determine whether you want your account name to reflect your real-life name. Many people edit Wikipedia using pseudonyms and that is an option. Many people write into this address, asking for help confirming their identity because their goal is to edit the article about them. When I point out our guideline: /info/en/?search=Wikipedia:Autobiography
And they realize they should not be directly editing the article about themselves, sometimes the request goes away. If your sole goal is to edit the article about you, then it may not be worth jumping through the hoops to confirm your identity.
You might wonder why I talk about "jumping through hoops". After all, isn't it trivial to provide a scan of a passport or driver's license? It is, but we do not want to have those documents in our possession for a variety of reasons.
We have other alternatives for confirming identity and we can investigate those if you still want to get it under your real name. If you want to edit under a pseudonym , with the caveat that the prohibition against directly editing the article about you still applies, you are free to do so and if you have difficulty creating an account with a pseudonym I can help you.
If your intention was to edit articles other than about you and you want to edit using your real name, let me know and we will walk through the options for confirming your identity.
Yours sincerely, Stephen Philbrick
Notice the part about establishing an alternate identity. I didn't want to use an alternate identity, but after four days, I relented and created one. That is, I waited four days before taking Wikipedia's advice and obtaining an alternate account. During this period, a number of false and/or defamatory statements about me and my work appeared on the page I had been editing.
Evidently I was unblocked in the early afternoon of July 21, but when the notice came, I was already in the process of responding on the CTMU Talk Page. Again, this response was necessitated by the false and/or misleading statements, and was worded in a perfectly civil and respectful manner.
Wikipedia Volunteer Response Team 1:02 PM (2 hours ago) to me
Dear C Langan, I unblocked you. I didn't jump through all the hoops I probably should have but I do remember your name from 999 or mega or something, so I'm convinced.
In short, (1) I do not attempt to edit articles in which I have a conflict of interest; (2) When I encounter inaccuracies (or trolling), I calmly edit the talk pages to request changes or make my points; and (3) I am to my knowledge in actual violation of no Wikipedia rules whatsoever.
Please note that we live in a very rural area. Much of this county shares the same ISP, and (up to) several residents may have contributed to the bio article, its talk page, and the CTMU talk page.
Please unblock my wife and me, as we have broken no rules here.
Addition: I just found this under my unblock request. It seems to suggest that TonyBallioni has decided not to honor it.
"You also pretended not to be yourself (referring to yourself in the third person), edited with that account after this account was unblocked, had an implied threat that more SPAs would be created, and had created two additional sleeper accounts that you looked to try to be aging for use later. Now, to be fair, I don't know whether it was you or your wife that created the sleeper accounts, but that does make it hard for me to assume good faith. TonyBallioni (talk) 20:49, 21 July 2020 (UTC)"
Hold on a minute. Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked for "pretending to be a well known person", which is why I was blocked the first time. I don't know anything about any "sleeper accounts" - as I explained, I like to contribute under my own name. And as for "good faith", it's supposed to work both ways, I can tell when I'm getting it, and the only one on that page who has come close to showing me any good faith worth mentioning is the user called "Scarpy".
Please let me know if I need to go the the Arbitration Committee (or Mr. Wales) with this, because it's getting very tiresome. Thank you.
Addition 2: "Anyway, like I said, its up to the reviewing admin how to review this and your wife's block. I'd point them to GorillaWarfare's comments on the history here in the SPI, though."
Then perhaps I should add that GorillaWarfare has not been what I'd call a wellsprings of "good faith" where I'm concerned. She is responsible for protecting the inclusion in my bio of libelous accusations sourced to a no-name journo "Justin Ward" in a sporadically published "magazine" called "The Baffler". With all due respect, the inclusion of hurtful and spurious accusations which were themselves unsourced by Ward/Baffler fails to strike me as remotely consistent with WP:BLP. Perhaps it would be better if the reviewing admin were to review my actual comments as opposed to the opinions of administrators with their own special viewpoints in play. But thanks anyway.
Addition 3: "Arguing that criticism published in a reliable source ought not to be whitewashed off the page simply because the article subject finds it unflattering is not acting in bad faith, nor is it contrary to WP:BLP." - GorillaWarfare
I most emphatically disagree. WP:BLP states that "We must get the article right. Be very firm about the use of high-quality sources." The Baffler is absolutely not a "high-quality source". A high-quality source would carefully source hurtful accusations like "racism" and "antisemitism", making sure that they are substantiated by my own output rather than go fishing for anonymous scuttlebutt on 4chan and Stormfront (at neither of which I've ever posted). These journalistic frauds did nothing of the kind and this was duly pointed out, but there was simply no stopping GorillaWarfare and company. (Wikipedia needs to be much more careful about damaging accusations for which its supposedly "reliable sources" give no actual evidence.) It's a violation of WP:BLP plain and simple. GorillaWarfare is an administrator, others tend to follow her lead, she has been sitting on this article for months, and she unquestionably bears a good deal of responsibility for its content.
Addition 4: If I'm not mistaken, I've just been explicitly accused of "lying" by one "TonyBallioni". This accusation is false and defamatory, and therefore cannot be rationalized in terms of "good faith". I have only one alternate account, I have proven here that Wikipedia advised me to create it, and third-person self-references are not "lies". Rather, under the circumstances as explained here, they were perfectly explicable given Wikipedia's 4-day lag in unblocking me under my real name per this request, which it did mere minutes before I posted under "Ctmu" (I usually check my email only twice a day or so, so if you wait days to respond to a simple request, don't be surprised if I assume you have no intention of doing so). This accusation is a mistake on TonyBallioni's part, and on the part of anyone who publicly credits or repeats it. My own good-faith explanations have been ignored, a false scenario has been concocted, and harmful accusations have been made in a pretty obvious departure from "good faith".
I also note that the decision has been made by JzG or "Guy", who has a conflict of interest. Specifically, he appears to be retaliating for a perfectly civil comment I made regarding his long-term (15 year) policy of disparaging me and the CTMU without having the vaguest idea what it is or what it says. Although he claims that I was "litigating content", this is false, just as it is false that the CTMU was ever presented as "a scientific theory" as JzG asserted. The argument was over notability of the topic and the reliability of given sources.
Administrative decisions based on opinion and speculation, and false accusations based exclusively thereon, cannot coexist with credible claims of neutrality, objectivity, or even decency. I hope that Wikipedia has at least one administrator capable of admitting it, and of removing this block. Thank you. Chris Langan ( talk) 17:32, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
Addition 5: "My only involvement has been triggered by Chris' BLP complaint, and this was a procedural close: it was not a properly-formed unblock request. But whatever. Fact is, it's a doomed request: two people and five accounts, all pushing the same POV, technically indistinguishable from each other. Guy (help!) 08:28, 23 July 2020 (UTC)"
Pardon me, but (1) Wikipedia sanctions pseudonymous accounts, as we know from the above email which I received directly from Wikipedia; (2) I am not required to coordinate with my wife regarding her accounts, pseudonymous or otherwise (and I neither know nor care what alternate accounts she may possess except insofar as they may permit her to operate here in a corrective capacity despite what she tells me is chronic interference); and (3) it is not our fault that we are forced to share the same ISP, so lumping us together on that basis is untenable.
It appears to me that JzG is simply trying to patch together an impromptu rationalization for what he has been doing here, reverting to the 15-year-old pattern mentioned above. Again, I request that a neutral administrator - and when I say "neutral", I mean emotionally uninvolved and cognizant and respectful of the rules here - reverse this block. Again, please bear in mind that I am in violation of no rules myself, and have confined myself to what I see as helpful, civilly worded talk-page suggestions, precisely as Wikipedia suggests. Thank you.
Decline reason:
Most of this is not an unblock request, but an attempt to relitigate, yet again, the content question. Guy ( help!) 15:05, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
If you want to make any further unblock requests, please read the guide to appealing blocks first, then use the {{ unblock}} template again. If you make too many unconvincing or disruptive unblock requests, you may be prevented from editing this page until your block has expired. Do not remove this unblock review while you are blocked.
.
Arguing that criticism published in a reliable source ought not to be whitewashed off the page simply because the article subject finds it unflattering is not acting in bad faith, nor is it contrary to WP:BLP. I am also not "responsible" for its inclusion–I was one of the people who commented that I believe it ought to remain in place, but I was hardly the only voice in that discussion. GorillaWarfare (talk) 23:30, 21 July 2020 (UTC)
Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked...". I think that is a likely explanation (and consistent with the instructions given) for why Ctmu wrote "Langan has never presented the CTMU...". Johnuniq ( talk) 07:10, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
Johnuniq, just as a bit of background here GW flagged this for an uninvolved CU to look at because she suspected that Ctmu was DrL. I agreed there were similarities that if they were the same person would amount to abuse of multiple accounts, and I ran the checked. I discovered the two sleepers, and the husband/wife pairing. I was not aware of the username block/relation when I ran the check, but discovered it afterwards and before blocking.
I considered the softblock/create a new account option and debated not blocking because of it, but the reason I ultimately ended up doing so was because I saw what to me appeared to be a fair amount of intentional bad faith. The sleeper accounts, which are either Chris or DrL (I just requested Mz7 re-run the check and he came to the same conclusion), could easily be explained away was experimenting if it was just one of them, but there are two. To me, that is more than just experimenting. I also think that the post on the talk page and the discussion of being an SPA was essentially a threat that more would appear. Both of those together combined with the fact that the block had recently been lifted (albeit ~40 minutes earlier) led me to the conclusion that a block would likely be the best starting point for any future discussion. I'm also fairly unimpressed with the continued denial about the two sleepers: like I said, I don't know which spouse it is, but one of them created the accounts.
That being said, the reason I made it a regular block and not a CU one is because I get the complexities of this case, and since everything but the sleepers is fairly obvious/admitted to, there's nothing really private. Having community members and admins outside of the SPI world look at it seemed like the best way to deal with the complexity to me. So, in that regards, I don't mind you doing whatever you think is best. I'd also be fine with you taking it over as a "disruptive editing" or similar block if you think that'd be more accurate to describe the issues. TonyBallioni ( talk) 20:27, 23 July 2020 (UTC)
For what it's worth, I do agree with Chris Langan that it would be best to leave the unblock request open for an admin who has not been involved in the content discussions. (Ping JzG). GorillaWarfare (talk) 23:38, 22 July 2020 (UTC)
The above is entirely consistent with someone unfamiliar with Wikipedia trying to follow the instructions given.- Johnuniq I agree here. In fact if it wouldn't be redundant I would just quote everything you said because they're such excellent points. Unless DrL and Chris have an interest in editing on topics outside of CTMU and closely related concepts, I would suggest stepping away from Wikipedia (even if it's something like raising a concern on your talk pages --those might be better handled through WP:OTRS).
I also think that the post on the talk page and the discussion of being an SPA was essentially a threat that more would appear.- TonyBallioni I think this is a stretch. Looking at the contributions from Marxist Frogg and Lemail they don't seem engaged on Langan/CTUM stuff.
two people and five accounts- JzG is it five? am I missing one? I see four mentioned here.
That his theory is "religiously-based", without evidencethe papers are public and so is the information about the association with ID proponents, the journal without proper peer review, etc. You may want to read the talk page of the BLP article, the previous deletion discussions, etc. — Paleo Neonate – 15:49, 25 July 2020 (UTC)
I closed your unblock request on purely procedural grounds as addressing the content question not the block. Please read WP:GAB, which describes how to write a well-formed unblock request. Note that you need to focus on the specific reasons for blocking, and show how community concerns will be addressed. I think you don't have a big problem there because you have to date been very patient and not aggressive, and we generally err on the side of allowing biography subjects some leeway in order to keep our biographies accurate. You are absolutely allowed to open a new unblock request following WP:GAB. Guy ( help!) 09:09, 24 July 2020 (UTC)
I would like to draw attention to certain irregularities in the circumstances surrounding the two blocks here, the denial of the unblock request, and the conduct of the administrators involved.
In brief, it appears to me that:
I hope that the details below will prove useful to Chris and to any uninvolved administrator who gets a chance to review the situation.
Background
User:Chris Langan is the subject of the BLP Christopher Langan. His identity has been verified by OTRS (see below).
His account was created in September 2019. Its edits have been entirely confined to talk pages, where he has made suggestions for improving some articles and asked editors to respect WP:BLP in connection with him and his work.
Block by Beeblebrox
On 15 July 2020, Chris was blocked, without warning, by User:Beeblebrox, because his username "Chris Langan", which he had been using for 10 months, represents a well-known person (Chris himself). Beeblebrox issued this block
WP:BEFOREBLOCK says: In general, administrators should ensure that users who are acting in good faith are aware of policies and are given reasonable opportunity to adjust their behavior before blocking
.
When questioned on his talk page about his action, Beeblebrox characterized it as "routine". Asked if it was in accord with WP:BEFOREBLOCK, he replied that he had "adequately explained [him]self" (in fact, he never contacted Chris before blocking him) and that he didn't "feel inclined to continue discussing this here".
Block by TonyBallioni
Chris then reached out to OTRS, who told him that unblocking his account would involve "jumping through hoops" to confirm his identity, that "[m]any people edit Wikipedia using pseudonyms and that is an option", and that "[i]f you want to edit under a pseudonym", "you are free to do so".
Chris's initial preference was to use his real name, and he waited several days for OTRS to confirm his identity. When this did not happen, he relented and created a new account, User:Ctmu. He made a single edit with it, on the talk page about his theory, making suggestions to "move the debate in a positive direction" with reference to WP:BLP. In this edit, he referred to himself in the third person, explaining afterward that "Had I introduced myself as Chris Langan using the new account, I'd have been immediately blocked for "pretending to be a well known person", which is why I was blocked the first time." Independently, in the hour between the creation of the new account and its single edit, OTRS confirmed his identity and unblocked his original account.
One hour later, without having made any further edits with either account, Chris was blocked indefinitely by User:TonyBallioni, for "abusing multiple accounts". Here is the sequence of events:
Tony seems to have been unaware that Chris had just been told by OTRS that "[i]f you want to edit under a pseudonym", "you are free to do so". Additionally, Chris uses a shared IP, so there was some confusion regarding his wife's account ( User:DrL), whose relationship to him had already been disclosed, and two others ( [5] and [6]) with no connection to Langan-related topics, neither of which had been used in over a month, and of which Chris disclaimed any knowledge.
WP:SOCKLEGIT says:
Alternative accounts have legitimate uses.
[E]ditors who contribute using their real name may wish to use a pseudonym for contributions with which they do not want their real name to be associated.
[I]f you are blocked for having an inappropriate username, and that is the sole reason for the block, you are permitted to create a new account with an appropriate username.
These accounts are not considered sockpuppets.
None of the above constitutes "abusing multiple accounts".
The fact that Chris's single edit with User:Ctmu was on a page that he had edited a single time before as User:Chris Langan might seem to run afoul of
WP:BADSOCK's rule against Contributing to the same page or discussion with multiple accounts
. However, in Chris's defense:
Thus, Chris's single edit with User:Ctmu seems to have been a good-faith attempt to move the discussion in a positive direction with reference to WP:BLP, while adhering to WP:REALNAME and not representing himself as a well-known figure.
Tony also brought up Chris's remark that "when single-purpose troll accounts are tolerated, single-purpose corrective accounts may spring into existence", interpreting this as a "threat" to create more accounts and/or deploy existing "sleepers". Tony seems to have missed the context of this remark, which was Scarpy's comment two posts above on the same page, addressed to "IPs and single purpose accounts" defending Chris's work. Chris was pointing out that in addition to the IPs and SPAs referenced by Scarpy, there had also been opposing SPAs targeting him and his work, (e.g. [7], [8]). None of these were created by Chris.
Denial of unblock request by JzG
Chris then made an unblock request, which was denied by involved administrator Guy ( User:JzG). Guy was involved in a recent dispute about the notability of Chris's work, involved with the article about Chris, had disparaged Chris's work as "pseudoscientific", and had used incivil language in reference to Chris and his wife.
WP:INVOLVED says that In general, editors should not act as administrators in disputes in which they have been involved. [...] Involvement is generally construed very broadly by the community, to include current or past conflicts with an editor (or editors), and disputes on topics, regardless of the nature, age, or outcome of the dispute.
When confronted with his previous involvement, Guy claimed that his denial of the unblock request was only "procedural", misrepresenting the request as an attempt to "relitigate the content issue". In fact, the unblock request argues that Chris was "blocked for following Wikipedia's own advice", citing communication with OTRS, and that he has broken no rules. There are no procedural grounds that would allow an WP:INVOLVED administrator to close it. Even if it were attempting to "relitigate the content issue", that is a content issue in which Guy was involved.
Conclusion
The two blocks and the denial of the unblock request were subject to a number of irregularities. The first block violated WP:BEFOREBLOCK and provided no evidence of wrongdoing, the second failed to WP:AGF and disregarded WP:SOCKLEGIT, and the denial of the unblock request violated WP:INVOLVED.
Chris Langan seems to have made a good-faith attempt to comply with Wikipedia policies and with what he was told by OTRS.
I hope that this situation can be reviewed and steps taken to rectify it, beginning with unblocking Chris. Tim Smith ( talk) 03:51, 13 August 2020 (UTC)