3 ms·

Judging by the time card, I would bet multiple individuals are using this account. And they're probably getting paid to do it.

burfog 8y ago
I conclude the opposite. He takes nights off, but doesn't take weekends off. This isn't employment. It's an obsession. He managed to tick off some people who have the opposite political opinion. Those people also edit wikipedia with a personal agenda, and they are unhappy to be up against effective opposition.
- noobermin 8y ago
  The purpose of wikipedia, at least in the abstract, is to present NPOV information. You don't achieve that by having people with opposite political opinions war with each other.
throwaway1982x 8y ago
I also conclude the opposite. The time card looks very much like any time card of a single individual's regular internet use - showing the sleep pattern/circadian rhythm of a single person averaged over a long period of time.
bhouston 8y ago
Many wikipedians are obsessive types. Also why would multiple people pretend to be one. Groups are more effective than individuals on Wikipedia.
- throwaway_98554 8y ago
  Because many people would get upset if "my-political-party" was hiring team of editors to change the wiki articles. And if they are indeed getting paid, the organisation might have an important turnover. By using a single account (or multiple shared accounts; I doubt there's only one), you keep the 'prestige' you have built. Your 1 week old new recruit can edit texts left and right while most people think it's a legit old wikipedians tidying stuff up.
- hexane360 8y ago
  Of course, 1 top 1000 user might be more effective than 2 top 10000 users (with half the edits each).
endorphone 8y ago
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but the article seems to surmise who the person is, explaining the strong and self-destructive attacks on George Galloway in particular. That person has a lifestyle and apparent behaviors that would explain the singular focus.
GuB-42 8y ago
I think it is the opposite. It looks more like an obsessed individual than a group. What makes me say that is that it is extremely regular from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. It looks a lot like a single person waking hours. If people did that as a day job, it would be more like 9am to 5pm, monday to friday. During their free time, it would be the opposite. For an international team, we would see activity around the clock. Hard to match such a schedule with a team.

burfog 8y ago

I conclude the opposite. He takes nights off, but doesn't take weekends off. This isn't employment. It's an obsession. He managed to tick off some people who have the opposite political opinion. Those people also edit wikipedia with a personal agenda, and they are unhappy to be up against effective opposition.

noobermin 8y ago
The purpose of wikipedia, at least in the abstract, is to present NPOV information. You don't achieve that by having people with opposite political opinions war with each other.

throwaway1982x 8y ago

I also conclude the opposite. The time card looks very much like any time card of a single individual's regular internet use - showing the sleep pattern/circadian rhythm of a single person averaged over a long period of time.

bhouston 8y ago

Many wikipedians are obsessive types. Also why would multiple people pretend to be one. Groups are more effective than individuals on Wikipedia.

throwaway_98554 8y ago
Because many people would get upset if "my-political-party" was hiring team of editors to change the wiki articles. And if they are indeed getting paid, the organisation might have an important turnover. By using a single account (or multiple shared accounts; I doubt there's only one), you keep the 'prestige' you have built. Your 1 week old new recruit can edit texts left and right while most people think it's a legit old wikipedians tidying stuff up.
hexane360 8y ago
Of course, 1 top 1000 user might be more effective than 2 top 10000 users (with half the edits each).

endorphone 8y ago

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but the article seems to surmise who the person is, explaining the strong and self-destructive attacks on George Galloway in particular. That person has a lifestyle and apparent behaviors that would explain the singular focus.

GuB-42 8y ago

I think it is the opposite. It looks more like an obsessed individual than a group. What makes me say that is that it is extremely regular from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. It looks a lot like a single person waking hours. If people did that as a day job, it would be more like 9am to 5pm, monday to friday. During their free time, it would be the opposite. For an international team, we would see activity around the clock. Hard to match such a schedule with a team.