Wikispecies:Checkusers

What is a checkuser?

Checkusers are highly trusted users with the technical ability to see private data for a user, such as their IP address. This is done to determine whether a user is misusing multiple accounts (multiple undisclosed accounts all controlled by the same editor that are used for fraudulent, deceptive, or otherwise disruptive purposes are normally referred to as sockpuppets).

Checkusers are technically able to:

Determine from which IPs a user has edited or done a logged action or password reset on the Wikimedia wiki;
Determine the edits, logged actions and password resets on the Wikimedia wiki of a specific IP (even when logged in);
Determine whether the user being checked has sent an email using MediaWiki interface to some other user.

The tools are typically used to fight vandalism, to check for sockpuppet abuse, and to limit disruption of the project. Such abuses may have to be dealt with blocks performed by checkusers themselves, thus checkusers are usually administrators. The use of the checkuser tools and release of the private data is limited by the Meta CheckUser policy and the WMF access to nonpublic data policy. CheckUser actions are logged, but for privacy reasons the logs are only visible to other Checkusers. Because of this, Wikispecies must always have no fewer than two checkusers, for mutual accountability.

Requesting a CheckUser

For those in need of making a request for a sockpuppet investigation, please go to Wikispecies:Requests for checkuser and fill out the form.

List of Checkusers

There are 3 checkusers on Wikispecies. A current list can be found at Special:ListUsers/checkuser.

Dan Koehl (talk • contribs • checkuser poll)
Faendalimas (talk • contribs • checkuser poll)
Koavf (talk • contribs • checkuser poll)

User box

This user is a checkuser on Wikispecies. (verify)

Checkusers may use the Checkuser user box on their user page. Copy and paste the following code to your user page:
{{User Checkuser}}

Discussions

How do I become a checkuser?

First, read Wikispecies:Checkusers/Howto.

When you are ready, make your request using the box below, replacing Username with your own username.

For greater visibility, all requests made here are transcluded onto the central Wikispecies:Requests for Comment page.