Translations:Alternate accounts/15/en

This is where sockpuppetry comes in. Sockpuppetry (often abbreviated in discussion as "socking") is the use of multiple Miraheze user accounts for nefarious purposes. Attempts to deceive or mislead other editors, disrupt discussions, distort consensus, avoid sanctions, or otherwise violate community standards and policies are all examples of nefarious purposes.
 * Evasion of sanctions: Sanctions apply to individuals. Using another account to go around a sanction (such as an active block, ban or other restriction) is considered abuse. The offending account will likely be locked and further warning/notice will be issued to the main account.
 * If you want to contest a block or ban on a non-Meta Miraheze Wiki, you should follow these options in order: appeal by your local talk page/the locally designated appeal area, appeal to a local/active administrator by their talk page on Meta if this has not been allowed, appeal to Stewards via the Stewards' noticeboard by explaining the situation and getting them to look into it, and if you are unable to edit at all (for example, you've been locked), appeal by email to stewards@undefinedmiraheze.org.
 * Spoofing: Creating multiple accounts to 'spoof' or disrupt community votes or discussions, and using alts to try and discredit the opposing argument with bad form (also called 'straw socking'). Votes and inputs from misused alternate accounts will be struck and implicated accounts will be investigated by Stewards as necessary.
 * Good-hand/bad-hand accounts: Using one account constructively, but operating another (or multiple) for disruption, vandalism and so forth.
 * Edting while logged out in order to mislead: Treat your IP address as an account (a secret one where an actual account is always ideal); everyone is expected to conduct themselves properly even while logged out. Take care when editing with your IP to avoid 'Spoofing' or evading sanctions.
 * Misusing a clean start: Users who need a new beginning, wish to get away from their contentious history or wish to start up an account to pursue a different line of interests on Miraheze can attempt to do so. If global or local sanctions apply, they must be respected, and preferably a Steward is in contact so they do not take the account for a sockpuppet of a repeat vandal or problem case. If not, especially if the problematic behavior resulting in the original sanctions or awful reputation is repeated and no Steward has been contacted to reach terms, this attempted clean start will be seen as abuse.
 * Role accounts: There is no policy against accounts representing entities, but the account should always be able to verify its association with the entity it is named for. For example, accounts implying relationship with a wiki should be verifiably operated by the given wiki's administration and have a clear function.
 * Avoiding scrutiny: A Wikipedia term specializing in the above 'spoofing'; accounts made to lure attention away from the activity or history of the primary account where that information is in the local community's interest. Especially relevant for say, requesting adminship.