Meet the Editors: Paul Benjamin Austin

Unread post by **Midsize Jake** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:53 pm

While everyone else has been focused on how the WMF's Trust & Safety folks have made a mess of an attempt to ban an administrator who occasionally says mean things about the WMF, we were working on another example of how Wikipedia (which arguably includes the WMF's Trust & Safety folks) has let someone who appears to be much more disturbing pursue his activities on Wikipedia for years, with hardly a second look.

Meet the Editors: Paul Benjamin Austin

I should add that one or two of the Wikipediocracy members who worked on this did notify the WMF about this case a few weeks ago, and got no response.

Unread post by **Smiley** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:26 pm

Names to feces:

Screenshot_2019-05-22 Paul Austin LinkedIn.jpg

austin college.JPG

This bears repeating:

Midsize Jake wrote:one or two of the Wikipediocracy members who worked on this did notify the WMF about this case a few weeks ago, and got no response.

Unread post by **Smiley** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:36 pm

His image upload log is beyond creepy : https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... ype=upload

A haunting gallery largely consisting of murdered or missing children:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Summerh.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oran ... _fruit.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Polt ... l_Anne.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marm ... thames.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tate_Genette.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jessica_Jacobs.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sheree-beasley.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... aybury.jpg

Slim deleted an image he uploaded of child child-killer Mary Bell (T-H-L) : https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... l-wiki.jpg

This article, "10-killer-kids-that-will-creep-you-the-eff-out", credits him with the unbelievably scary photo : https://thoughtcatalog.com/kara-nesvig/ ... e-eff-out/

Austin talking about Mary Bell on DigitalSpy forum : https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussio ... co-accused (Profile: https://forums.digitalspy.com/profile/d ... l%20Austin)

A comment on that forum:

Do you think Bean ever goes after those boys who caused him to fall from the diving board?
Likewise, I wish i could be a fly on the wall when the parents of the little girl in the yellow swimsuit realise that she's got a pair of men's swim trunks with her as well as her snorkel.
I wonder if the women's swimming class that Bean flashes are traumatised for long?
I have a family photo from that era taken at my local swimming centre of the beginners swimmers class and EVERY ONE of the small girls is wearing some variation of the swimsuit the little girl in The Curse of Mr Bean wore.
https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussio ... of-mr-bean

Unread post by **Midsize Jake** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:04 am

Y'know, I thought about using one of those images for the blog post, but I just didn't get that warm 'n' fuzzy feeling about it that one would want in these kinds of circumstances.

I'd be remiss if I didn't also link back to our original thread on this subject from back in October of last year, which was the first thread started by Katie, who's probably the most enterprising new member we've had here in... well, let's just say "quite some time." But that thread is in a private subforum, where we usually put threads that are specific to individual Wikipedia users, so this subject will still seem somewhat "out of the blue" to any regular-but-not-registered folks who read the Wikipediocracy forum.

Anyhoo, I'm not sure how much public credit, if any, the participants in this particular investigation want to take because it is, after all, an indictment of a specific individual. Suffice to say that all of the info in this blog post has been available out there for a long time now, really just waiting for one or more particularly enterprising and clever WPO members to come along and connect the dots. So, my thanks to them, and I also apologize for sitting on this post for over a week while I argued with myself over whether or not to "tone it down." (Which I'll admit I might have done, just a little bit.)

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:31 pm

First, it's great to see a new blog post.

Second, what a vile, contemptible person. I wish I could say I hadn't encountered far too many behaviorally similar people online over the years.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:42 pm

Unfortunately, this sort of thing goes on far too much on Wikipedia. The place is out of control.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:15 pm

Paul Benjamin Austin responded to Option 16 (T-C-L), who alerted him about the WO article about his behaviour online, on Option 16's talk page: here's the first response: link and here's the second response, which reads as if he's bragging: link. Option 16 had a fantastic response to that, here: link. Paul Austin doesn't seem to realise he's even done anything wrong, judging by this.

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:27 pm

Why the shit is there no user page/talk link in his signature?

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:37 pm

mendaliv wrote:Why the shit is there no user page/talk link in his signature?

He appears to have typed out his username manually (or copied and pasted it) instead of signing the edits.

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:39 pm

Haha what the heck?

(policy point: a sig must have at least one link to either your user page or user talk page; see WP:SIGLINK)

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Thu Jun 27, 2019 10:47 pm

He seems to not be up to date with Wikipedia policy, judging by his failed 2016 RFA.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:15 pm

He needs to be SanFranned. He's either a sociopath or hopelessly clueless. Either way, theree's no obligation to accommodate such a revolting person.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:17 pm

I agree, but when I sent the evidence to the WMF a while ago, before the blogpost, it was clear they hadn't even bothered reading my e-mail properly.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:19 pm

Katie wrote:Paul Austin doesn't seem to realise he's even done anything wrong, judging by this.

That's certainly quite possible, and all the more reason to ban him.

Vigilant · Unread post by **Vigilant** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:35 pm

The Garbage Scow wrote: He needs to be SanFranned. He's either a sociopath or hopelessly clueless. Either way, theree's no obligation to accommodate such a revolting person.

Probably won't do anything while the #FreeFram shitshow is ongoing.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 4:51 pm

Vigilant wrote:Probably won't do anything while the #FreeFram shitshow is ongoing.

The Fram carnival is a good excuse.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 7:39 pm

Katie wrote:I agree, but when I sent the evidence to the WMF a while ago, before the blogpost, it was clear they hadn't even bothered reading my e-mail properly.

Useless lazy idiots.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Fri Jun 28, 2019 10:25 pm

The Garbage Scow wrote:
Katie wrote:I agree, but when I sent the evidence to the WMF a while ago, before the blogpost, it was clear they hadn't even bothered reading my e-mail properly.
Useless lazy idiots.

I think we generally agree.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 2:40 pm

Paul Austin removed an IP comment on the AFD nomination of the Miranda Borman article that called him a paedo: link. While I'm not someone trained in this sort of thing, I have to say that the obsession with little girls fits the profile of a paedophile perfectly. And why isn't he indef blocked yet?

Bezdomni · Unread post by **Bezdomni** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 2:48 pm

I'm sure the power-users will say it's because of the FramGateKeepers strike, but that doesn't explain why nothing has been done since October 2018 when you posted the original evidence. Santé!

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 2:49 pm

What the hell is with that guy? Why would you share stuff like that? “Mum told the investigators I wasn’t 100%”?

Vigilant · Unread post by **Vigilant** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 2:56 pm

mendaliv wrote:What the hell is with that guy? Why would you share stuff like that? “Mum told the investigators I wasn’t 100%”?

Because you're a sociopath who's never faced consequences?

What do I win?

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 3:08 pm

By "investigator", I think he means an actual police officer. They came over to his house in about 2012 I think, as people were reporting his behaviour to them, and he got away with a warning and a police officer coming over to educate him about proper use of the internet, thanks to his mum informing them he's disabled and odd. I think they didn't realise how long it had been going on and how many people he's tricked, and exactly what he was up to.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 7:06 pm

He's now admitting to creating a Facebook profile pretending to be Samantha Smith (T-H-L), who he's obsessed with, here: link. He says the reason why he did it was that he "was not 100% as Mum said and i was bored". That is a horribly lame excuse after being caught impersonating child actresses online and giving interviews as them to fans and for lying about being abused for more than 2 decades. He said he took it down after being informed by a friend of Samantha that a Facebook profile acting like her wasn't a tribute. I wonder why he's not taken down his profiles on Facebook that use the name of former child actresses in that case, they're not tributes either.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 8:52 pm

Do you have links to to the other facebook pages he's made? Making fake accounts is against their TOS, I'll flag them.

Unread post by **Smiley** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 9:06 pm

Unread post by **Smiley** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:08 pm

https://www.facebook.com/paulaustin4480 ... 2335573346

Columbine is significant for me because like a lot of adults, my school panicked and invited me and other "odd" students in for a talk, and apparently put us on a list.

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:11 pm

Smiley wrote:https://www.facebook.com/paulaustin4480 ... 2335573346

Columbine is significant for me because like a lot of adults, my school panicked and invited me and other "odd" students in for a talk, and apparently put us on a list.

So wait, is he saying that in addition to his school taking an interest in him post-Columbine, a lot of adults did the same? Yikes.

Seems like a "where there's smoke, there's fire" moment to me.

Unread post by **Smiley** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:20 pm

mendaliv wrote:Yikes.

Seems like a "where there's smoke, there's fire" moment to me.

There's so much more. This chap's like a walking, talking smoke machine set to London (1952).

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:23 pm

In this edit: link, Paul Austin agrees that Option 16's comments about him "make a lot of sense" and that he will be going to his mum about a psychologist. The rest of the post is about defending his interest in true crime and women/children. In this edit to the same talk page: link he removes a response by War Operation Plan Response (T-C-L), who points out some harsh truths and compares him to WayneRay (T-C-L), who was also a creep and paedophile. He also removed the reply by himself to Option 16's comment.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:24 pm

Smiley wrote:
mendaliv wrote:Yikes.

Seems like a "where there's smoke, there's fire" moment to me.
There's so much more. This chap's like a walking, talking smoke machine set to London (1952).

I wholeheartedly agree with you. A Doctor Who forum banned him because he was creeping everyone out and the last straw was when he set his avatar to some photo of a little girl climbing out of a swimming pool, which he also has on his TVTropes page as "TheEditor".

Unread post by **Smiley** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:28 pm

Katie wrote:In this edit: link, Paul Austin agrees that Option 16's comments about him "make a lot of sense" and that he will be going to his mum about a psychologist.

It's a start. Although I do think a trip to the psychiatrist would be more efficacious than to the psychologist in this case.

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:29 pm

Or to a psych ward with plenty of chlorpromazine.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:33 pm

Smiley wrote:
Katie wrote:In this edit: link, Paul Austin agrees that Option 16's comments about him "make a lot of sense" and that he will be going to his mum about a psychologist.
It's a start. Although I do think a trip to the psychiatrist would be more efficacious than to the psychologist in this case.

Agreed. I can imagine him moaning about how disabled and lonely he is to the psychologist and wasting their time. He needs to go somewhere he can be treated for whatever he has, such as a mental hospital.

Unread post by **Smiley** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:34 pm

mendaliv wrote:Or to a psych ward with plenty of chlorpromazine.

Psychiatrists can make this happen, psychologists cannot.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:14 am

Katie wrote:
Smiley wrote:
Katie wrote:In this edit: link https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =904082281[/link], Paul Austin agrees that Option 16's comments about him "make a lot of sense" and that he will be going to his mum about a psychologist.
It's a start. Although I do think a trip to the psychiatrist would be more efficacious than to the psychologist in this case.
Agreed. I can imagine him moaning about how disabled and lonely he is to the psychologist and wasting their time. He needs to go somewhere he can be treated for whatever he has, such as a mental hospital.

I get the distinct impression that mommy has been making excuses for him his whole life and shielding him from any sort of consequences for his creepy conduct.

Those fake Facebook accounts are creepy (and all have been reported, thank you Smiley).

Unread post by **Smiley** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:21 am

The Garbage Scow wrote:Those fake Facebook accounts are creepy (and all have been reported, thank you Smiley).

Thank you.

ps. I have used the word "creepy" more times in the last month than in the rest of my life put together.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 10:10 am

Smiley wrote:
mendaliv wrote:Or to a psych ward with plenty of chlorpromazine.
Psychiatrists can make this happen, psychologists cannot.

Yes, ther's a distinction between a psychiatrist, a doctor specialising in treating mental illness, and a psychologist. Anyone can call himself or herself a psychologist.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:13 pm

Why is Oshwah (T-C-L) redacting everything and deleting and suppressing all of the evidence against this guy?

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:18 pm

The Garbage Scow wrote:Why is Oshwah (T-C-L) redacting everything and deleting and suppressing all of the evidence against this guy?

Maybe he thinks he's protecting Wikipedia from being embarrassed.

Katie · Unread post by **Katie** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:43 pm

Poetlister wrote:
The Garbage Scow wrote:Why is Oshwah (T-C-L) redacting everything and deleting and suppressing all of the evidence against this guy?
Maybe he thinks he's protecting Wikipedia from being embarrassed.

I'd hope not, from what I've seen when I've talked to Oshwah he seems to be a pleasant enough if clueless person. I've always believed that a coverup is a terrible way to deal with things, morally and practically. It will be exposed in the end anyway, so why not actually face and deal with the issues? And it appears that Paul Austin will remain unblocked.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:00 pm

Yes, Austin seems to have convinced everyone he's "just a little off" but really harmless, per his mum.

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:01 pm

Katie wrote:[H]e seems to be a pleasant enough if clueless person.

The description of far, far too many Wikipedians.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:35 am

mendaliv wrote:
Katie wrote:[H]e seems to be a pleasant enough if clueless person.
The description of far, far too many Wikipedians.

Very true, alas, which is one reason why Paul Benjamin Austin is unblocked.

Vocal · Unread post by **Vocal** » Wed Jul 03, 2019 3:49 pm

This creature has certainly learned the tricks a good member of the '''''community''''' needs to stay afloat - he's already crying that it's all a conspiracy of the Banned Unpeople.

The fact that Wikipedia's internal processes, such as they are, are dominated by a relatively small group of frankly odd people guarantees that such dynamics will prevail unless checked by outside pressure.

The Garbage Scow · Unread post by **The Garbage Scow** » Wed Jul 03, 2019 4:00 pm

Vocal wrote:This creature has certainly learned the tricks a good member of the '''''community''''' needs to stay afloat - he's already crying that it's all a conspiracy of the Banned Unpeople.

The fact that Wikipedia's internal processes, such as they are, are dominated by a relatively small group of frankly odd people guarantees that such dynamics will prevail unless checked by outside pressure.

He was doing that yesterday and the day before, got into an edit war with someone on their own talkpage and then admin shopped to get them indeffed as "not here to build an encyclopedia", despite the evidence to the contrary. You can't make this stuff up.

Poetlister · Unread post by **Poetlister** » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:32 pm

Vocal wrote:This creature has certainly learned the tricks a good member of the '''''community''''' needs to stay afloat - he's already crying that it's all a conspiracy of the Banned Unpeople.

The fact that Wikipedia's internal processes, such as they are, are dominated by a relatively small group of frankly odd people guarantees that such dynamics will prevail unless checked by outside pressure.

It is a major flaw of Wikipedia that people can be considered "in the right" if they go through the right motions, regardless of what they are really doing. Most people here will be familiar with Surgipedia.

10920 · Unread post by **10920** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:17 am

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =909506125

mendaliv · Unread post by **mendaliv** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:22 am

10920 wrote:https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?ti ... =909506125

That is an epic edit summary.

The riposte is quite poor as well though for much more technical reasons: diff (identifying what's arguably a good-faith edit as vandalism, and stating one of the reasons for the revert is PBA's impoliteness)

10920 · Unread post by **10920** » Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:24 am

mendaliv wrote:
Katie wrote:
mendaliv wrote:Why the shit is there no user page/talk link in his signature?
He appears to have typed out his username manually (or copied and pasted it) instead of signing the edits.
Haha what the heck?

(policy point: a sig must have at least one link to either your user page or user talk page; see WP:SIGLINK)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk ... #July_2019