Wikipedia talk:Sleeper account

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Planning to stop using an account but continuing to make minor edits once in a full moon

¿So would the above make me a sleeper? as the only reason I created this account was to create the template for Microsoft Zune and make the articles easier to navigate as several Zune-related articles were barely linked to in other articles regarding the subject, then I only continued due to a dispute which was then requested for mediation, I was planning on "retiring" and just reading Wikipedia (as I've done since I was 12) with just some grammar fixes now and then ¿would I then be subject to sockpuppetry? Sincerely, --Namlong618 (talk) 09:28, 27 February 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Short answer: no. Long answer: still no. Sockpuppetry is using multiple accounts with no valid reason to do so. There is nothing wrong with an account being a sleeper account, as long as it isn't someone's extra account -- then it would be sockpuppetry. I hope this answers your question; sorry for the five-month delay. Etamni | ✉ 09:20, 31 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Checking watchlists

Re "It is possible that the owner of a sleeper account is active, frequently checking that account's watchlist and talk page for activity, but never logs on, ...": Per Help:Watchlist#Privacy, you can't check your watchlist without logging in (or anyone's watchlist but your own if you are logged in). Largoplazo (talk) 16:56, 13 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]

I've made some changes to correct this. 198.161.203.11 (talk) 21:29, 29 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Largoplazo and IP, the text states, "It is possible that the owner of a sleeper account is active, frequently checking that account's watchlist and talk page for activity, but never logs on, or never edits while logged on. That account has no visible activity. Logging on but not editing (though uncommon), is identifiable activity, but logon records are not visible to the public; nor are administrators allowed to access them (except for investigating)."

From what I see, it is stating that a person may check their account for activity without logging on, which is true. It is not simply about the watchlist. The word "and" should be "or," or "and/or." I will change it to "and/or." Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 21:48, 29 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Clarification of unclear points in the article

How long would a user need to be inactive from Wikipedia with no trace before it gets erased? What is the policy to report these accounts as inactive? Is there a countermeasure a user can use to reopen or revert the account deletion? 194.247.60.2 (talk) 07:22, 28 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

User accounts are never erased or otherwise removed. A user can be renamed (WP:VANISH) but the renamed account remains forever. Johnuniq (talk) 07:36, 28 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]