is it against the rules to vote for yourself with multiple accounts?

Question

One of the top contributors in the section I am most interested in posts the same 3 answers for almost every question yet is considered a top contributor.  I was a top contributor for about a week but lost it (I think from going on holiday so not posting enough or the fact that there is a block of people who thumbs down any answer that is given that is actually scientific) but still have a higher %best answer than him.  

Anyways I noticed a pattern in his best answers which is almost every single best answer he has have 3 votes.  I thought this was a bit strange so I suspect he is using multiple accounts to vote for himself.  Is this against the rules?

An..... · Accepted Answer

You've raised a number of issues here.

1) Posting the same answer repeatedly is okay as long as it actually answers the question.
2) It is okay to vote for your own answers.
3) It is NOT okay to create false accounts to get additional votes.
4) His 2 extra votes could be coming from his Fans & Contacts list. They see every time he asks or answers a question and can legally vote for him.
5) Thumbs Down or Thumbs Up are not the "votes" that count for Best Answer or Top Contributor.
6) Your Best Answer % needs to come from a significant number of questions. A person who only answered 3 questions and got 2 BAs will be at 66% but won't get Top Contributor for such a little bit of activity.

Cosimo )O( · Answer

Yes, it is against the rules. Officially, it's called "point-gaming". But I call a spade a spade, so I prefer to call it "cheating". Unfortunately you can't prove it, but if you feel very strongly about it, you may wish to email the staff about your suspicions, copying them the link to his profile. Regrettably there seems to be at least one so-called 'top contributor' cheat like that in most sections.

To email the profile link, highlight the username under his avatar, right click to copy, then paste into an email to y_answrs_team@yahoo.com

Anonymous · Answer

If Yahoo didn't want people to vote for their own answer, they wouldn't have made it possible to do it.

[edit] ooh I see, with multiple accounts. Well i was refering to voting for yourself with your own account, because that can be done. But making a bunch of sock puppet accounts just to vote for yourself? who cares if it's against the rules, that is just way too much work than it's worth... and for what, 10 points?! Just keep answering questions. that's a much easier and more fun way of gaining points.

? · Answer

you should check out this guy there is no way you can get that high of  a percent for best answers without voting for your self

http://answers.yahoo.com/activity?show=FZKFLTyLaa

rob d · Answer

yes.

Anonymous · Answer

for sure

Anonymous · Answer

No , it is not against the rules .
You can also try it .

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is it against the rules to vote for yourself with multiple accounts?

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