Guild Wars Wiki:Blocking
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A block is a sysop-only ability that prevents a specific user account or IP address/range from editing on Guild Wars Wiki, usually for a temporary amount of time. The term ban is also sometimes used to refer to a block, but may mean something else depending on the context. Sysops have considerable discretion in both blocking and unblocking.
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[edit] Performing a block
When performing a block, sysops should:
- Provide a clear and understandable reason
- Apply a duration within any range specified
- Use a simple and straightforward measure for the duration (hours, days, weeks, months, years, infinite)
- Uphold any applicable arbitration decision
[edit] Block reasons and block length
| Block reason | Minimum block duration | Maximum block duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vandalism and/or spam (manual) | n/a | 1 month |
| Vandalism and/or spam (automated) | n/a | Indefinite |
| Violation of No personal attacks | n/a | 1 month |
| Trolling | n/a | 1 month |
| Breaking the one-revert rule | n/a | 1 month |
| Excessive technical disruption of the wiki | n/a | 1 month |
| Evading a block, or claiming/emulating the identity of a blocked user | Remaining block duration on blocked account | |
| Arbitration injunction | As outlined in the injunction, must be overturned once the arbitration case is closed or declined. | |
| Arbitration ruling (overrides any other case) | As per ruling (no limit) | |
| Misbehaving bot (bot's account) | Indefinite (until the damage has been repaired and the bot has been fixed) | |
| Sockpuppet abuse | n/a | 1 month |
| Anything explicitly specified as grounds for blocking in another policy | As per policy (or n/a if not specified) | 1 month unless otherwise specified |
| Inappropriate user name | Indefinite unless the user name can be changed | |
| IP address is an open proxy | 1 month | 1 year |
| General misconduct | n/a | 1 day |
| Inciting serious misconduct (vandalism, spam, personal attacks, sockpuppet abuse etc.) | n/a | Equal to the longest block agaist a user involved in the incited misconduct. |
| Direct community consensus | Within the agreed upon range | |
| Testing on a willing subject | As agreed upon | |
For multiple infractions, the minimum block length is equal to the highest minimum block length for any of the offenses, and the maximum block length is.
Within any specified range, the precise duration initially used is normally up to the acting sysop's discretion, but they are to also try to use lengths that they generally would expect to be supported by consensus. Severe, repeated or clearly malicious misconduct generally merits longer blocks than minor, isolated or seemingly accidental miscounduct. Sysops may perform blocks with durations beyond the suggested block range, however blocks which exceed the maximum recommended block duration should only be performed in exceptional circumstances, and the more formal alternative of arbitration should be considered.
Additionally, no block against an IP account may exceed 1 year in duration under any circumstances, and blocks against IP accounts should not exceed 1 week unless they have been confirmed to be static IPs.
[edit] Non-criteria
The following are examples of reasons of actions and situations which should generally not be used as reasons for a block:
- In-game misconduct, or any actions off of the official Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 wikis.
- A user of one account should not be blocked for actions taken by the user of another account without strong evidence that the users of both accounts are the same person, such as verification through the CheckUser extension, or claims about being the same person being made with both accounts.
- The fact that an action was taken on behalf of another user.
The arbitration committee may issue rulings or injunctions may bypass these rules. For example, the arbitration committee may rule that, while a specific user is blocked, other users may not relay messages for that user on the wiki. In these situations, users should generally not be blocked without prior warning.
[edit] Indefinite blocks
Blocks of indefinite duration should only be used in two situations:
- Accounts used solely for spam or vandalism, such as spambot accounts.
- With the support of an arbitration committe ruling.
[edit] Altering blocks
Lengths of existing blocks are not to be increased simply due to differences or changes in judgment between individual sysops. They may be increased in correcting errors, reacting to a separate/repeated offense, or to reflect a difference in judgment by the community/arbcomm.
Lengths of existing blocks may be decreased by any sysop, at their own discretion, as long as clear explanation is given and the block is not due to an arbitration comittee ruling which is still in force. Discussing a block length change with the original blocking sysop is recommended, however there is no obligation to do so.
Blocks may also be suspended to allow a user involved in an active arbitration case to participate.
Blocks placed due to arbitration comittee rulings which are still in forced should only be altered within the length range specified by those rulings. Blocks placed due to expired injunctions and arbitration comittee rulings which have been overturned by more recent rulings should be removed.
Any block with a remaining duration well beyond the range outlined in this guideline should be shortened.
