Bulbanews:Blocking policy
Blocking is one way to actually enforce bans on Bulbanews. There are three targets that can be blocked:
- User accounts
- IP addresses
- IP address ranges
Please note that blocking is not always the only way for a situation to be resolved. A user may simply be asked by an administrator to refrain from editing a certain type of article or a certain article for a period of time, between 48 and 96 hours. If the user follows these instructions, then no block will be instituted. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a temporary block.
How to block
Any administrator can place a block by accessing Special:Blockip, or by using the |block) link next to a username on an edits list.
When to block
Blocking will be put in effect if any of the following circumstances are met:
Ignoring bans
If a user deliberately ignores a ban, the ban will be forcibly enforced using a block. Be sure to inform a user of their ban - assume good faith if the user has not been properly notified - otherwise, after (repeated) notification, issue a block.
Edit flood
If a user is judged as having made many edits in a short time span that contradict prevailing trends, a "cool-down" block may be issued depending on the number of edits made. The length of the block is to be judged by the blocking administrator, but should not exceed 3 hours unless the situation is exceptionally severe. Additionally, the block length may be contested by other administrators if it is felt to be unfair or biased. During that time, the edits will be reviewed and any unacceptable ones will be reverted. As with other short term blocks, this can not be appealed.
Vandalism
If pages are vandalized, the offending user will be blocked for a sysop-determined amount of time based on the severity of the incident. Blocks for vandalism can last anywhere from 24 hours to an indefinite or permanent amount of time; serious vandalism will be cause for a very long block.
Deliberately inserting false information to mislead is classed as a major act of vandalism (even if only a few articles are affected) and will result in severe penalties. However, unless clear evidence of malice exists, assume good faith.
Repeated and pointless page creation or modification can be grounds for blocking. Creating a page like "YU sUk", and "Free Shaymin easter egg in Platinum", and so on, is grounds for a temporary blocking, because it's quite simply unwanted. Anything that clutters Bulbanews like that will be removed and any user that creates it will be blocked for 24 hours on the first offense. This may change depending on the offense. Repeat offenders will be blocked for longer periods of time.
Link spam/advertisement
The nature of a wiki is such that its Google PageRank tends to be a little higher than usual. Advertisers try to take advantage of this by adding their own links to pages, hoping that some of the PageRank will be passed on to their sites.
This sort of link spam cannot be tolerated, and the offending accounts will be blocked indefinitely. (However, it is more likely that they will never be used again after the initial attack.) The contaminated revisions of articles should also be deleted, however, this is not required.
Threats and edit/revert wars
Harassment in Talk pages or editing wars can be grounds for a block. Harassing other users in talk/discussion pages is simply not permitted. Active, vibrant discussion quite obviously is wanted and necessary; however, when it descends into flaming, it will be put to a stop by temporary blocking of the offending party/parties. Also, all parties involved in an editing or reverting war may be banned; for help on someone modifying a page via a revert or edit, contact one of the administrators. Taking matters into the user's own hands may result in the temporary blocking of both parties involved, typically for 24 to 72 hours.
Usernames
Usernames can lead to immediate blockings under special circumstances. Usernames that are inflammatory or insulting will be blocked. The "insulting" factor of a username may be determined by a few administrators if there is any doubt as to the content of a username. Bots that are not approved by the staff may also be banned, as they have the potential to add clutter in excess to the site. Appeals on the grounds of decency will be considered by a larger panel of staff members. See: Bulbapedia's Username policy
Additional accounts
Unauthorized sockpuppets, that is, accounts created for the sole purpose of hiding one's identity to conduct fraud, are not permitted here. Additional accounts created to evade bans are blocked indefinitely, and may result in an extension or institution of a block on the primary account.
There are legitimate reasons for creating new accounts when you already have one, for example, if you wish to be dissociated from your past. In these cases, there is no need to obtain permission, however, you must stop using your old account as soon as possible.
Please contact a member of the editorial board to obtain permission to create additional accounts.
Uncivil behavior
A user who does not behave civilly to fellow contributors who are acting in good faith may be blocked to enforce a Wikibreak. Such behavior includes and is not limited to:
- Always assuming bad faith.
- Use of abusive language.
- Personal attacks on other contributors.
Such behavior is to be avoided in a collaborative project such as this, thus should be punished. A contributor that fails to change their behavior after being warned several times may be blocked temporarily or even permanently if need be.
Appeals
Appeals against a block decision may be sent to the Editor-in-Chief. Any email sent should be titled Bulbanews block appeal, include a reason why the block should be overturned, and also include any additional information that would factor into an appeal process. Appeals will be processed as promptly as possible by the staff; if you feel that your message was not received, contact the Editor-in-Chief on the Bulbagarden forums via private messaging. Decisions handed down by an appeals committee are final and no further appeals will be entertained.
Temporary blocks of less than a week cannot be appealed.