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Blocking is an administrative action that prevents a registered user or IP from editing on the wiki. Administrators do not take blocks lightly, and will generally give users the opportunity to correct inappropriate behavior before applying a block. Behavior will be addressed via messages and warnings on the user's message wall, and should be taken seriously if a block is to be avoided.
A member of the wiki administrative team will issue a warning or determine whether or not a block is appropriate as well as the duration of the block. The length of a block may range from a few hours to several weeks depending upon the severity or frequency of the problem leading to the block. In some cases a user may be blocked for an indefinite period of time, usually after an extended period of problem behavior or when a user edits for purposes other than building a better wiki.
In cases of severe or long-term problem behavior which does not respond to administrative action and multiple blocks, or which is of such a nature that it significantly disrupts the wiki may result in a user being banned from the wiki on a permanent basis.
Blocks can be appealed in accordance to policy. To appeal a block, a user must be prepared to address the issues surrounding their problem behavior and to demonstrate how they plan to avoid repetition of behavior that resulted in their block. See Appealing a Block for details.
Blocks and blocked users should not be discussed by the community, and blocks should not be requested by community members.
User Activity That May Lead to a Block
In most cases, a block is a last resort rather than a first course of action when problematic behavior occurs, and will be preceded by one or more warnings at an administrator's discretion. However, behavior that is disruptive enough that it demands immediate action may result in a block without a prior warning. User activity that may result in a block includes:
- Disruptive Editing: Any behavior that disrupts the normal activities and operation of the wiki. May of the specific behaviors cited below can also be considered disruptive.
- Edit Warring: Cyclical, repetitive reverting and re-reverting, or addition and removal of contested or controversial content is considered edit warring. Once a user removes another user's edit and the first user objects, the first user's next move is to open a discussion on the article's talk page without any further editing. This cycle, known as EDIT-REVERT-DISCUSS (ERD), prevents edit warring. Once an edit is reverted, it should not be restored until discussion concludes in favor of restoration. Users who edit war or who fail to discuss in good faith may be blocked for edit warring.
- Vandalism: Vandalism is defined as the deliberate addition, modification or removal of wiki content with the intention to disrupt, damage or otherwise compromise the wiki. This includes adding inappropriate, inaccurate or nonsensical content to articles, blanking pages, creating spam pages, purposefully changing correct information in order to disrupt the wiki, or uploading inappropriate, pornographic, or spam images. Users who commit vandalism will generally be warned on the first occurrence, then blocked if the vandalism continues. Repeat offenders may be blocked for increasingly longer periods of time.
- Personal Attacks: Personal attacks of any kind are not permitted on the wiki. This includes interactions on article talk pages, in edit summaries, on a user's message wall, during a chat or on the forum. A warning will generally given on the first occurrence, followed by a block if further attacks take place. Long term or repeated instances of personal attacks may result in an editor being indefinitely blocked or banned from the wiki.
- Vulgarity: Although mature language is allowed on the wiki within the context of the show, offending people is not one of our goals, and users should be sensitive to other users' tolerance for profanity. Users who use excessive foul language in discussions may receive a warning or short block. Extreme language which is racist, homophobic, or other hate speech may result in an immediate block.
- Copyright Infringement: This wiki is subject to U.S. and international copyright laws as an corporate entity based in the United States of America. Users who upload copyrighted material to the wiki violate U.S. copyright laws, which will result in removal of the material along with a warning or block. Continuing to violate copyright policy after being warned will result in a block.
- Spam: Links to external sites or advertising of any kind is considered spam, and is prohibited under most circumstances. Informal discussion of external sites on the forum's off topic board is acceptable, but use of articles, user walls or blogs for the purpose of spamming or advertising is prohibited. Users or unregistered contributors who appear to be posting on the wiki purely for the sake of spamming will have content removed and will be blocked.
- Inappropriate User Name: Users with user names that are inappropriate, offensive, impersonates another individual, misrepresents the user's identity, contains profanity or obscene language, or falsely portrays the user as being a third-party representative of an organization may be blocked indefinitely with no warning. Under most circumstances, the user will be given the opportunity to create a new account with an appropriate user name, and to remain in good standing on the wiki.
Message Wall Access During a Block
Users who are blocked will retain access to their message wall during a block. Their message wall should be used to address the behavior that lead to the block, and can be used to appeal a block. A user who abuses his/her message wall access during a block may lose access, and in extreme cases, find their block extended.
Appealing a Block
Blocks can be appealed. To appeal a block, the blocked user should post a message on their own message wall requesting an administrator review their block with BLOCK APPEAL in the subject line. As part of their message, the user should specifically address the reason for their block and how they plan to improve their behavior. Simple promises not to do it again will not suffice. An administrator must see that the user understands the problem that lead to the block and has a plan to correct their behavior.
Block Evasion and Sockpuppetry
Users who are blocked are expected to sit out their block patiently, then return to productive editing on the wiki. Despite this, in some cases, editors attempt to circumvent their blocks by creating a new account or by other means. This is known as block evasion. Block evasion is a serious matter, and is reason for an immediate extension of the editor's current block.
Sock puppetry is the creation and use of one or more additional accounts for the purpose of block evasion, vandalism or other disruption of the wiki. Users who engage in sock puppetry for any reason are subject to indefinite block of the sockpuppet account without any warning, and may have their original account temporarily or permanently blocked.
If a user wishes to create a new account to change their username or to make a fresh start, they must inform an administrator so that the account they are abandoning can be blocked. Users are never permitted to have more than one active account at a time.
Bans
Under rare circumstances, an editor's behavior may become so problematic that he or she may be banned from the wiki. A banned editor is not allowed to edit on the wiki or his/her message wall. The user must stay off the wiki, with no attempts at sock puppetry, for a minimum of one year before he/she can request reinstatement, using the block appeal procedure. A request for reinstatement does not guarantee it will be granted.