The Blockheads Wiki:Policy
This is The Blockheads Wiki's policy on bans, deletions, moves, and protection. Additional sections may be added in the future. Additional policies are located in the See also section.
Blocking IPs and users
Administrators can block both IPs and users. As IPs cannot edit, nor are permanently tied to a device or username, they typically do not need to be banned. Make sure to notify users with a past history of constructive contributions of their block. Spammers and users banned for an indefinite period do not need to be notified.
Block reasons
Users can be banned for multiple reasons, and the reason can be found in the block log. Common reasons for a block:
- Inserting false information
- Users should only be banned for intentionally inserting blatantly false information. In this case, the user should be banned for an indefinite period. If it is neither intentional nor blatantly false, it should be reverted. If the user continues to insert false information, an administrator should warn the user on the user's talk page. If the user still continues, the user should be banned for a period of x days.
- Removing content from pages
- Users should only be banned for removing a section's worth of content or more without reason. If the user removes a section from only one page, the user should be warned and banned for x days. If they blank pages or remove content from multiple pages, the user should be banned for an indefinite period.
- Spamming links to external sites
- Users should only be banned if it is obvious that they are doing this. Linking to one's profile on another website on their userpage, for example, is tolerated. If the user is spamming links to external sites, they should be banned for an indefinite period of time and the relevant pages/revisions deleted.
- Inserting nonsense/gibberish into pages
- Users should only be banned if it is obvious that they are doing this. If the user is inserting nonsense or gibberish into pages, they should be banned for an indefinite period of time and the relevant revisions deleted.
- Intimidating behavior/harassment
- Users should only be banned for intentionally and repeatedly intimidating or harassing another user using talk pages, user pages, edit summaries, or the email this user function. Prior to a ban, the user should be warned on the user's talk page. If the user still continues, the user should be banned for a period of x days. Upon their return, if the user continues to intimidate or harass another user, the user should be warned again. If the user continues, the user should be banned indefinitely. Relevant revisions, edit summaries, etc. should be hidden from public view.
- Abusing multiple accounts
- Users should only be banned for repeatedly creating additional accounts. The additional account(s) should be banned indefinitely and the user creating them should be warned. If the user continues to create multiple accounts, the user should be banned indefinitely.
- Unacceptable username
- Users should only be banned if their username is clearly derogatory, similar to a staff member or other wiki function, or otherwise inappropriate. If the user has made constructive edits, the username should be hidden from relevant revisions. The ban for the inappropriate username should be indefinite, with "Prevent account creation" and "Automatically block the last IP address used by this user, and any subsequent IP addresses they try to edit from" unchecked to allow them to create an account with an appropriate name.
Block options
- Prevent account creation
- This option, if checked, prevents that IP from creating new user accounts.
- Prevent user from sending email
- This option, if checked, prevents the blocked user from sending emails. This should generally be left unchecked unless the user that has been banned was banned for abuse of the email function.
- Automatically block the last IP address used by this user, and any subsequent IP addresses they try to edit from
- This option is only applicable for user bans. If checked, this will block the IP of that user and any IP that user attempts to edit from for 24 hours.
- Watch this user's user and talk pages
- This option, if checked, puts the user's userpage and talk page on your watchlist.
- Prevent logged-in users from editing from this IP address
- This option is only applicable for IP bans. This prevents users with an account from editing from this IP. This should generally be left unchecked as IPs are not permanently tied to a device or username.
Deleting pages
Administrators can delete most pages. Pages can be deleted by using the "Delete" button at the top of the page in the drop down. To mark a page for deletion, place {{DeletePage}} at the top of the page. An administrator will then review the page and its history prior to deleting it or taking another action.
Deletion reasons
- Author request
- This reason should be used if the author of page requests deletion of a page in their userspace or a page created in the mainspace that has been marked for deletion by its author.
- Copyright violation
- This reason should be used if the content of the page was copied from another website without noting them as a source. Also, hide the relevant revision(s) and warn the user who contributed the copyrighted content.
- Vandalism
- This reason should be used if the content of the page was clearly nonsense, gibberish, derogatory, inappropriate, or otherwise intentionally lacking in constructive intent. Also, the user should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
- Unneeded redirect
- This reason should be used when deleting redirects that are unnecessary, such as an extremely uncommon misspelling or a redirect for a file the has nothing linking to the redirect.
Deleting revisions
Administrators can delete or hide most revisions. Revisions can be deleted by viewing the history of a page, selecting the revisions to be deleted using the checkboxes, and using the "Show/hide selected revisions" button at the right side of the page history. If a revision needs to be hidden, contact an administrator on their talk page. An administrator will then review the request prior to deleting it or taking another action.
Revision deletion reasons
- Copyright violation
- This reason should be used if the content of the revision was copied from another website without noting them as a source. Also, warn the user who contributed the copyrighted content.
- Inappropriate comment
- This reason should be used for revisions containing intimidating or harassing messages to another user on talk pages or user pages. This also includes an inappropriate edit summary. Also, the user should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
- Inappropriate username
- This reason should only be used if the user's username is clearly derogatory, similar to a staff member or other wiki function, or otherwise inappropriate. Also, the user should be banned indefinitely, with additional information above.
- Personal information
- This reason should be used if the content of the revision contains personally identifying information and has since been removed or has been requested to be removed.
- Vandalism
- This reason should be used if the content of the revision was clearly nonsense, gibberish, derogatory, inappropriate, or otherwise intentionally lacking in constructive intent. Also, the user should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
Revision deletion options
- Hide revision text
- This allows the content of the page in those revision(s) to be hidden from public view.
- Hide edit summary
- This allows the content of the revision's edit summaries to be hidden from public view.
- Hide editor's username/IP address
- This allows the username(s) of the user(s) who made those revision(s) to be hidden from public view.
Deleting files
Administrators can delete most files. Files can be deleted by using the "Delete" button at the top of the page in the drop down or by clicking "delete all" next to the current revision of a file. To mark a file for deletion, place {{DeletePage}} at the top of the page. An administrator will then review the page and its history prior to deleting it or taking another action.
Deleting file revisions
Administrators can also delete individual revisions of a file. This should only be used in cases where some of the revisions of a file are inappropriate or otherwise need to be hidden.
File deletion reasons
- Author request
- This should be used when the uploader of an image has marked the image for deletion and it is not being used in the mainspace.
- Copyright violation
- This should be used when the image is clearly stolen from another wiki, fan site, etc. Also, warn the user who uploaded the copyrighted content.
- Duplicated file
- This should be used when the image is a duplicate of an existing image and is of worse quality than the existing image. Make sure to change all links to the duplicate image to the existing image prior to deletion.
- Personal image
- This should be used when the image is and can only be used in the userspace of the user who uploaded it, such as non-Blockheads related images. Also, warn the user who uploaded the personal image.
- Vandalism
- This reason should be used if the image was clearly derogatory, inappropriate, or otherwise intentionally lacking in constructive intent. Also, the user should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
- Unused
- This should be used when the image is not being used on any mainspace page.
Moving pages and files
Autoconfirmed users can move pages or images to a new title. In most cases, a redirect will be created at the old title. A page can be moved by using the "Move" button at the top of the page in the drop down.
Move options
- Leave a redirect behind
- Administrators can suppress creating a redirect when moving a page by unchecking this option. By default, all users will create a redirect at the old title. If the redirect needs to be deleted, place
{{DeletePage}}at the top of the redirect page.
- Watch source page and target page
- This option, if checked, puts the page that was moved and the title it was moved from on your watchlist.
Protecting pages and files
Administrators can protect most pages. Pages can be protected by using the "Protect" button at the top of the page in the drop down. To change protection levels, use the "Change protection" button at the top of the page in the drop down.
Protection reasons
- Excessive vandalism
- This reason should be used if the page has been repeatedly vandalized. Also, the user should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
- Excessive spamming
- This reason should be used if the page has been repeatedly spammed. Also, the user should be banned indefinitely.
- Counter-productive edit warring
- This reason should be used if the page has been repeatedly reverted between at least two revisions. Also, the involved users should be banned or warned, depending on the situation.
- High traffic page
- This reason should be used on pages seen extremely often, such as the Main Page. This should also be used when protecting most templates.
Protection options
- Edit protection
- This prevents users who are of a lower rank that the chosen level from editing the page and should be used in most cases.
- Move protection
- This prevents users who are of a lower rank that the chosen level from moving the page to another title. To use move protection, "Unlock further protect options" must be checked.
- Cascading protection
- This allows edit protection to also apply to pages and templates transcluded onto the page, as well as images shown on the page. This is typically used only on pages like the Main Page to prevent any user with insufficient privileges from changing any part of the page.
- Watch this page
- This option, if checked, puts the page on your watchlist.