Block (Internet): Difference between revisions

[[Wiki]]s block editors who edit unacceptably. There may sometimes be genuine uncertainty as to what is a misguided attempt to improve a wiki and what is deliberate [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] though usually vandalism is clear. Different wikis have different criteria to decide what is acceptable. For example an editor who edited Wikipedia the way [[Uncyclopedia]] is edited and refused to stop after warnings would certainly face steadily increasing blocks. Wikipedia has a policy of warning editors where possible. Editors of are rarely blocked unless they persistently refuse to heed warnings. Some other Wikis allow blocks for first offences. Wikipedians who start to edit other Wikis may be surprised to find themselves suddenly blocked from editing when they did not know anything was wrong or knew they were editing controversially but expected a warning before a block.

Those who have power to block are called [[Sysop#Sysops on Wikis|sysops]]. Different wikis have different criteria to decide what is acceptable. For example an editor who edited Wikipedia the way [[Uncyclopedia]] is edited and refused to stop after warnings would certainly face steadily increasing blocks. Reactions to Wiki blocks vary. Being blocked from a wiki is a bit like being banned from a [[Social club]]. Some blocked users are not concerned and go off to have fun somewhere else on the [[World Wide Web|Web]]. Other blocked users can be quite upset. There are frequent complaints about alleged unfairness of blocks. Sysops who want to be fair may find this difficult because the Block Dialogue Box they use shows only the case for the prosecution and not the case for the defence.