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Is Wikipedia's block-evasion policy rather stupid?
After getting my account blocked for no good reason (I don't vandalize the main namespace), I wasn't able to edit Wikipedia from my IP because they didn't want me to evade the block. But I just connected to a different router and continued editing. That IP was then also blocked because I boasted about how I evaded their block. But hey, I go to school everyday and could continue editing (or even vandalizing) Wikipedia from one of the school computers, boasting about it along the way and taunting the admins (hey, I'm sorry if you're a WP admin reading this question, but being a WP admin doesn't make you the master of the universe). I could also go to the mall, library, etc, any place with free internet (even a friends' house). When it all comes down to it, isn't this policy unenforceable?
4 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
IP blocks are about as effective as you shaking your fist at birds eating the seed in your lawn. Of course it is a hopeless exercise, but, as Eddie states -- it is one of the sole purposes in life for a few of the most pathetic Wikipedia administrators who sincerely believe they are helping to build an encyclopedia by keeping out people they disagree with or who have more education than they do. It's really sad.
As a lark, when I was on a state of "indefinite block" on Wikipedia, I still wanted to push through my message that Wikipedia and its governance system are corrupt. So, I made a few socks over the months. You can check them all out in the link below (be sure to "show" the list in the green textbox):
- NihiltresLv 61 decade ago
Yes, at core the policy is unenforceable. This doesn't make it stupid, though: how can you leave the system open to everyone else while absolutely preventing that person from having (write) access?
There's no good answer to that problem. There is no way to tell the difference between Evil Vandal A and Average Joe B if they both use Laptop X. It's such an intractable problem that there have been whole nerd jokes about it: http://enwp.org/Evil_bit
The block evasion policy is as it is primarily because it's the only real alternative to taking vandalism, sockpuppetry, etc. lying down.
- 1 decade ago
It's enforceable, wikipedia has tools to prevent vandals, like checkuser, etc. Your account was prob blocked because you were vandalizing other pages, sp it's not a stupid reason. Why would you vandalize wikipedia anyways, it's a childish activity. It's better to contribute to articles of subjects you are interested it, helps you out in the future when you go to college, etc. That what it did for me.
- EddieLv 51 decade ago
Yes, but don't tell the wiki admins that. Hunting down wiki-heretics like yourself gives their lives meaning. It is all a part of The Great Circle of Wiki (the MMORPG that is Wikipedia).
