Forum:Policy for blocks and unblocks

A couple days ago there was an incident on the wiki regarding a user being blocked. The blocked user stated that they were blocked unfairly and that there were/are numerous flaws in the wiki's system for blocking users, as well as in our unblock/appeal system. Shortly after that incident, I began to draft a preliminary block and unblock policy, which would more definitely spell out how blocks are to be issued, establish maximum allowed block lengths, formalize the appeal process and put in place potential safeguards against unnecessary blocks. I am not ready to present the draft publicly yet (though it's housed here on the wiki, so if you want to read it badly enough, you can find it), largely because I'm not sure that the policy in itself is necessary. That's why I'd like to start this conversation, regarding how other users and other administrators see our block/unblock system, and whether they see the need for establishing a formal policy to govern it.

Here's a little background information. This wiki has never had a formal block policy. Previous iterations of general policies stipulated minimum block length times, but these times were almost never followed, at least in the time that I've been on this wiki (which, since my wiki anniversary was two days ago, is seven years). Administrators have been given a very wide latitude in deciding whether or not to block, and for how long blocks should be issued. Over time, a couple general guidelines have evolved, such as the doctrine that unauthorized secondary accounts (otherwise, often erroneously, known as sock puppets) be blocked indefinitely, or the idea of "escalating blocks," where the same policy violation earns longer and longer blocks each time the violation occurs. While these guidelines are often followed, there is no rule mandating their use, and administrators are free to vastly exceed normal precedents when deciding whether to block.

It could be argued that a policy is not necessary, since administrators can communicate among themselves and reign in unnecessarily long or unfair blocks, or else apply or extend unnecessarily lenient blocks. Essentially, the idea behind this is that the administrators can come to an informal consensus (often without even needing to resort to discussion) regarding how long a user should be blocked, and that therefore specific rules or mandated block periods are unnecessary. The reality, however, does not match this description. The simple fact is, it is uncommon for one administrator to directly contradict the actions of another administrator. This is because all admins are equal in rank and right; all admins and bureaucrats hold the power to block and unblock, and all admins and bureaucrats can alter or remove blocks set by any other admin or bureaucrat. So one admin overriding the actions of another admin can be seen as disrespectful, or even hostile, since it can be seen as one admin asserting authority over another. This is especially the case when a bureaucrat is overruling the actions of a regular admin, or a more experienced admin overruling a newcomer. As a result, administrators walk on eggshells, avoiding confrontation or action, even if they personally disagree with actions taken against a user. Thus, users may be getting treated unfairly by admins acting in good faith, and then that unfairness is compounded by other admins failing or refusing to act for one reason or another.

Personally, I have disagreed with some blocks issued on the wiki in the past, as well as the attitude that has been taken towards some blocked users. My draft policy reflects my personal viewpoint (part of the reason I'm not ready to make it 100% public), my own wish list regarding how I believe blocks should be handled on the wiki. That's not to say that my viewpoint is the correct viewpoint or that other opinions aren't equally valid. However, when I am drafting a policy like this, my own viewpoint is my main guiding principle. Ultimately, however, I want us to all reach a point at which we're comfortable with our blocking system. I can say that I am not comfortable with it at the moment, but I may be in the minority in that viewpoint; I simply don't know. I could also be in a minority regarding my own opinions of current or past practices regarding blocking. This is why I'd like to start some sort of discussion here regarding what we see as positive aspects as well as flaws in the current system.

Though I've spoken at length about a couple significant issues I see, I'd like to boil down my main concerns into a few short points.
 * Inconsistent block lengths between administrators - Since we don't have established block lengths, different admins tend to issue blocks for different lengths of time, even for similar policy violations.
 * Lack of communication on long-term blocks - Short-term blocks for things like vandalism are pretty cut-and-dry and very rarely will require any sort of communication between admins. But long-term blocks are sometimes issued without a clear reason or based on evidence that not all admins have access to to scrutinize.
 * Insistence on being "tough" on users who break policy - There is a mentality among some users that it's important to send a clear message to rule-breakers and that, once we have decided to issue an indefinite or long-term block, that we should be unwilling to later show leniency or allow users to have additional chances. Basically the concern I've noted is that to do so would demonstrate that policies do not necessarily need to be followed.
 * Lack of controls on the appeal process - A single administrator, even the admin that issued the initial block, can deny a block appeal. The same administrator can deny multiple appeals by the same user. The same administrator can also choose to restrict a blocked user's access to their talk page, removing that user's ability to file an appeal.

I would like to see how others view the points I've laid out, as well as other views on the block/unblock system. As I said above, I cannot assume that my opinion is the only valid one; I am open to being convinced in any direction. I only ask that everyone keep an open mind and be willing to speak their minds as well. -- ''' LiR talk ? blog ? contribs''' 04:34, August 22, 2016 (UTC)