User:Wugapodes/Global bans
A global ban is a formal prohibition from editing some or all Wikimedia projects, or a formal prohibition from making certain types of edits on Wikimedia projects. Global bans can be imposed for a specified duration or an indefinite duration.
Global bans are imposed by community consensus at a request for comment. A global ban is normally a global lock (prohibits logging in), but it may be limited to a wiki restriction (restricts editing to specific wikis) or an account restriction (restricts users to one account across Wikimedia projects).
Global bans are different from Global locks, which are a technical tool used by stewards to prevent an w:IP address or range from editing any Wikimedia project. A global lock may be used to enforce a global ban.
A global ban is a formal revocation of editing or other access privileges (use of "Special:EmailUser" for example) across all Wikimedia projects. A global ban's purpose is to prevent harm to Wikimedia projects when a problem cannot be addressed by the community through less restrictive means, and consequently is usually permanent. A global ban is not a form of punishment nor is it meant to provide a “cool down” period. A global ban reflects a broad and clear community consensus.
Global bans are exclusively applied where multiple independent communities have previously elected to ban a user for a pattern of abuse. Wikimedia projects are entirely self-governing. Typically, good faith is assumed when a user chooses to become a member of a new community, regardless of his/her history on other projects. Consequently, global bans are not a possibility where a user is only temporarily blocked, or only banned on a single project. Please remember, global bans are intentionally very infrequent.
Global bans should not be confused with global blocking, a technical mechanism to prevent IP addresses or ranges of them from editing any Wikimedia Project, with the exception of meta.
Types of bans
[edit]The following are the common types of global bans; other bans may be used when appropriate.
Global lock
[edit]Unless otherwise specified, a global ban is a global lock. An editor who is under a global lock may not log into their account and therefore may not edit any Wikimedia project.
Wiki restriction
[edit]The purpose of a wiki restriction is to forbid editors from making edits to Wikimedia projects except those where they have contributed productively. Volunteers under a wiki restriction may only edit specified projects. Local communities may enforce the restriction by blocks and the restriction may be enforced by a global lock if the user attempts to evade the ban.
Account restriction
[edit]Volunteers with an account restriction may only use one account to contribute to Wikimedia projects. Known or discovered alternate accounts may be globally locked to enforce the account restriction.
Authority to ban
[edit]The decision to ban an editor can be made by the following groups or persons:
- The global community can impose a global ban by consensus, as described in § Obtaining consensus for a global ban.
- The Wikimedia Foundation has the authority to ban editors (see WMF Global Ban Policy).
Individual editors, including administrators, may not directly impose global bans.