Hey there everyone! Darthwikia25 here with my first blog post on Community Central- I'd like to discuss a very important aspect of Wikia- Blocking.
What is a Block?[]
A 'Block' or 'Ban' is when a user loses his/her ability to edit or comment on a wiki or on wikia itself. If a user is blocked, he/she can only read the wiki's content. Usually, blocks are for excessive spam and vandalism, breaking policies and distrupting the wiki and its users.
Why are Blocks needed?[]
Blocks are a very important and needed aspect of Wikia. If a user who violates the rules is not blocked, there would be utter chaos- trolls, vandals and spammers would run amok. There'd not be any peace and order on a wikia and a lot of hard work would be getting undone, as a result of which communities would collapse. I'm sure you get the point- there'd basically be no productivity on that wiki at all.
What should a blocked user do?[]
Now, even though blocking is very important, some users may not understand the significance of a block. A block is not meant to start a fight or a flame war across several wikis. It is not meant to show the user how bad he/she is or how powerful the blocking administrator is. It is meant to teach the offending user a lesson. Even if he/she did not mean to commit the offense, the block gives them time to ponder upon their mistake so that they can rectify it once their block expires. The user should use this time to read up on the wiki's rules and policies so that he/she does not violate them again.
The worst thing, however, the blocked user can do, is swear at the admin, call him/her unsavoury names, spam their pages or worst of all- create another account to evade the ban. Sadly, this is a common practice on most wikis and causes a lot of troubles for the admins and moderators on the wiki and eventually, once the user gets discovered, they get a block much longer than the original one.
The best practice is always to apologize to the blocking admin and move on. You can resume normal functions once the block expires and that's it- you get a fresh start.
Some things to note[]
- Remember, the admin who blocks you has no personal rivalry or vendetta against you- they only block you because it is their resposibility to protect their wiki from damage.
- If you feel you have been blocked unjustly, you can always contact the blocker on the block message, another wiki or through e-mail, twitter and other platforms.
- Wiki admins only do what is best for their community- don't take things personally or disrespect them. Remember, they are normal, breathing people who spend their precious time making information available to the general community.
Well, I hope this blog helped you understand blocks and their importance. Feel free to message me on my message wall or down below on any queries or suggestions to improve the blog or to point out any mistakes. Cheerio! :)
Darthwikia25 (Contact Me) 06:34, May 24, 2016 (UTC)