View source for Wiki143:Open proxies

{{Short description|Policy on open proxies}}
{{redirect|WP:PROXY|"proxying" edits by and on behalf of banned or blocked users|WP:PROXYING}}
{{Selfref|If you have received a message that you are blocked from editing as an open proxy, please see [[meta:WikiProject on open proxies/Help:blocked|this help page]].}}
{{for|reporting suspected open proxies or investigating unblock requests from addresses blocked as proxies|Wikipedia:WikiProject on open proxies}}
{{procedural policy|WP:PROXY|WP:NOP}}
{{nutshell|Because of the potential for abuse and technical limitations on the MediaWiki software, [[open proxy|open proxies]] may be blocked from editing for any period at any time.}}
This page provides information about the use of [[open proxy|open proxies]] to read and edit the English Wikipedia.

Note that if you see a block message and if you are on an Apple device, it may be because you have enabled iCloud Private Relay.

==Policy==
<noinclude>{{See also|Wikipedia: Blocking policy#Open or anonymous proxies|Wikipedia:Blocking IP addresses#Open proxies}}</noinclude>

[[open proxy|Open or anonymizing proxies]], including [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] as well as many public [[VPN]]s, may be blocked from editing for any period at any time. While this may affect legitimate users, they are not the intended targets and may freely use proxies until those are blocked. No restrictions are placed on ''reading'' {{SITENAME}} through an open or anonymous proxy.

Proxies are left open due to deliberate or inadvertent configuration or because [[Software cracking|cracker]]s have changed the configuration. Non-static [[IP address|IP addresses]] or hosts that are otherwise not permanent proxies should typically be blocked for a shorter period of time, as it is likely the IP address will eventually be transferred or dynamically reassigned, or the open proxy closed. Once closed, the IP address should be unblocked.

To maintain project security, administrators reviewing blocks involving open proxies should not unblock the IP address or range in question unless they are sure that there is no longer a functioning open proxy at that location. For assistance with this, administrators are encouraged to list the IP address/range at [[Wikipedia:WikiProject on open proxies/Requests]] for review.

==Rationale==
Although {{SITENAME}} encourages anyone in the world to contribute, open proxies are often used abusively. [[MediaWiki]], the wiki software that powers Wikipedia, depends on IP addresses for administrator intervention against abuse, especially by unregistered users. Open proxies allow malicious users to change IP addresses rapidly, causing continuous disruption that cannot easily be stopped by administrators. Several such attacks have occurred on Wikimedia projects, causing disruption and occupying administrators who would otherwise deal with other concerns.

== Editors who need to use proxies ==
This policy is known to cause difficulty for some editors who  may need to use open proxies for security reasons or to circumvent [[censorship]] where they live; for example, editors in countries where [[censorship of Wikipedia|Wikipedia is censored]], such as [[China]], should sign up for free access to Wikipedia-only proxies at [[Wikipedia:WikiProject on closed proxies]] or read [[Wikipedia:Advice to users using Tor]] to bypass the [[Great Firewall]]. Additionally, because of the creation of the [[Wikipedia:IP block exemption|IP block exemption flag]], editors, like those in China, who have a demonstrated need to use proxies or Tor to edit may be given the ability to edit from blocked IPs. See [[Wikipedia:IP block exemption#Used_for_anonymous_proxy_editing|Wikipedia:IP block exemption § Used for anonymous proxy editing]] for more.

==Checkuser==
When a [[Wikipedia:Checkuser|Checkuser]] detects that an account has been using open proxies, this information may be considered when evaluating [[WP:SIGNS|suspicions of sock puppetry]] or other editing abuses. If there is an appearance that an account has been using open proxies to circumvent policy, the account may be blocked.

== See also ==
* [[Wikipedia:Sockpuppetry]]
* [[{{ns:Project}}:WikiProject on open proxies|WikiProject on open proxies]]
* [[m:Editing with Tor]]
* This policy is based on the global [[meta:No open proxies|No open proxies]] policy.
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject on closed proxies|WikiProject on closed proxies]] (somewhat defunct)
* [[Wikipedia:IP block exemption]]
* [[:Category:Open proxies blocked on Wikipedia]]

== External links ==
* [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-February/010605.html WikiEn-l: "Anonymous proxies (was Re: Desysop Morwen)"], [[User:Tim Starling|Tim Starling]] 15 February 2004 
* [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-February/010659.html WikiEn-l: "Anonymous proxies (was Re: Desysop Morwen)"], [[User:Jimbo Wales|Jimmy Wales]] 16 February 2004
* [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-February/010660.html WikiEn-l: "Anonymous proxies (was Re: Desysop Morwen)"], [[User:Jimbo Wales|Jimmy Wales]] 16 February 2004

{{Wikipedia accounts|collapsed}}

[[Category:Wikipedia procedural policies]]
[[Category:Wikipedia blocking]]