Wiki143:Appealing a block

During day-to-day operations, Wikipedia administrators routinely block accounts, IPs and IP ranges to reduce or prevent vandalism and other inappropriate behavior. This page explains to blocked users why they may have been blocked, as well as how to request an unblock.

Why was I blocked?

• You may be an innocent victim of collateral damage, where you are accidentally affected by a block of some other user.
• Alternatively, your account or IP may have been blocked because it appears to have been responsible for (or connected to) a serious breach of Wikipedia's policies.

If your account was blocked by mistake, it will be reactivated very quickly, as soon as you let an administrator know of the problem. Otherwise, there is a rapid appeal process which obtains quick review by other Template:Em administrators, and brief discussion of the matter. One aim of blocking in some cases is to ensure the user learns from the incident, and that the issues don't happen again.

Requesting to be unblocked

The preferred way to appeal a block is to place Template:Tlx on your talk page, which access to is only blocked if abused. If you cannot edit your talk page, you can appeal via the Unblock Ticket Request System.

To test if you are still blocked, click here which tries to edit the Sandbox. If you are allowed to edit the sandbox, your block has already expired or been lifted and nothing more needs doing. If the block is still active, you can resume editing when unblocked, or you can request a review of the block if you believe it is unfair or that you have put right whatever was the problem. Note that this only checks for sitewide blocks, not partial blocks. Users can check for partial blocks by viewing their contributions page or by entering their name on the block list.

Useful links for helping blocked users:   Message seen by blocked users: MediaWiki:Blockedtext (partial blocks: MediaWiki:Blockedtext-partial)   Requests for unblocking: Category:Requests for unblock

What happens next

When you appeal, other editors – most of whom probably have no involvement in the matter – will review your editing history, which has been logged, as well as the reason for the block and the history leading up to it. Editors may leave comments on your talk page regarding your appeal.

Usually, if it's a clear cut case, any uninvolved (independent) administrator will make a decision. The blocking administrator may be consulted for their comments on your request (this is a common courtesy). The process can take hours or a few days; for major discussions sometimes it can take a week or more.

Administrators will carefully avoid blocking and unblocking fights, which are a serious breach of administrator policy. For this reason, blocks will not usually be allowed to become a source of conflict; rather, consensus will be sought, by means of a fair and objective examination of the matter and of any policies alleged to have been breached.

Routes to unblock

Blocks can be reversed with the agreement of the blocking admin, an override by other admins in the case that the block was clearly unjustifiable, or (in very rare cases) on appeal to the Arbitration Committee.

Types of appeal

In all cases, unblock requests should be submitted on your user talk page. Generally speaking, unblock requests will be one of the following two types:

1. Requests for unblock in the event of a case of mistaken identity, misunderstanding, or other irregularity;
2. Appeals for clemency, in which the appellant acknowledges the conduct that led to their block and requests a second chance.

If the appeal is of the first type, you should use the unblock template on your talk page or submit a request to the Unblock Ticket Request System (UTRS). If you are partially blocked from using certain Wikipedia functions, you can also submit an appeal on the administrator noticeboard. If the appeal is of the second type, you should use the unblock template on your talk page, and only use UTRS if you cannot edit your talk page.

Direct appeal

Appeals will usually take place on your user talk page; use the unblock template on your talk page to initiate this process:

• If there is agreement that you may have been blocked unfairly, you may be directly unblocked (if the block was clearly and obviously a mistake), but this is very rare unless there genuinely were no prospective grounds for the block. Usually the blocking admin's judgement is respected if there is any question of doubt.
• You may be unblocked if the blocking admin changes their mind or can't be reached, and an unblock is considered reasonable.
• When you are unblocked, you may then follow the dispute resolution process if you believe that you were treated unfairly.
• If an unblocking needs discussion, reaching a consensus usually takes several days.
  • After a discussion takes place, if there is consensus to unblock, the user is unblocked right away, although conditions may be imposed by the unblocking admin.
  • If there is no consensus to unblock, or if there is consensus to keep the user blocked after "due consideration by the community", and the user is blocked indefinitely, the user is considered community banned indefinitely, and must go through the ban appeals process to have it reversed.

Other methods of appeal

In highly unusual cases, you may wish to utilize the dispute resolution process while you are still blocked. To do so, you may contact other Wikipedians by e-mail, or by editing your talk page (which you can usually do even if blocked).

Users may not appeal blocks to the Arbitration Committee by email, except if:

• The block is an Oversight block or CheckUser block if there is disagreement amongst checkusers who have reviewed the block
• The reasons for the block or information related to your appeal is unsuitable for public discussion
• You have been blocked or banned by the Arbitration Committee or by an Arbitration Enforcement decision.

Abuse of the unblocking process

A full block prevents users from editing all pages except their user talk page, in order to have a chance for appeal, and so that they are not shut out completely and are able to participate at least to some degree in Wikipedia, while the block is active.

Upon a request to seek arbitration, editing access may be restored to a limited number of other pages (such as those connected with their appeal) pending the formal decision, so that the matter (and any evidence, facts, mitigating circumstances, or corrections) can be presented as well.

A minority of editors who are blocked use these privileges poorly, for personal attacks or to play games and make a point. Inevitably the response to such actions is simple – editing access is blocked in its entirety and without further discussion, whereas if the user had been responsible and reasonable, an entirely different result might well have happened.

Wikipedia blocks are usually warnings only. Once they are over and learned from, they are in the past (unless repeated). Wikipedia and its administrators and arbitration committee have a real wish for everyone who is capable of acting responsibly to be able to enjoy editing.

Users who are blocked are asked to use this as a chance to reflect, an opportunity to show their understanding and ability to act responsibly, and a period of time to let the matter pass and be learned from.

Users who have lost the ability to request unblocking on their talk pages may then do so at UTRS. Unfortunately, they may continue to abuse the appeal process via that venue as well, and may be banned from UTRS, for six months if a standard offer is still possible, or indefinitely in the most egregious instances.

Appeals by third party

Third party appeals of blocks are allowed, but generally discouraged. However, some exceptions are permitted for block reviews, such as at Administrative action review. An administrator may choose to refer their own block for review, particularly if it might be controversial. Any editor may request community review of blocks they believe are out-of-policy, though they should attempt to discuss their concerns with the blocking admin first. Such reviews are not considered block appeals, and if the review results in the block being endorsed it is not converted into a community ban.

See also

• Help:I have been blocked
• Wikipedia:Guide to appealing blocks
• Wikipedia:Unblock perspectives