Blocking Policies

Okay, so I actually don't really feel like changing a damn thing because (I think??) this rough/unfinished draft I had was good enough and I'm gonna give an example at the bottom.

(Just to be clear, this is NOT a final or post-able draft. This is essentially a list of all information that I needed to include and small bits of work put into some sections [like there is a bit of an intro]. A lot of it is very unclear, sooo, yeah.)

## Draft

While our wiki sometimes is left with no other choice but to block a user, we generally don't want to if we don't have to. Users will receive many chances to stop before receiving a long term block.

### Notice

Notices are just general reminders from special rights staff. Normally they're not given when a user breaks a policy unless the case was very unclear or complex or if it was a minor policy.
Notices are not logged in your block log.

### Friendly Reminder

Friendly reminders(FR/FRs for short) are given by admins when a user has broken a policy in a way that the admin assumes could have been in good faith. Friendly reminders are also typically given for cases of breaking minor policies.

User can only receive one FR for each policy before receiving a warning or block.

Additionally, no FRs will be given if a user has already received a warning or block for breaking the policy in question.

FRs are logged in your block log, but do not count as offenses.

### Warning

Warnings are given by admins as the final step before a block. *Only one warning is given*.

If a friendly reminder has already been given for the policy in quest the user will receive a warning. Additionally if the user seems to have broken the policy in bad faith they will be given a warning without any prior friendly reminder.

Warnings are logged in your block log

### Block

Blocks are given by admins after all previous steps have been taken (where proper) or if enough warnings are given at once.

This is what is typically followed, however, at any point point an admin may need to (and is allowed to) make an exception for a case. Said exceptions can include a longer or shorter block, an extra warning or FR, no warning or FR, and/or not counting something as an offense or counting something as more than one offense. These exceptions are rare, as they're for rare cases, but can happen. If and when they do, the reason for the exception will be explained to you.

There are two block "tracks": One for individual policies and one for overall offenses.

### Individual Track

The block track for individual policies typically follows the "default process" (shared below), but varies for many policies. The policy information page will explain the block track for each policy.

**The default process is:**

24 block

3 day block

1 week block

^--- at this point a 1-3 month block will be considered.

2 week block

1 month block

^--- at this point a 3-6 month block will be considered

3 month block

1 year block

Infinite block

Must be the same policy.

### Overall Offenses Track

The block track for overall offenses is always the same. Anything that counts as an offense (typically warnings and blocks) will be added to your total number of infractions.

(Multiple infractions or offences?).

Every three offences a new block is given.

Notices and FRs do not count as offences.

**The Process is:**

3 - 24 Hour

6 - 3 Day (72 Hour)

9 - 1 Week

12 - 2 Week

15 - 1 Month

At this point, if another three offences are received, you'll be given a 6 month, 9 month, 1 year, or infinite block depending on your history.

(2018 Note: If they user has say 2 offences, then gets 4 more at once making them have 6 total, then they'll still receive both blocks...just together [so a 4 day block])

### Unique Policies

The following policies have unique blocking policies.

**Impersonation**

Will be a 2 week block
If it happens again a 1 month block
Blocks for further infractions of this policy will be figured out on a case by case basis

**Age**

Determined time
If birthday is shared later, determined time again
This does not count as an offense.

(Note from 2018: Can't remember if these are the only ones that needed special blocking policies, but I'm like 90% sure.)

If at any point you're blocked by the VTSF for you actions, we will not change the block time, however; we will still follow our same system for any future infractions. (You will not be "moved ahead" on the individual policy block track either)

## Example

Okay, so example time:

(User X has no history before this example starts.)

* User X vandalizes an article and swears in it. That means User X has broken 2 *different* policies. User X will get 2 different warnings for those 2 specific policies and thus have 2 overall offences. (They can be given the warning in the same message, though. Lol.)
* Then User X vandalizes again and this time breaks the "bullying policy" while doing it. (Example name, we'll need a better one...rn just use what we already do on the wiki.) This also means User X has broken 2 different policies. This time User X gets a warning for "bullying" and a 24 hour block for vandalism. That means User X has 4 overall offences and will also get a 24 hour block for having accumulated 3 overall offences.
* Then User X vandalizes again. This time they break no other policies. So now User X gets a 3 day block for vandalism. User X now has 5 overall offences.
* Then User X swears again and gets a 24 hour block 'for swearing. This also means User X has accumulated 6 overall offences and will receive a 3 day block as well.

That means User X has broken 3 different individual polices (and is at a different place on the track for each of them) and has 6 overall offences.

I guess if that doesn't make sense...you have to think of it like each individual policy is it's own "stat" and each time you break that policy, the related stat "levels up". Every time your stat levels up, something changes (meaning the amount of block type..or if you get a block rather than a warning).

Then you also have "levels", which are determined by your overall stat points, regardless of which stat they're in. That could mean you have 1 point in 3 different stats and be level 1 or 3 points in 1 stat and also be level 1. (Each Level has a different amount of time you're blocked.)

## Note on Logging

I "log" all FRs, warnings, and blocks in a users block log individually.

For warnings and FRs I give a 0 second block.

For "single" blocks...I do the amount of time the block is and still write the amount of time in the "reason"

If I'm giving more than one block at once or logging more than one thing, I'll do 0 second blocks with the reason stating the block time (so you might log a 1 week block for vandalism as 0 seconds at first). Then I either put the accumulated time on the last one I need to log or do all the blocks and then block them with the accumulated time and put like "see log" (the latter is probably better tbh).

"Logging" is important because it allows the next admin to easily their history. Message wall messages are important to review as well, but sometimes users can be tricky about them or they can become unclear or hard to find...so you have to make sure you log in the block log too.

**You "log" like this:**

FR for [Individual Policy]

Warning for [Individual Policy]

24 Hour Block for [Individual Policy]

1 Week Block for [Individual Policy]

(and so on, through the chain).

You do this for each individual policy that they've broken and what not. (Here's a live example if that doesn't quite make sense).

For the overall offences, you write however many offences the block is for (so like...literally just "3 Overall Offences).

If the block if for 6 overall offences, but the user truly has 7 overall offences..the block if still for 6 overall offences.

If you're doing more than one block at once, these should be logged as a "0 second block" too.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to change the reason from being just the amount of offences to something like "6 Overall Offences - 3 days".

If you didn't read the first part of this section...when you log the individual policies with a 0 second block UNLESS

## Message "Template"

Hi I'm Friendly Reminder.

```
<div style="height:84px; overflow:hidden; float:left;">[[File:MSPWiki-FR.png|left|link=]]</div>
```

i I'm Warning.

```
<div style="height:84px; overflow:hidden; float:left;">[[File:MSPWiki-Warn.png|left|link=]]</div>
```

Hi I'm Block.

```
<div style="height:84px; overflow:hidden; float:left;">[[File:MSPWiki-Block.png|left|link=]]</div>
```