Help:Blocking FAQ

Frequently asked questions about blocking

Can I be blocked for whatever reason on a wiki?

No. An admin has many additional user rights on the wiki platform, but not the right to bully other community members with their local authority or even exclude them entirely for no good reason. Blocks may only be issued for violations of your stated rules or Fandom’s Terms of Use.

If you found yourself unfairly blocked, you can appeal.

How do I block a user across Fandom?

If you suspect that a registered or anonymous user is causing problems on multiple wikis, the situation may require a Fandom-wide block.

However, global blocks are issued only when necessary. Problems in one community don't necessarily mean that a user should be blocked across all of Fandom. If a problem is happening locally, you should always contact local admins of that community first.

In general, a user is only globally blocked for:

  • having an offensive username,
  • advertisement spam,
  • large scale and/or persistent abuse across several sites,
  • impersonating other users,
  • severe Terms of Use violations,
  • global block evasion.

To request a global block, or no admins are present, contact the SOAP team via:

For other issues such as harassment or discrimination, please contact Fandom Staff.

What do I do if I am caught in a global block?

If you are accidentally caught in a global block, please use Special:Contact to contact Fandom staff. In order to identify which global block affects you and investigate the matter, include all of the information displayed to you while you're blocked (seen when you try to edit a page), especially the block ID.

Tip: You can get caught in a global block if you're using a VPN or proxy used by another user who got global blocked. To get unblocked, disable your VPN or Proxy.

If you are caught in a content block that is blocking addition or modification of content on a page, please use this form and include as much information as possible, such as the information you were adding or other changes you were making.

What do we do about vandalbots?

A vandalbot is a script which automatically performs some kind of malicious edit or similar operation to a wiki at high rate. Since a vandalbot may be attacking other communities too, it should be blocked as soon as possible.

If you see one, report it immediately through:

See Vandalbot on Meta-Wiki for more details.

Should we block open proxies?

Yes, in most cases. Open or anonymous proxies can be blocked once identified.

However, avoid blocking Internet Service Provider proxies and never issue permanent IP blocks. Most proxies use dynamic IPs, and a proxy block might end up affecting a legitimate user.

Should we block ranges?

Range blocks should be a last resort and only used extreme circumstances, such as severe and prolonged vandalism from a particular range of IP addresses.

In these cases, ensure that you understand the risks associated with blocking IP ranges, how to make them, and that you do not set an infinite duration. When in doubt, contact SOAP.

Can I customize the text that a blocked user sees?

Yes. You may customize the block message by editing MediaWiki:Blockedtext on your wiki. Remember that the reason will be public, so keep it clear, informative, and polite.

How can I block a user indefinitely?

On the block user screen, in the "Expiration:" section , select "Other time" and

  • choose "indefinite" from the dropdown,
  • just type "infinite" or "indefinite" manually.

Then, click "Block this user" at the bottom of the form.

Can I block everyone from the wiki so only one person can edit?

No. Blocking users to limit editing to a narrow group of users is not permitted, even for wiki founders.

Fandom is built around the wiki idea, a network communities that can be freely edited by anyone. Wikis ultimately belong to their communities, not any one admin, bureaucrat, or even the founder.

If you notice attempts to abuse the Block feature in this manner, contact Fandom Staff through Special:Contact, to get it resolved.