[Wikimedia-l] Open proxies and IP blocking

[gbfv]

Another somewhat obvious solution: instead, or before, of blocking, make the 
edits coming from one of the (too) dangerous IPs go through a reviewal process 
before getting published; hopefully a very quick one.
In theory this would be against the original Wikipedia ideas, but I saw that 
it's something already practiced in some cases, and anyway blocking seems 
enormously worse than requiring a review before publication.

By the way, I now realized that the current Wikipedia is already very different 
than what I believed, and it works just because it does *not* really allow 
anyone to make edits.
Before deciding where to go from here I'd suggest you to reflect on what's 
worse: to forbid anonymity or require reviews; I believe most normal people are 
more interested in privacy than immediate publication of edits.

Kind regards,
Gabriele
___
Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
Public archives at 
https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/MGWLTHPK3TTFOK2PQZCYRS567GGQCN64/
To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org

[Wikimedia-l] Open proxies and IP blocking

[Gabriele]

Look an obvious first step against this insanity is to at least act 
proportionately: block only those IPs that *have* been a source of too large a 
problem to be dealt in other ways, do so only for a limited time (it might be 
an incremental increase, maybe beginning even with just few hours, up to maybe 
6 months), and *use more proportionate measures when they (still) might be 
enough*, such as the slow-down or delays that others proposed, and even those 
in incremental increases.
And where there's no unwieldy problem, just do nothing (other than reverting 
the damage).

Just a few weeks ago I was pondering how bewilderingly "not badly" Wikipedia 
works in practice, despite his debatable mantra of allowing immediate 
modifications from anonymous persons.
Please don't ruin it, unless you have very good comprehensive alternatives.

Kind regards,
Gabriele
___
Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
Public archives at 
https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/FZTJSOESUY3CWCT6O7WO7RWCIRJ6D4JG/
To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org

[Wikimedia-l] Wiki Loves Earth 2022 has started! Join our Office Hour today at 16.00 UTC

[Iryna Yehiazarova]

Dear Wikimedians,

The 10th edition of the biggest international photo contest devoted to
nature heritage has started! Wiki Loves Earth 2022 aims at creating the
biggest database of free images of protected sites and raising public
awareness about unique natural areas around our beautiful planet.

This year, we have 28 countries/regions participating with 11 of them
starting their local contests today 🌎 https://w.wiki/4pUh

Do you want to know more details about WLE 2022? Are you interested in
taking part or organizing your own local contest? Find out more about this
year's competition in our blog post
, and join us
during our Office Hour today at 16.00 UTC
☎️* https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89745867994?pwd=b0NNSjY1Q1FKVTYwa2hJUWVQRi9VZz09
*

*Zoom meeting ID: 897 4586 7994Passcode: wle22*

Best wishes,
Iryna Yehiazarova
Project Manager for International Wiki Loves Earth 2022
on behalf of the international organizing team
___
Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
Public archives at 
https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/WCX7KHQZN6U6GHWXCUEVHLZQS3BYKMC5/
To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Open proxies and IP blocking

[Vi to]

Btw a general observation about something which seems to be neglected in
general discourse: legal accountability.

Wikimedia is not Wikileaks, we protect users as soon as they contribute in
good faith to the project and a certain level of liability should be
present. It is quite a complex and dangerous matter as soon as surely a
"libel case" from a notorious dictatorship is obviously not the same as
posting pedo content.

Today I've found an apparent newbie with very bordeline behavior about
depiction of minors. Guess the kind of IP their edits come from?

Vito

Vito

Il giorno dom 1 mag 2022 alle ore 05:08 proc  ha
scritto:

> I agree with the problem. There's also an issue where a lot of wikis are
> duplicating these IP blocks (eg enwiki also blocks open proxies locally),
> so having global-IPBE will not let people edit these local projects. They
> would have to get local IPBE on each project with local open-proxy blocks,
> as well.
>
> On Wed, Apr 20, 2022 at 7:21 PM Florence Devouard 
> wrote:
>
>> Hello friends
>>
>> Short version : We need to find solutions to avoid so many africans being
>> globally IP blocked due to our No Open Proxies policy.
>> *https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/No_open_proxies/Unfair_blocking
>> *
>>
>>
>> Long version :
>>
>> I'd like to raise attention on an issue, which has been getting worse in
>> the past couple of weeks/months.
>>
>> Increasing number of editors getting blocked due to the No Open Proxies
>> policy [1]
>> In particular africans.
>>
>> In February 2004, the decision was made to block open proxies on Meta and
>> all other Wikimedia projects.
>>
>> According to the no open proxies policy : Publicly available proxies
>> (including paid proxies) may be blocked 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 [...]
>>
>> Non-static 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.
>>
>> According to the policy page, « the Editors can be permitted to edit by
>> way of an open proxy with the IP block exempt flag. This is granted on
>> local projects by administrators and globally by stewards. »
>>
>>
>> I repeat -> ... legitimate users... may freely use proxies until
>> those are blocked. the Editors can be permitted to edit by way of an open
>> proxy with the IP block exempt flag <-- it is not illegal to edit using
>> an open proxy
>>
>>
>> Most editors though... have no idea whatsoever what an open proxy is.
>> They do not understand well what to do when they are blocked.
>>
>> In the past few weeks, the number of African editors reporting being
>> blocked due to open proxy has been VERY significantly increasing.
>> New editors just as old timers.
>> Unexperienced editors but also staff members, president of usergroups,
>> organizers of edit-a-thons and various wikimedia initiatives.
>> At home, but also during events organized with usergroup members or
>> trainees, during edit-a-thons, photo uploads sessions etc.
>>
>> It is NOT the occasional highly unlikely situation. This has become a
>> regular occurence.
>> There are cases and complains every week. Not one complaint per week.
>> Several complaints per week.
>> *This is irritating. This is offending. This is stressful. This is
>> disrupting activities organized in good faith by good people, activities
>> set-up with our donors funds. **And the disruption** is primarlly taking
>> place in a geographical region supposingly to be nurtured (per our strategy
>> for diversity, equity, inclusion blahblahblah). *
>>
>>
>> The open proxy policy page suggests that, should a person be unfairly
>> blocked, it is recommended
>>
>>- * to privately email stewards[image: (_AT_)]wikimedia.org.
>>- * or alternatively, to post a request (if able to edit, if the
>>editor doesn't mind sharing their IP for global blocks or their reasons to
>>desire privacy (for Tor usage)).
>>- * the current message displayed to the blocked editor also suggest
>>contacting User:Tks4Fish. This editor is involved in vandalism fighting 
>> and
>>is probably the user blocking open proxies IPs the most. See log
>>
>>
>> So...
>> Option 1: contacting stewards : it seems that they are not answering. Or
>> not quickly. Or requesting lengthy justifications before adding people to
>> IP block exemption list.
>> Option 2: posting a request for unblock on meta. For those who want to
>> look at the process, I suggest looking at it [3] and think hard about how a
>> new editor would feel. This is simply incredibly complicated
>> Option 3 : user:TksFish answers... sometimes...
>>
>> As a consequence, most editors conc