It would result in every block effectively being
anon-only, and it would
also make CU next to useless. Granting IPBE by default to
autoconfirmed/extendedconfirmed/etc. users is not feasible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User:Vermont <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Vermont> on
Wikimedia projects
they/them/theirs (why pronouns matter
<https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why>)
On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 4:00 PM Vi to <vituzzu.wiki(a)gmail.com> wrote:
IPBE for autoconfirmed is a local matter, it
would imply that any block
(TOR included) will, in practice, almost turn into anon-only.
Expiration is an option, as for any global group.
Vito
Il giorno gio 21 apr 2022 alle ore 19:51 Nathan <nawrich(a)gmail.com> ha
scritto:
> How significant is the risk in just granting autoconfirmed (or
> similar) users IPBE by default? Why does IPBE expire anyway?
>
> On Thu, Apr 21, 2022 at 10:50 AM DerHexer via Wikimedia-l <
> wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Thanks for raising the topic. Being a steward for 14+ years, I've
>> followed closely the evolution of that problem.
>>
>> “When I noticed that range blocks caused more harm than good
>> (countless mails to stewards), I started to reduce the length of any such
>> block (if necessary at all; I check every single range intensively if a
>> block would case more harm than good). The situation with OPs is a bit
>> different because they obfuscate the original IP address which is pretty
>> often needed by checkusers and stewards to stop harm against the projects.
>> For that reason, I agree that we cannot give up on OP blocking. The only
>> way to get out of these problems are (much!) easier reporting ways, more
>> people who can give out exceptions (locally and globally) and check
>> outdated OPs and IPBEs. Maybe it would also make sense to give long-term
>> users an option to self-assign an IPBE (e.g.) once per week for x hours for
>> such cases like edit-a-thons. Most of their IP addresses used would still
>> be reported (in order to prevent abuse) but most problems for that one
>> moment would be solved (and users could look for long-term solutions).”
>>
>> Why the quotation marks? Because I've posted that very same message
>> to the metawiki page
>>
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:No_open_proxies/Unfair_blocking#Comment_from_Vermont>
and
>> understand it as one step towards a solution. In my opinion, it makes way
>> more sense to talk publicly about the issue and possible solutions than
>> losing good ideas (and there have been some already in this thread!) in the
>> wide world of this mailing list. Let's have that conversation onwiki—and I
>> also encourage the WMF tech departments to join in that conversation.
>> Because we as stewards have reported our problems with the current
>> situation multiple times, sought for technical solutions (e.g., better
>> reporting tools), indeed did get a better rapport with the WMF teams but
>> still are not where we need to be in order to serve both interests
>> (openness and protection). Unsurprisingly, also stewards are individuals
>> with different opinions and (possible) solutions to that one problem. As
>> Vito said, we will once again discuss it and will share our thoughts and
>> solutions.
>>
>> Best,
>> DerHexer (Martin)
>>
>> Am Mittwoch, 20. April 2022, 20:19:48 MESZ hat Florence Devouard <
>> fdevouard(a)gmail.com> Folgendes geschrieben:
>>
>>
>> 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
>> <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 concerned with those global blocks...
>> stay blocked several days.
>>
>> We do not know know why the situation has rapidly got worse recently.
>> But it got worse. And the reports are spilling all over.
>>
>> We started collecting negative experiences on this page [4].
>> Please note that people who added their names here are not random
>> newbies. They are known and respected members of our community, often
>> leaders of activities and/or representant of their usergroups, who are
>> confronted to this situation on a REGULAR basis.
>>
>> I do not know how this can be fixed. Should we slow down open proxy
>> blocking ? Should we add a mecanism and process for an easier and quicker
>> IP block exemption process post-blocking ? Should we improve a process for
>> our editors to pre-emptively be added to this IP block exemption list ? Or
>> what ? I do not know what's the strategy to fix that. But there is a
>> problem. Who should that problem be addressed to ? Who has solutions ?
>>
>> Flo
>>
>> [1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/No_open_proxies
>>
>> [2]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Log/Tks4Fish
>>
>> [3]
>>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Steward_requests/Global_permissions#Request…
>>
>> *[4]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/No_open_proxies/Unfair_blocking
>> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/No_open_proxies/Unfair_blocking>*
>>
>>
>>
>>
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