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can give out exceptions (locally and globally) and check outdated OPs and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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