Here is the press release from Feb 3, 2023 from
the WMF urging Pakistan
to unblock Wikimedia Projects.
James
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 6:40 PM Neurodivergent Netizen <
idoh.idreamofhorses(a)gmail.com> wrote:
IP block exemption is already automatically
granted to admins, at least
on the English Wikipedia; it’s rarely needed enough that further automatic
exemption doesn’t really make sense. VPNs, typically costing money, aren’t
an accessible workaround, anyways. Let’s redirect attention back to getting
Commons unblocked.
From,
I dream of horses
She/her
On Mar 19, 2024, at 2:40 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
It's intriguing (to me) to contemplate how the notion of restricting IP
editing in specific circumstances is often viewed as a violation of
principle, even when supported by examples or data, yet a restriction like
requiring long-standing users to jump through hoops just to use a VPN for
privacy—something standard nowadays—is considered necessary and acceptable.
Both policies aim to address issues while weighing the pros and cons and
inevitably curbing some degree of freedom.
Personally, I question the efficiency of the VPN restriction. I hold a
different perspective: implementing a one or two-year, 100-500-edit
registration threshold for automatic exemption of registered users seems
reasonable.
Nevertheless, it's important to recognize that nothing is inherently
necessary; these are always political and not technical choices.
It's not just vandals ruining it; it's also the approach taken. By
granting trolls immense power to disrupt everyone's activities, you fuel
their mischief. Thus, every time these extreme measures are enforced and
standardized, they inevitably lead to wasted time and endless debates about
the status quo, and regular users pay a price. Not hypothetically, for
real.... we know. Whoever prioritizes the pursuit of trolls and vandals
over the work of regular users, de facto feeds the troll.
It's important to clarify: as seasoned users, many of us have kinda
learned to navigate this "mess" and endure it... similar issues have
been grappled with for years, Commons management shows little sign of
improvement and we just don't care anymore.
However, for those who haven't mastered it or are stuck in some
nationwide quagmire as this one, suggesting VPNs as a solution is
impractical—unless you anticipate tens of thousands of users from a country
with millions of inhabitants to individually request IP exemptions. It's
evident that the log of such a system would not be sustainable.
I remain skeptical that an alternative solution will be implemented,
given the likelihood that the approach will mirror that of the VPN case or
other instances—utilizing massive and/or indefinite self-referential strict
measures that are seldom evaluated on the long term with some metrics.
Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 20:24:15 CET, Neurodivergent Netizen <
idoh.idreamofhorses(a)gmail.com> ha scritto:
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Unfortunately, there’s a history of an overwhelming amount of vandals
using VPNs to, well, vandalize Wikipedia, hence the block on known VPN and
the bureaucracy surrounding them. If the block is removed, it’ll quite
likely become a problem again. It really is a situation of people behaving
poorly ruining it for everyone.
From,
I dream of horses
She/her
On Mar 19, 2024, at 12:17 PM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
That doesn't seem logical or fair. If a user is registered and not
already blocked, the IPs they are using shouldn't matter at all.
Personally, I've never used a VPN before I got it this way (even living
in the PRC), but I understand that some people might need to do so for
privacy reasons. So, this restriction should be removed. Registered users
should have the freedom to access the platform how they want. If there's an
issue with a specific user, it's more appropriate to block their username
rather than restricting their access when logged in based on IP addresses.
Adding more bureaucracy isn't the solution if there isn't a problem to
begin with.
In any case, nothing will probably change. But please don't say that
VPN is a solution. People have already enough problems that adding more and
more passages.
Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 19:51:42 CET, Neurodivergent Netizen <
idoh.idreamofhorses(a)gmail.com> ha scritto:
A few years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package.
However, when I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an
unexpected issue switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a
registered user, I found myself unable to edit them.
So how can VPN be a solution?
Right, you would’ve had to use IP block exemption, which would require
some level of trust from the community that you aren’t a vandal or other
blocked user trying to circumspect said block.
From,
I dream of horses
She/her
On Mar 19, 2024, at 11:23 AM, Alessandro Marchetti via Wikimedia-l <
wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org> wrote:
Why is there so much discussion about using VPNs as a solution? A few
years ago, I acquired a VPN as part of an antivirus package. However, when
I tried to use it for other services, I encountered an unexpected issue
switching on wiki platforms: despite being there as a registered user, I
found myself unable to edit them.
So how can VPN be a solution?
A.
Il martedì 19 marzo 2024 alle ore 18:17:52 CET, Saqib Qayyum <
saqibqayyumc(a)gmail.com> ha scritto:
Hello Mr James
Certainly, using a VPN is a workaround, but it's worth noting that
obtaining an IP block exemption is still necessary to edit Commons, and
this is not always feasible for all users. Many may not even be aware of
its existence. For instance, I couldn't edit Commons since October 2020
until I discovered the option for IP ban exemption. .
And because of this, contributions to Commons from Pakistan have
significantly dwindled. For instance, I recall organizing Wiki Loves
Monuments Pakistan from 2014, where we used to receive thousands of images
annually. However, in recent years, the number of uploads has drastically
declined, with only a maximum of 100 photos being uploaded each year. This
trend underscores the challenges Pakistani users face in accessing and
contributing to the site.
--
Saqib Qayyum
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:55 PM James Heilman <jmh649(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Can you not just use a VPN?
James
On Tue, Mar 19, 2024 at 9:29 PM Saqib Qayyum <saqibqayyumc(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I am writing to you as a concerned volunteer from Pakistan regarding a
critical issue that has been persisting for several years now. Despite
multiple attempts to communicate this matter to members of the WMF's
communication team, there has been a disappointing lack of response or
acknowledgment.
For the past several years, Commons has been blocked in Pakistan. While
Wikipedia was briefly blocked last year, the swift response from both
Pakistani and international news media led to its unblocking. However, the
blockade of Commons, being a less prominent site in comparison, has gone
largely unnoticed.
Furthermore, several journalists I have spoken to have also expressed
frustration over their attempts to reach out to WMF staff regarding this
issue, only to receive no response.
I urge the WMF to prioritize this matter and take immediate action to
address the ongoing blockage of Commons in Pakistan.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
--
Saqib Qayyum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Saqib
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