Jack Lutz wrote:
How is one to call for a sysop have their privileges
removed for blocking? RfC, the first step, states that "at least two people need to
show that they tried to resolve a dispute with this user and have failed." I'm
not sure my complaint applies. It is that sysop Ta bu shi da yu blocked user NSM88 in
violation of the blocking policy. This may be called "resolved" (I'm not
sure) because NSM88 has been subsequently unblocked(?). But regardless, I consider
TBSDY's actions to be an abuse of the blocking policy and would like to move for his
administrator privileges to be removed.
Dispute resolution against sysops is currently very, very slim. It should be easier to
lose administrator privileges--and these are privileges--than to gain them. I cannot find
any information on the consequences of out-of-policy blocks, and Blocking_policy's
coverage of ethics consists only of "users should not block those with whom they are
currently engaged in conflict." Does that cover personal attacks or threats? Is a
sysop permitted to declare text of a user with whom they are in conflict a threat and
summarily block them?
With many of the blocks that get endlessly disputed on the mailing list
hasty action by a sysop is more often the problem than the guilt of the
blocked person. The sysop involved doesn't bother to get the support of
the community before he takes action. It often ends up that we are
indeed better off without that blocked person. The blocked user
complains in a seemingly rational letter on the mailling list, and
rallies support for his cause. Subsequent investigation reveals that
the sysop may have had some reason for his action, but that some vital
links were missing. If he had paid attention to process the block might
have held without all the aggrevation.
An effective sysop needs to understand how people do things. He needs
to have patience in dealing with people. He does not need to become a
part of the problem that he is trying to solve. He must have attained
some degree of maturity. Perhaps a prospective sysop should be able to
point to articles where he has participated in helping to diplomatically
resolve a conflict.
Ec