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Tried to edit on my mobile (T-Mobile - US) and got this: Your IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia. Blocked by Xaosflux Block will ex

Tried to edit on my mobile (T-Mobile - US) and got this: Your IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia. Blocked by Xaosflux Block will expire in 7 months Curiosity led me to Xaosflux's Wikipedia page where I see they have been active since 2005 with over 85k edits! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Xaosflux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Xaosflux

pixel_popping 8mo ago
I've had the desire to contribute so many times, but each time I was blocked. I don't think Wikipedia accurately measures how much contribution they lose because of the hostile treatment of new editors and what I believe are poorly implemented editing policies. Their policies likely haven't been revised since a decade or more, they should do a survey about it.
- sheept 8mo ago
  in most cases you should be able to create an account and edit even if your IP address or range is blocked
- reddalo 8mo ago
  I'm not trying to defend Wikipedia at all costs, but you should also think about how much spam and trolling would happen on their platform if they didn't have these annoying blocks for non-registered users. I run a pretty simple SaaS with a free tier and the amount of spam that I have to manage is high; I don't want to even imagine how difficult it must be to run a website where anybody can edit pretty much anything.
  - clawsyndicate 8mo ago
    [dead]
gbear605 8mo ago
Unfortunately large IP groups like mobile phones often need to be blocked because it’s the only possible way to constraint anonymous spammers.
bawolff 8mo ago
Typically this just means you have to create an account. Mobile ips are often blocked because of the sheer amount of spam and they switch so much that its difficult to block individual offenders.
- saagarjha 8mo ago
  They block logged in users too.
  - bawolff 8mo ago
    Sometimes yes, but usually not at a mass range level except in extreme circumstances. The block in this case appears to be this one: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:GlobalBlockList?target=%233093498 https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:GlobalBlockList?targ... In that specific case, logged in users are still allowed, however you cannot create new accounts when visiting from that range, so you have to already have an account, or go somewhere else to create one. The error message blocked users get should link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Advice_to_T-Mobile_IPv6_users https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Advice_to_T-Mobile_I... with more info on how to still edit.
    - saagarjha 8mo ago
      I can never edit Wikipedia when I have private relay enabled unfortunately :(
      - bawolff 8mo ago
        Well yes, the entire point of a private relay is to make it impossible for websites to be able to distinguish between you and a spammer. There are exceptions to this policy, but you generally need to have a really good pre-existing reputation to qualify https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IP_block_exemption https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IP_block_exemption
        8mo ago

pixel_popping 8mo ago

I've had the desire to contribute so many times, but each time I was blocked. I don't think Wikipedia accurately measures how much contribution they lose because of the hostile treatment of new editors and what I believe are poorly implemented editing policies. Their policies likely haven't been revised since a decade or more, they should do a survey about it.

sheept 8mo ago
in most cases you should be able to create an account and edit even if your IP address or range is blocked
reddalo 8mo ago
I'm not trying to defend Wikipedia at all costs, but you should also think about how much spam and trolling would happen on their platform if they didn't have these annoying blocks for non-registered users. I run a pretty simple SaaS with a free tier and the amount of spam that I have to manage is high; I don't want to even imagine how difficult it must be to run a website where anybody can edit pretty much anything.
- clawsyndicate 8mo ago
  [dead]

gbear605 8mo ago

Unfortunately large IP groups like mobile phones often need to be blocked because it’s the only possible way to constraint anonymous spammers.

bawolff 8mo ago

Typically this just means you have to create an account. Mobile ips are often blocked because of the sheer amount of spam and they switch so much that its difficult to block individual offenders.

saagarjha 8mo ago
They block logged in users too.
- bawolff 8mo ago
  Sometimes yes, but usually not at a mass range level except in extreme circumstances. The block in this case appears to be this one: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:GlobalBlockList?target=%233093498 https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:GlobalBlockList?targ... In that specific case, logged in users are still allowed, however you cannot create new accounts when visiting from that range, so you have to already have an account, or go somewhere else to create one. The error message blocked users get should link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Advice_to_T-Mobile_IPv6_users https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Advice_to_T-Mobile_I... with more info on how to still edit.
  - saagarjha 8mo ago
    I can never edit Wikipedia when I have private relay enabled unfortunately :(
    - bawolff 8mo ago
      Well yes, the entire point of a private relay is to make it impossible for websites to be able to distinguish between you and a spammer. There are exceptions to this policy, but you generally need to have a really good pre-existing reputation to qualify https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IP_block_exemption https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IP_block_exemption
      - 8mo ago