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Vandals can only be blocked by Supervisors and Community Advisors/Assistants (CA) by clicking on "Warn/Block" from the left sidebar when logged in. They then enter the IP address or username, enter a reason for the block, and select a duration for the block, which can range from the default of permanent for registered users or 3 hours for IPs, or from 1 minute to 30 days. How long a user or IP is blocked depends on the severity of their actions. Whenever an answer is blanked by a Supervisor or CA that has been written by an IP address, that IP address gets an automatic default block of 3 hours.
Another way that Supervisors/CA's can block a user is by going to their profile page (simply by clicking on the user's name that appears below the answer, in "Question history" or "Revert" pages, then selecting "Block" which appears on the right side below the box that contains their stats of number of edits, answers, etc. The name is automatically entered into the "IP/username" text box, so all a Supervisor has to do is to select a brief, concise reason for the block and select the allotted time duration that the user should be blocked.
For IP's the Block option appears in the top right corner of the page of their contributions. Clicking on that will bring you to the same Warn/Block page that is used to enable a block for a user, except that the IP's IP address is automatically entered instead of the username. Supervisor's cannot permanently block an IP address: only a Community Assistant or advanced Supervisor can.
If you are not a supervisor and notice someone vandalizing the site please contact a supervisor as soon as possible and alert them to this activity by simply writing a note about such a vandal on their message board. Be sure to provide a link to the question that the vandal has vandalized as you do so.
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Are Vandal Patrols on WikiAnswers a type of Supervisor?
The Vandal Patrol is a program on the site that interested Supervisors can join.
Do you have to be a Supervisor on WikiAnswers in order to be on the Vandal Patrol?
All divisions of the Vandal Patrol require that you be a Supervisor in order to join.
When did the Vandal Patrol Program start on WikiAnswers?
The Vandal Patrol Program as we know it today was officially announced on August 18, 2008.
How do supervisors ban members of WikiAnswers?
When a user is violating the WikiAnswers terms of use a supervisor may block them using the "Block Vandal" feature. The supervisor enters the username or IP address they would like to block, the duration of the block and the reason for the block before submitting. When possible, the supervisor should first post a message on the user's personal message board educating them about the policy they are violating. If the behavior continues after that, then a block should be pursued.
How many Vandal Patrol group Supervisors are there on WikiAnswers?
As of September 10, 2010, there are 180 members of the Vandal Patrol and we are constantly adding new members.
When should you immediately block a user on WikiAnswers?
Information for Supervisors related to when a user should be blocked immediately is located on the Vandal Patrol Forum on a thread titled: Revised Blocking Policy 10/08.
Can Vandal Patrol members block users?
Yes, because they are supervisors.
What is a vandal on WikiAnswers?
A vandal is someone who answers or replaces good answers with nonsense, obscene remarks, and/or gibberish. In other words, vandals like to post things that have no value at all.
Is it okay to vandalize the WikiAnswers site?
No, it is absolutely not OK. It creates more work for other users. When you are caught by the Vandal Patrol, the consequences are either a warning or an immediate block. They can also track you down easily and learn a lot about you.
What does it feel like to be on the Vandal Patrol?
The feeling of being on the vandal patrol cannot really be described in mere words alone. Being on the vandal patrol gives that scare to vandals as soon as they see a vandal patrol member's bio page. This scare gives an edge to vandal patrol members, and just the feeling of scaring a vandal into stop vandalizing WikiAnswers, so if there had to be one word, it would have to be awesome.
What is a vandal?
The word Vandal means one who purposefully, willfully or out of ignorance destroys, damages or defaces the property or work of others. This includes both private and public property. A Vandal here in WikiAnswers is a contributor who removes, destroys or otherwise messes with a good answer. They may erase a good answer and place a bad answer. There are also other things a vandal probably could do to be considered a vandal.
What should you do if WikiAnswers is blocked at your school?
You could request of your school that WikiAnswers be unblocked, providing legitimate reasons for doing so. Of course, it could be that computer only is blocked. When unregistered users misbehave on WikiAnswers (violate rules or commit vandalism), it is not uncommon for the I.P. to be blocked for as little as one minute or as long as thirty days. The most common length of an IP block is 1-3 hours. As supervisors, we do not like to block I.P.'s used by schools; we know that those who use the computers rotates very quickly and it is unfair that a vandal have access but not the person with a legitimate need for the site. If you encounter a WikiAnswers block, not a school network block, try to register as a member of WikiAnswers. Or, if possible, move to a different computer.
