Hello, welcome to your Counter Vandalism Unit Academy page! Every person I instruct will have their own page on which I will give them support and tasks for them to complete. Please make sure you have this page added to your watchlist. Your academy page has been specifically designed according to you and what you have requested instruction in - for that reason, please be as specific as possible when under my instruction, so that I know the best ways to help you (and do not be afraid to let me know if you think something isn't working). If you have any general queries about anti-vandalism (or anything else), you are more than welcome to raise them with me at my talk page.
Make sure you read through Wikipedia:Vandalism as that's the knowledge which most of the questions I ask you and tasks you do will revolve around.
- How to use this page
This page will be built up over your time in the Academy, with new sections being added as you complete old ones. Each section will end with a task, written in bold type - this might just ask a question, or it might require you to go and do something. You can answer a question by typing the answer below the task; if you have to do something, you will need to provide diffs to demonstrate that you have completed the task. Some sections will have more than one task, sometimes additional tasks may be added to a section as you complete them. Please always sign your responses to tasks as you would on a talk page.
- Once you graduate I will copy this page into your userspace so you have a record of your training and a reference for the future.
Good faith and vandalism
editWhen patrolling for vandalism, you may often come across edits which are unhelpful, but not vandalism - these are good faith edits. It is important to recognise the difference between a vandalism edit and a good faith edit, especially because Twinkle gives you the option of labelling edits you revert as such. Please read WP:AGF and WP:NOT VANDALISM before completing the following tasks.
- Please explain below the difference between a good faith edit and a vandalism edit, and how you would tell them apart.
Vandalism is an edit which is intended to do bad harm, while good faith edits are made with good intent. They are made to improve the page, and not cause harm to it.
- Please find three examples of good faith but unhelpful edits, and three examples of vandalism. You don't need to revert the example you find, and I am happy for you to use previous undos in your edit history if you wish.
- Good faith
- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tracy_Spiridakos&diff=556976612&oldid=556800257
- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hydraulic_fracturing&diff=prev&oldid=556809554
- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jiiva&diff=prev&oldid=556826276
- Vandalism
Warning and reporting
editWhen you use Twinkle to warn a user, you have a number of options to choose from: you can select the kind of warning (for different offences), and the level of warning (from 1 to 4, for increasing severity). Knowing which warning to issue and what level is very important. Further information can be found at WP:WARN and WP:UWUL.
- Please answer the following questions
- Why do we warn users?
We warn users to notify them that the edit they did was unconstructive, and that they should not do that in the future.
- When would a 4im warning be appropriate?
It would be most appropriate when a user has recently been unblocked and has done the same or similar vandalism edit to a page.
- Should you substitute a template when you place it on a user talk page, and how do you do it?
Yes, to avoid heavy server loads when/if these templates are modified. You would do so by adding subst: at the beginning.
- What should you do if a user who has received a level 4 or 4im warning vandalises again?
I would report them to the relevant Administrator's noticeboard.
- Please give examples (using
{{Tlsubst|''name of template''}}) of three different warnings (not different levels of the same warning and excluding the test edit warning levels referred to below), that you might need to use while recent changes patrolling and explain what they are used for.
{{subst:uw-disruptive1}}, {{subst:uw-delete2}} and {{subst:uw-vandalism2}} are some I use often.
Make sure you keep in mind that some edits that seem like vandalism can be test edits. This happens when a new user is experimenting and makes accidental unconstructive edits. Generally, these should be treated with good faith, especially if it is their first time, and warned gently. The following templates are used for test edits: {{subst:uw-test1}}, {{subst:uw-test2}} and {{subst:uw-test3}}.
- Find and revert some vandalism. Warn each user appropriately, using the correct kind of warning and level. Please include at least two test edits and at least two appropriate reports to AIV. For each revert and warning please fill in a line on the table below.
Shared IP tagging
editThere are a number of IP user talk page templates which show helpful information to IP users and those wishing to warn or block them. There is a list of these templates
{{Shared IP}}- For general shared IP addresses.{{ISP}}- A modified version specifically for use with ISP organizations.{{Shared IP edu}}- A modified version specifically for use with educational institutions.{{Shared IP gov}}- A modified version specifically for use with government agencies.{{Shared IP corp}}- A modified version specifically for use with businesses.{{Shared IP address (public)}}- A modified version specifically for use with public terminals such as in libraries, etc.{{Mobile IP}}- A modified version specifically for use with a mobile device's IP.{{Dynamic IP}}- A modified version specifically for use with dynamic IPs.{{Static IP}}- A modified version specifically for use with static IPs which may be used by more than one person.
Each of these templates take two parameters, one is the organisation to which the IP address is registered (which can be found out using the links at the bottom of the IP's contribution page. The other is for the host name (which is optional) and can also be found out from the links at the bottom of the IP's contribution page.
Also, given that different people use the IP address, older messages are sometimes refused so as to not confuse the current user of the IP. Generally any messages for the last one-two months are removed, collapsed, or archived. The templates available for this include:
{{OW}}for when the messages are deleted from the talk page.{{Old IP warnings top}}and {{Old IP warnings bottom}} for collapsing the user warnings and leaving them on the talk page.{{Warning archive notice}}for when the messages are archived, and that archiving follows the usually naming sequence (that is, /Archive 1).
NOTE: All of the templates in this section are not substituted (so don't use "subst:").
Tools
editWikipedia:Recent changes patrol#Tools includes a list of tools and resources for those who want to fight vandalism with a more systematic and efficient approach.
What you have been doing so far is named the old school approach. As well as manually going through Special:RecentChanges, it includes undos, "last clean version" restores, and manually warning users.
There are a large number of tool which assist users in the fight against vandalism. They range from tools which help filter and detect vandalism to tools which will revert, warn and report users.
Lupin's Anti-Vandal Tool
editLupin's Anti-Vandal Tool monitors the RSS feed and flags edits with common vandalism terms. It's a very simple tool, but which is useful for not having to go check each and every diff on Recent Changes.
Twinkle
editThe first tool I want to mention is Twinkle, it's a very useful and I strongly suggest you enable it (in the Gadgets section of your preferences). It provides three types of rollback functions (vandalism, normal and AGF) as well as an easy previous version restore function (for when there are a number of different editors vandalising in a row). Other functions include a full library of speedy deletion functions, and user warnings. It also has a function to propose and nominate pages for deletion, to request page protection to report users to WP:AIV & WP:UAA (which we'll get to later).
- Note: I do already use this. -- (T) Numbermaniac (C) 08:56, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
Rollback
editSee rollback, this user right introduces an easy rollback button (which with one click reverts an editor's contributions. I'll let you know when I think you're ready to apply for the rollback user right.
- Note: I already have the rollback right. -- (T) Numbermaniac (C) 08:55, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
STiki
editSTiki consists of (1) a component that listens to the RecentChanges feed and scores edits on their possibility of being uncontructive; and (2) An application which scans through the most recent revisions on pages and scores the possibility of them being uncontructive.
- Note: I already use this.
Huggle
editHuggle is a Windows program which parses (orders them on the likelihood of being unconstructive edits and on the editor's recent history) from users not on its whitelist. It allows you to revert vandalism, warn and reports users in one click.
- Note: I use this a bit.
- @Numbermaniac: Looks good go far, I won't mark each individual item, except to say that I have no issues with what you have. See your news tasks below. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 11:26, 26 June 2013 (UTC)
Dealing with difficult users
editOccasionally, some vandals will not appreciate your good work and try to harass or troll you. In these situations, you must remain calm and ignore them. If they engage in harassment or personal attacks, you should not engage with them and leave a note at WP:ANI. If they vandalise your user page or user talk page, simply remove the vandalism without interacting with them. Please read WP:DENY.
- Define deny recognition, how do you do it?
I'll admit this is one of my weakest points. Some people appear to have fun by insulting other users in all kinds of ways. Denying recognition is basically when you ignore them, because otherwise if you do answer them, they'll get even worse. It's best to simply ignore them and go report them. -- (T) Numbermaniac (C) 11:11, 6 July 2013 (UTC)
- It can be hard to do when you're being baited, but if you don't like what they are saying and how they are saying it. Or if their history is relatively long and purely disruptive it's usually a good bet to ignore them. Also see Wikipedia:Revert, block, ignore.
- Why do we deny recognition to trolls and vandals?
If you answer their insultive remarks, they tend to continue with it and really infuriate other users. -- (T) Numbermaniac (C) 11:11, 6 July 2013 (UTC)
- How can you tell between a good faith user asking why you reverted their edit, and a troll trying to harass you?
Good faith users would generally ask in a nice tone. Trolls tend to use bad and insultive language. -- (T) Numbermaniac (C) 00:34, 27 June 2013 (UTC)
- Yes, and you can also look at the content of their edits and their editing history. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 07:02, 13 July 2013 (UTC)
Those are good answers User:Numbermaniac. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 07:02, 13 July 2013 (UTC)
Protection and speedy deletion
editProtecting and deleting pages are two additional measures that can be used to prevent and deal with vandalism. Only an administrator can protect or delete pages; however, anyone can nominate a page for deletion or request protection. If you have Twinkle installed, you can use the Twinkle menu to request page protection or speedy deletion (the RPP or CSD options).
Protection
editPlease read the protection policy.
- In what circumstances should a page be semi-protected?
- Pages should be semi protected if the page is being vandalised by several IP addresses, in a situation where blocking each IP doesn't necessarily work.
Though not just IPs it could be new accounts as well.
- In what circumstances should a page be pending changes level 1 protected?
- I would say they should be protected in similar circumstances to semi protection, but if it is only a few troublesome users and not all IPs editing the page being vandals, then pending changes would be applied so that good faith users can still submit their edits.
- In what circumstances should a page be fully protected?
- Pages should be fully protected if they are a high-use template, or in the article scenario, when something serious has occurred and no-one should edit the page at all.
Could you please clarify your answer? I know this has changed a bit since you wrote it but might as well fix it up completely. What could the serious situation be?
- In what circumstances should a page be creation protected ("salted")?
- Creation protection should occur when a page is created multiple times and deleted because the page had no reason to exist. It can also be protected if the page is subject to copyright violations or the like.
- to the first part. What do you mean with the second sentence?
- In what circumstances should a talk page be semi-protected?
- A talk page would only be protected in the most serious vandalism cases, for example if anonymous editors have performed copyright infringements or similar on the talk page.
- Where can you request that a page be protected?