Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2008-05-12/IP block exemption
New feature enables users to bypass IP blocks
Users may now be given permission to bypass a block on the IP address from which they edit Wikipedia. Even if the IP address is "hard-blocked" so that registered users cannot edit, the IP block exemption policy enables these users to edit.
NonvocalScream announced the new feature on the Administrators' noticeboard on May 8. It was implemented as a result of feature request 9862.
FT2 explained on the noticeboard: "There are two main situations it'll be most useful - constructive users who edit via a vandalism range or shared IP we would like to hard-block, and users who would like to edit anonymously via Tor or another hard-blocked open proxy."
Several users have been given IP block exemptions because they edit from the same IP range as a hard-blocked vandal. However, the process for allowing trusted users to edit via open proxies, which are often blocked due to the "open proxies" policy, has not been finalized or implemented. Allowing users to edit from open proxies would require careful investigation to prevent abuse of the anonymity, as it would mean that a checkuser on the user would not produce useful results.
Some bots have also been given an IP block exemption. FT2 explained: "This might be useful for 'bots that meet some suitable standard of approval and acceptance'... it will mean such a bot can't be blocked as a result of a toolserver block, or fallout via autoblock from another bot being blocked."
One way in which this feature has been used over the past few days is in blocking dynamic IP ranges where particularly persistent vandalism has occurred; increasingly, these ranges are being blocked, with checkusers providing good-faith accounts within that range with IP block exemptions. Previously, many of these ranges were not hard-blocked, allowing so-called "sleeper" accounts to continue to vandalize via these ranges.
Users and bots with the IP block exemption are listed here.
"Accountcreator" permission also added
Another, much more low-key permission was added this week. The "accountcreator" group allows non-administrators to create more than six accounts per day. It's used for non-administrators who help out on Wikipedia:Request an account, a page for users who cannot, for some reason, create a username through the usual process. There, the ability to create more accounts can be helpful in granting requested accounts. The permission has been granted, so far, to about twenty non-administrator accounts involved in the process.
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