Soulcalibur Wiki's Administrators have the ability to block users from editing the Wiki. Blocks are typically issued for severe or repeated violations of Wiki policies or Wikia's Terms of Use (ToU). Blocking results in a complete loss of editing privileges on Soulcalibur Wiki until the block expires.
Blocking[]
Blocks are issued as a last resort to stop rule-breaking, or to prevent future rules violations. Blocks may be issued at any time, but typically are issued after one or more warnings. A blocking Administrator will almost always provide a justification for any block they give; this justification is usually written out on the blocked user's Message Wall, or in the wiki block logs. Blocks may last for any length of time, but typically last from 1-7 days, depending on the circumstances surrounding the block.
Indefinite blocks[]
Repeated or especially severe rules violations, or the potential of a compromised account, may result in an indefinite block against a user. Indefinite blocks have no specified end time, and therefore continue forever, unless the block is removed by an Administrator. If the user is given talk page editing privileges, they are eligible to request an unblock. Users who have this privilege revoked are therefore permanently blocked from editing Soulcalibur Wiki.
Unblocking[]
In most cases, blocked users accept their block and either wait for the block to expire, or leave the wiki completely to edit on another, or to pursue other interests. However, there are times where the blocked user may want to request that an administrator review their block and, if it has been deemed inappropriate or no longer necessary, the user may specifically request that they be unblocked. In order for an unblock request to even come close to being accepted, it must do the following things:
- Sincerely accept the reasons for the block and apologize for your mistakes. Admitting and acknowledging the mistakes are a huge step in getting unblocked.
- Promise the community that the reasons for the block will not happen again. If you were blocked for vandalism, then you must not vandalize again to avoid being re-blocked for this reason. If you lie about this in your unblock request, it may destroy community trust and you may be subject to an indefinite block, per the administrator's discretion.
- Prove that the block is no longer necessary to prevent disruption. The unblock reason must prove that the disruptive behavior will not continue even if the block is lifted.
A user that has received a block may be allowed to request that the block be removed; these requests are handled through the blocked user's Message Wall. To request an unblock, the blocked user must add the following template to their Message Wall:
{{Unblock|1 = <Reason why the user should be unblocked>}}
The user should replace <Reason why the user should be unblocked>
with their reasoning and rationale as to why the block on them should be lifted.
When a user adds this template to their Message Wall, the Message Wall is categorized into Requests for unblock. An Administrator will review the block; this review may include evaluating the reason given by the blocked user, reviewing the blocked user's contributions and deleted contributions, checking logs of the user's on-wiki activities, and consulting with other members of the Administrative team. After this has concluded, an official decision will be posted on the blocked user's Message Wall. Users who are unblocked may have measures taken to prevent repeat behaviour, as determined by the unblocking Administrator. Users who have their unblock request declined are allowed to re-request. However, frequently re-requesting, abusing the system, or vandalizing the Message Wall may result in the blocked user losing the privileges to edit their Message Wall and to request an unblock for the duration of their block. After said privileges are lost, there is no other way to request an unblock.
After a block[]
Once a block expires, or once a block has been removed, a user may return to actively editing the wiki. A user that is no longer blocked is free to participate in the wiki as would any normal user, unless an Administrator has applied special |editing restrictions. Any warnings or block notices placed on the user's Message Wall may be removed by the user once the block has ended. Blocking is not intended as a punishment, and a user that is no longer blocked should be given the benefit of the doubt in edits they make to the Wiki. However, a user that violates policies following the end of a block may receive a longer-duration or an indefinite block, especially if the user repeatedly violates the same rule(s) after multiple chances to fix their behavior.