UDWiki:Administration/Misconduct

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This page is for the reporting of administrator (sysop) misconduct within the Urban Dead wiki. Sysops are trusted with a considerable number of powers, many of which have the capacity to be abused. In many circumstances, it is possible for a sysop to cause considerable havoc. As such, users are provided this page to report misconduct from the System Operators. For consistency and accountability, sysops also adhere to the guidelines listed here.

Guidelines for System Operator Misconduct Reporting

The charge of Administrative Misconduct is a grave charge indeed. If misconduct occurs, it is important that the rest of the sysop team be able to review the charges as necessary. Any charge of administrative misconduct must be backed up with evidence. The clearest evidence that can be provided for administrative misconduct is a clear discrepancy between the relevant action log (deletion, block, or protection log) and the archives of the relevant administration service page, and this is a minimum standard of evidence admitted in such a tribunal.

Misconduct is primarily related to specific Administrator Services, not standards of behavior. As such, situations including verbal attacks by sysops, while frowned upon, do not constitute misconduct. Sysops on a wiki are in theory supposed to have no more authority than a regular user - they merely have a greater scope of power. Personality conflicts between sysops and regular users should be treated just as a personality conflict between two regular users. If, in the course of such a conflict, a sysop abuses their administrative powers by banning a user, blocking or deleting a page without due process, that is misconduct, and should be reported to this page.

There is, however, an exception to this rule - excessive bullying, or attempts to treat the status of sysop as a badge of authority to force a sysop's wishes on the wiki may also come under misconduct. Any accusations of this should come with just as clear evidence, and for such an action to be declared misconduct, there should be a clear pattern of behavior across a considerable period of time.

All discussion of misconduct should occur on this page, not the talk page - any discussion on the talk page will be merged into this page once discovered. Once a misconduct case has been declared closed, a member of the sysop team will mete out the punishment (if deemed necessary), and then move the case to the Archive.

Administrative Abilities

For future reference, the following are sysop specific abilities (ie things that sysops can do that regular users cannot):

• Deletion (ie complete removal, as opposed to blanking) of pages (including Images and any other page-like construct on this wiki), through the delete tab on the top of any deletable construct.
• Undeletion (ie returning a page, complete with page history) of pages (including any other page-like construct on this wiki (Images are not included as deletion of an image is not undoable), through the undelete tab on the top of any undeletable construct
• Protection of pages (ie removing the ability of regular users to edit or move a particular page), through the protect tab on the top of any protectable construct.
• Moving of pages (ie changing a page complete with the page's history to a different namespace).
• Warning users reported in Vandal Banning.
• Banning of Users (ie removing the ability of a specific user to edit the wiki), through the Block User page.
• Editing of Protected pages by any means.
• Research IP activity using the CheckUser extension.
• (Bureaucrats Only) Promotion (providing the above abilities) of User to Sysop/Bureaucrat status.

If none of the above abilities were abused and the case doesn't apply for the exception mentioned above, then this is a case for UDWiki:Administration/Arbitration or UDWiki:Administration/Vandal Banning.

Example of Misconduct Proceedings

Sysop seems to have deleted Bad Page, but I can't find it in the Archives of either the Deletion or Speedy Deletion pages. The Logs show a deletion at 18:06, October 24th 2005 by a System Operator, but this does not seem to be backed up by a request for that deletion. I would like to know why this is the case -- Reporter 13:42, 28 Oct 2005 (BST)

The deletion was asked through my talk page. I give my Talk page as proof of this. -- Sysop 13:42, 28 Oct 2005 (BST)

You know the rules, Sysop. All deletion requests have to go through the Speedy Delete page. Next time, please inform the user where they should lodge the request. This is a clear violation, will you accept a one-day ban as punishment? -- Sysop2 13:42, 28 Oct 2005 (BST)

I'm not liking it, but I clearly broke the rules, I'll accept the ban. I'll certainly remember due process next time... Sysop 13:42, 28 Oct 2005 (BST)

As punishment for failing to follow due process, Sysop has been banned for a period of 24 hours. This will be moved to the Archive shortly. -- Sysop2 13:42, 28 Oct 2005 (BST)

Misconduct Cases Currently Under Consideration

User:Nubis

Deleted a bunch of pages without first putting them on A/SD, which is required even for sysops. He recorded them on A/SD after he had deleted them. Unless I am mistaken, none of these pages qualified as scheduled deletions. --Midianian^|T|DS|C:RCS| 14:09, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

The same logs also show that he undeleted several of them after boxy pointed out that they had a purpose. Again without going though the appropriate pages, which (again) even sysops must use. --Midianian^|T|DS|C:RCS| 23:49, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

It amuses me that only now everyone's starting to catch on to the wide array of borderline misconduct/misconduct that has been committed on the wiki in the last few days in relation to the October 08 A/D affair, as it will henceforth be known.--xoxo 00:12, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

No it won't. --HAHAHA DISREGARD THAT, I SUCK COCKS 02:30, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

:( --xoxo 02:31, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Not misconduct - Maybe a slap on the wrists, but I think that Boxy didn't start a misconduct case for a reason. And yeah, he fucked up by deleting the PQN pages, but he restored them. And it's not like he should get his powers removed because he deletes redirects avoiding bear-o-crazy, amirite.--Thari ^{TжFedCom is BFI!} 07:48, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

not rly, rules is rules tbh--CyberRead240 07:54, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

is dat y u voted keep on some of dem usar redirects despiet dem bein against teh rules? lolol --HAHAHA DISREGARD THAT, I SUCK COCKS 07:56, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

no, *cough*--CyberRead240 07:57, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

thx fer admittin ur rong by havin to resort to insutls insted of rebbutan lolol --HAHAHA DISREGARD THAT, I SUCK COCKS 07:59, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Your welcome :)--CyberRead240 08:02, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Since when are they against the rules? --Midianian^|T|DS|C:RCS| 08:47, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Since always. Read up on SD Criterion 9. --HAHAHA DISREGARD THAT, I SUCK COCKS 09:18, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

By deleting the pages himself, he's circumventing the democratic process. He's denying the users the right to vote on them. This is especially bad as it's much harder to get a page undeleted than to have it kept on Deletions, as Undeletions are purely sysop decisions. --Midianian^|T|DS|C:RCS| 08:47, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Isn't it odd how this isn't misconduct when other sysops vote on it, yet the spirit of the process and the example at the top of the page which is identical rules it as misconduct. Odd that.... -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 10:11, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Nubis

This edit.

The page was protected due to an edit war issue between two groups of users. Nubis made the aforementioned edit whilst the page was still protected. The edit was not made as part of sysop duties, it was to insert an (incorrect) opinion into the page. This allowed other users no right to reply in the same space.

Nubis therefore used his sysop abilities for a personal edit. The correct conduct would have been to place the comment on the talk page along with other users. He did not, and therefore exploited his abilities as a trusted user for his own convenience and to attempt to force the perception that his opinion was correct. This must be ruled misconduct.

Request appropriate warning. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 10:38, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

I'm a sysop editing an admin page. I'm not the one that locked the page. I wasn't involved in the edit war/VB storm. Are trying to say that sysops can't post their opinions on admin pages? So, if I locked A/M and some other sysop posted on it to warn me that would be misconduct? Come on.--– Nubis ^NWO 12:02, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

As you well know, admin pages are not for idle chit chat or opinions, especially when your opinion is an attempt to enforce a baseless precedent. Quoting Admin Guidelines: "For most actions on the wiki, a moderator's word has no greater weight than any other user. As a wiki, for these actions, each user's voice has equal weight, regardless of his or her abilities." You were not performing a sysop duty in this action, you were putting forward your opinion which was unneeded, the guidelines and policy regarding deletions are clear and nowhere is there anything about a personal vote being invalid. Nowhere in the list of sysop duties does it say "Stick your opinion in the middle of an admin page", if you were saying it was an invalid vote in your role as a sysop the case in qwuestion should have been immediately moved back to A/SD by yourself. You did not do this, you were not acting as a systems adminstrator, you were acting as a normal user trying to put forward your opinion. You used sysop powers for non sysop reasons. Accordingly your word has no greater weight than any other user's and it should have been placed in the same location as the other users.

Given that you have already been found guilty of misconduct previously for editing a protected page, I change my call from warning to 12 hour ban. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 13:09, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Also your example is a strawman argument, the implication is that you are locking it to stifle discussion through normal edits, this would be misconduct for incorrectly protecting a page, in this circumstance the page was legitimately protected due to an ongoing edit war. The example is a crude attempt to engineer sympathy and obfuscate the facts. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 13:13, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Why are you so angry? And since when did a 2nd escalation ever call for a ban? I don't understand why you are so hostile toward the admin team here when this is the group that is most likely to just leave everyone alone and not pester people. Look at the VB page. Only 2 cases are presented by sysops and those are relating to ignoring soft warnings (no, I don't want to start that debate) but my point is that this crew isn't stalking users to find vandal edits or arguing with them on their talk pages about their opinions. (well, at least I'm not).

Let me address your points though. If you are saying that the author's vote is valid as a user vote on a deletion then my vote on my own misconduct case is just as valid as a sysop. Not Misconduct You are upset that I added my "opinion" but didn't take any action on it yet I bet if I had moved it back to A/SD we would be here for that instead. User actions like this create a "Damned if you Do - Damned if you Don't" situation. You are making yourself look like someone that is actively out to stir up drama. You also have shown that you have no desire to be reasonable and one only needs to look at the "warning" on your talk page to see your blatant hatred toward sysops.

To be honest, I haven't been spending a ton of time on here right now (which is why I avoided the A/VB drama) so I missed all the discussion on the talk page. I figured it was all happening in VB since there were walls of text on there about it.

But you know what? If you want a 12 hour ban and that will get you off and give you some relief from your pent up rage then fine. I'm going out of town for a few days. I promise not to edit the wiki while on vacation.--– Nubis ^NWO 23:27, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Trying to divert attention by bringing up things on my talk page? Did you learn that tactic from the Scientologists? You'll notice that all of my rules are there to remove drama from my page, after all it's not like past experience with sysops on my page has caused drama or anything....

This isn't an escalation, they are the sole province of VB, this is the highlight of another case of misconduct by supposed trusted users. You are well aware that deletions votes and misconduct votes are different, I trust you will remove your vote to save me from bringing another case.

The notion of damned if you do, damned if you don't doesn't apply. You should have used the talk page along with every other user. Your edits here and the previous misconduct case against you over editing a protected page shows that you know it is incorrect conduct. You knew it was incorrect conduct, yet did it anyway.

What we need is a group of sysops that will follow the procedures set down and not wade in without understanding the situation. Unfortunately we are not going to get this due to the intrinsically flawed system of misconduct only being voted on by other sysops who have an obvious interest in controlling the precedent. As for your 'absence', disappearing when things don't go your way? Who are you? Hagnat? -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 10:09, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

I think he is trying to say that, you shouldn't be allowed to post your personal opinion on a locked page, where regular users could not post their personal opinions. Like, the page is blocked because it is in an edit war and the intention is to preserve it in its current state. Also there was similar posts happening on the discussion page, yet you posted on the main page instead, just because you can. You should have posted where everyone else was, coz being a Sysop doesn't mean your personal opinion on this is any more valid than the next users, but I don't think that it is misconduct?--CyberRead240 12:28, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

So, furthering his own agenda by using sysop abilities is not misconduct? --Midianian^|T|DS|C:RCS| 12:39, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Well I would normally say yes, but precedent or policy hasn't really been upheld in the past few days. Btw, it was a quizzical ? not a self-righteous one :P.--CyberRead240 12:48, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

to which somebody could aptly respond to once the page was unlocked.... these misconduct cases are starting to get silly.--THE Godfather of Яesensitized, Anime Sucks ^{Yalk | W! U! WMM| CC CPFOAS LOE ZHU | Яezzens} 12:51, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes I don't know if it is misconduct, I don't care if it is, I was just clarifying what Iscariot meant because Nubis didn't seem to get it. He could have posted on the talk page like everyone else though...--CyberRead240 12:52, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Also, was the page marked that it was protected? Cuz if I remember right, protected pages dont show as protected for those who can edit any page.--THE Godfather of Яesensitized, Anime Sucks ^{Yalk | W! U! WMM| CC CPFOAS LOE ZHU | Яezzens} 12:57, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

I remember the edit at the time, I was going to misconduct him for it but I didn't know the proper policy (and I was in enough drama). There were edits flying everywhere, and he was active during the duration so I think he would have known it was blocked from the actions in RC. Judging by his response to Iscariot, I think it is clear that he knew aswell. But, we will see I guess.--CyberRead240 13:02, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

All fully protected pages have big large colourful template on them. --  AHLGTG THE END IS NIGH! 17:48, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

True, but think of all the pages that we edit regularly that have that template on it. Even my sig page is locked so it's sort of faded into the background, to be honest.--– Nubis ^NWO 23:27, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

I personally think misconduct should be about bad faith sysop edits, not frivolous tattletailing. Christ, you'd think someone is getting paid to be a sysop these days. Why in the world would someone want to be a sysop of this wiki (which I think people seem to forget is for a basically free game that takes all of 5 minutes to play a day) when you have to keep looking over your shoulder because some idiot wants to try and catch you doing something and can't wait to go tattle to big brother. Seriously... --THE Godfather of Яesensitized, Anime Sucks ^{Yalk | W! U! WMM| CC CPFOAS LOE ZHU | Яezzens} 02:26, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Not Misconduct Admin Page... Admin giving his opinion on a situation that was affecting the "votes". THIS IS WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF ALLOWABLE CONDUCT BY ADMINS. Now if you will excuse me... Im home sick from work with what feels like a bag of razors trying to pass through my stomach. Conndraka^{mod TAZM CFT} 16:37, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

There is an established process for adding text to protected pages, it is called 'Requested Edits'. Nubis did not use the established process for his edit and instead arbitrarily used his power as a trusted user to enforce his opinion, this is not the established conduct and therefore should be ruled misconduct. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 10:09, 28 October 2008 (UTC)