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2021-12-19T16:28:02Z

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{{about|accounts used only to vandalize Wikipedia|Wikipedia's policy on vandalism|Wikipedia:Vandalism}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infopage|WP:VOA|WP:VANDALISMONLY|WP:VANDALONLY}}
{{nutshell|Registered accounts that are used only to vandalize Wikipedia are usually blocked indefinitely.}}

A '''vandalism-only account''' is a [[WP:SPA|single-purpose]] [[Wikipedia:Registered users|registered account]] that is used only to [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalize]] Wikipedia.

==Background==
{{See also|Wikipedia:Administrators' guide/Blocking}}
Most [[vandalism on Wikipedia]] is done by anonymous users. Such edits can be identified by the [[IP address]] in the [[Help:Page history|page history]]. Repeated vandalism can eventually lead to being blocked. [[Wikipedia:Administrators|Administrators]] use [[WHOIS]] and [[geolocation]] to track vandals and perform [[WP:RANGE|range blocks]]. Generally, schools and other problematic organizations are blocked for a longer period (see {{section link||IP addresses}}).

As the IP address of a registered editor is not visible in edit histories, many vandals create an account and vandalize Wikipedia. This can allow editing via an IP address or range that has been blocked to anonymous users.

Vandals may also create accounts to vandalize Wikipedia in ways that cannot be done by unregistered users, such as on [[Wikipedia:Protection policy|protected]] pages or by [[Wikipedia:Page-move vandalism|page-move vandalism]]. This is one reason for requiring that an account be [[Wikipedia:Autoconfirmed|autoconfirmed]] to perform these edits. While [[WP:page protection|page protection]] is one method of mitigation, such vandalism still occurs from new accounts, resulting in the general consensus that they should be blocked as soon as possible ([[#Dealing with vandalism-only accounts|see below]]).

==Identifying vandalism-only accounts==
If you notice any [[wp:disruptive|suspicious edits]] from a user (particularly one who has only recently registered), the account is possibly intended to be used only for vandalism. A user talk page might not have been created (i.e. appears as a [[WP:red link|red link]]), may consist of warning messages only, or be blanked by the vandal. Usernames of disruptive accounts<ref name="disruptive">Not specifically ''vandalism'' accounts. Disposable PoV-pushing, block-evasion etc. accounts share this trait as well.</ref> also tend to violate Wikipedia's [[WP:username policy|username policy]].

Should you notice such activity from registered users, [[wp:revert|revert]] the edit(s) if not already done, and check the [[wp:user contributions|user's contributions]] to verify whether the other edits are vandalism. If so, the account can be reported to [[Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism|Administrator intervention against vandalism]] as a "vandalism-only account".

==Dealing with vandalism-only accounts==
{{see also|Wikipedia:Blocking policy#Disruption-only}}
Vandalism-only accounts are usually [[Wikipedia:Blocking policy#Indefinite blocks|blocked indefinitely]], sometimes without warning. The latter is typically the case if the vandal's username violates [[WP:BADNAME|the username policy]].

Occasionally, the first block implemented may be temporary, depending on the severity of the vandalism. If vandalism resumes after a temporary block expires, it is extremely rare for the second block to be temporary.

[[WP:Cross-wiki abuse|Cross-wiki vandals]] should also be reported to [[meta:Steward requests/Global‎‎ #Requests for global (un)lock and (un)hiding]], especially accounts seemingly operated by long-time abusers.

===IP addresses===
IP addresses cannot be considered vandalism-only accounts, as IP addresses are sometimes shared by many users (by way of [[network address translation]] or a [[proxy server]]), and many are [[DHCP|reassigned to another computer]] after a period of time. However, if an IP address has been used only or mostly for vandalism over a long period of time, it may be subject to a very long block, up to a year and occasionally even longer, but is almost never blocked indefinitely.

==See also==
*[[Wikipedia:Blocking policy]]
*[[Wikipedia:Open proxies]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{Wikipedia accounts|collapsed}}
[[Category:Wikipedia vandalism]]

Wikipedia:Vandalism-only account - Revision history

Tachyony: Imported page