 | This is an explanatory essay about the Wikipedia:Blocking policy § Partial blocks. This page provides additional information about concepts in the page(s) it supplements. This page is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. |
Partial blocks may be applied by administrators to prevent a user from editing some part(s) of Wikipedia, in contrast with a sitewide block. Partial blocks may be applied to user accounts, IP addresses, as well as IP address ranges.
Partial blocks can prevent a user from:
- Editing specific pages
- Editing all pages within a namespace
- Emailing other users
- Creating other accounts
- Uploading files (including overwriting files)
- Creating new pages (including uploading new files)
- Moving pages and files
- Sending thanks
Partial blocks are used to prevent damage or disruption to Wikipedia, not to punish users (see Wikipedia:Blocking policy § Purpose and goals). Any user may report disruption and ask administrators to consider blocking a disruptive account or IP address (see Wikipedia:Blocking policy § Requesting blocks).
Partial blocking is separate from banning, which is a formal retraction of editing privileges on all or part of Wikipedia. Like sitewide blocks, partial blocks may be used to enforce a ban.
Partial blocks were enabled on the English Wikipedia as a result of a December 2019 RfC.