User:SheffieldSteel/BITECLUB

When dealing with disruptive users, and especially when dealing with suspected sockpuppets, many administrators and other editors fall foul of the guideline Do not bite the newcomers (better known by the shortcut WP:BITE).

The situation becomes rather more difficult when the offending admin (or experienced user) is reminded of this guideline, not by another experienced user (or admin), but by the very newcomer they are accused of being impolite towards. This rather begs the question: if the newcomer is so ignorant that they need to be protected by WP:BITE, how exactly did they know to link to that guideline?

Sadly, there are several Wikipedia policies and guidelines which, by their very nature, are open to being abused by bad-faith contributors. To put it another way: they are frequently cited by trolls. Thus, it is much easier to assume good faith when responding to "What do you mean, reliable source? I personally know this to be true" than to "Hey, why don't you not WP:BITE the newcomer and WP:AGF for once? I was just trying to WP:IAR".