Wikipedia talk:Recent changes patrol/Archives/2013/July

Guidance on use of templates
I was hoping to see more guidance on the use of placing threatening templates on a User's Talk Page.

An editor put one of these templates on my Talk Page, saying I was going to be blocked and it was really upsetting. I had never received a warning before and there wasn't much information about why such a drastic action would be taken. I assumed the person who posted it was an Admin and could carry out a block whenever they wanted.

Upon investigation, it turns out the warning was placed there by just another editor (who might be part of the patrol or might not be), that I had made an edit, they had reverted it without explanation for the reversion and I reverted the reversion. I had never seen an immediate reversion (within a minute) of an edit I had made and I responded by reverting back (which I now know is not the correct response). Next thing I know I'm told via a template message that I might be blocked if I carry on this behavior.

I'd just like to caution patrol members that most editors are casual users. They don't know that you are not an Admin who can't actually block them. Getting a warning (especially a "final warning" or "last warning") is upsetting and confusing especially if there is no indication of what behavior prompted the warning. They should not be casually posted at the first action when someone commits an edit you disagree with.

What is preferable, if you feel strongly that they are behaving disruptively, is to go to their Talk Page and explain what the problem is. Give them a chance to say, "I didn't know that" or "I thought that was the way things were done" or "I disagree with you and here's why."

Don't BEGIN a conversion with a warning that a user will be blocked. That should only come after other means of communication have been exhausted. And remember, unless you are an Admin, you can't follow through on these threats. You can report a user for conduct you think is unproductive (as you, also, can be reported) but don't dole out random block threats at the first provocation because they are idle threats and, most importantly, they most likely will not result in a change in behavior (which is the goal, right?) and instead just cause distress. They are not a weapon to jab users who, for whatever reason, you don't care for.

Warning: Misuse of template threats could lead to someone reporting you for a possible block! 69.125.134.86 (talk) 17:12, 28 July 2013 (UTC)