Zydrolic wrote:

ssvbxx2 wrote:

(#22)
For all the reasons above, blocking VPNs from Scratch entirely would not end well. However, an approach that may stop ban evasion without all of the downsides explained above is blocking VPN users from creating accounts if they've previously used an IP address that has an active IP ban. This I would support, though it'd still take lots of work to figure out if an IP is a VPN.

You just reminded me.

For all the reasons above, blocking VPNs from Scratch entirely would not end well.

This is a true statement, blocking VPNs is inaffective because of Tor (If I remember how it works right) and mostly worthless. (Tor is a fork of Firefox from what I remember, basically making an IP hard as heck to trace back)

ajskateboarder wrote:

Zydrolic wrote:

ssvbxx2 wrote:

(#22)
For all the reasons above, blocking VPNs from Scratch entirely would not end well. However, an approach that may stop ban evasion without all of the downsides explained above is blocking VPN users from creating accounts if they've previously used an IP address that has an active IP ban. This I would support, though it'd still take lots of work to figure out if an IP is a VPN.

You just reminded me.

For all the reasons above, blocking VPNs from Scratch entirely would not end well.

This is a true statement, blocking VPNs is inaffective because of Tor (If I remember how it works right) and mostly worthless. (Tor is a fork of Firefox from what I remember, basically making an IP hard as heck to trace back)

Tor by itself is a network for browsing privately, in which people set up relays to receive/send traffic to other relays. Most people use it as a proxy to access sites banned in their area (and to evade bans unfortunately)

Tor Browser is a fork of Firefox which makes it easy to access the Tor network
–
It would be pretty difficult to ban proxies considering the owner can go to another one
So if people here end up using proxies (which are usually free) instead of VPNs, what's the point of banning VPNs?

ajskateboarder wrote:

(#42)
-snip-
So if people here end up using proxies (which are usually free) instead of VPNs, what's the point of banning VPNs?

T_S_13 wrote:

ThatPhysicsForumer wrote:

Some people like me may use a VPN since they feel safer with one and don't want to give any more accurate location details away. I don't think banning them entirely is the fairest outcome for all.

56-s wrote:

ThatPhysicsForumer wrote:

Some people like me may use a VPN since they feel safer with one and don't want to give any more accurate location details away. I don't think banning them entirely is the fairest outcome for all.

https://snap.berkeley.edu/

ajskateboarder wrote:

Directing people away from Scratch shouldn't be the answer

Za-Chary wrote:

ajskateboarder wrote:

Directing people away from Scratch shouldn't be the answer

In some cases it can be, but usually for questions like “Scratch is too easy, what can I do” or “Why doesn't the Scratch Team make complicated features,” etc. I agree that preferring to use a VPN should not prevent someone from using Scratch.

WhoLetHimAlt wrote:

I do not support this because many use VPN's to get around bans of websites like scratch in their countries. VPN's have different uses.

BingkayAlt wrote:

That's a good idea

ssvbxx2 wrote:

Although blocking all VPNs would prevent IP-banned users from circumventing their ban, there's one huge issue: VPNs are also used for privacy, since they prevent websites and ISPs from tracking users. Blocking VPNs leaves privacy-focused users with two choices: disable their VPN to use Scratch (which leaves them vulnerable to unwanted tracking), or use a Scratch alternative that allows VPNs. A lot of VPN users would probably choose the latter.

Basilikos wrote:

Many users from China use VPNs to circumvent the Firewall. You'd be disallowing those people to learn how to use Scratch more efficiently and isolating them from the rest of the community.

56-s wrote:

Basilikos wrote:

Many users from China use VPNs to circumvent the Firewall. You'd be disallowing those people to learn how to use Scratch more efficiently and isolating them from the rest of the community.

Aleast they will stop breaking the law.