What would be the use case for blocking access to the export special page?

Users could just copy and paste contents from the page instead…

Certainly there is a massive difference from doing it all in one go and page-by-page copying, the latter deterring many such users.

For non-WMF wikis this would be important.

In T160821#3112230, @StarWarden wrote:

Certainly there is a massive difference from doing it all in one go and page-by-page copying, the latter deterring many such users.

So you just use the API and enumerate over all pages instead?

Tagging easy, as for at least the special page part... It's adding the restriction, set it up in default settings. Create any right messages as appropriate, and any other documentation...

Depending on how it effects the API.... It's muddling around with where 'export' is used a parameter from the outside. Though, that's potentially only half the battle; you can still get similar output from query revisions etc

In T160821#3112235, @Reedy wrote:

In T160821#3112230, @StarWarden wrote:

Certainly there is a massive difference from doing it all in one go and page-by-page copying, the latter deterring many such users.

So you just use the API and enumerate over all pages instead?

API is quite different than a very accessible special page, as not everyone knows how to work with the API.

Plus, MediaWiki already has an article on how to remove that Special page. Bonus, the api can be disabled.

In T160821#3112324, @StarWarden wrote:

In T160821#3112235, @Reedy wrote:

In T160821#3112230, @StarWarden wrote:

Certainly there is a massive difference from doing it all in one go and page-by-page copying, the latter deterring many such users.

So you just use the API and enumerate over all pages instead?

API is quite different than a very accessible special page, as not everyone knows how to work with the API.

Plus, MediaWiki already has an article on how to remove that Special page. Bonus, the api can be disabled.

Considering many things use the API for JS niceness... Just disabling the API will likely break/make things in your wiki worse

That's why I said this new right would be needed.

IMO this seems like a pointless bit of obfuscation: "Oh, you can't use export, but you can still get every bit of the same data via the rest of the API with a little more work."

In T160821#3112233, @MarkAHershberger wrote:

For non-WMF wikis this would be important.

What's missing in this task is why.

In T160821#3112324, @StarWarden wrote:

Plus, MediaWiki already has an article on how to remove that Special page.

Well, it is a wiki so anyone can write anything there. If it's accurate and on-topic, it won't necessarily get deleted even if it's pointless to do what it says.

Bonus, the api can be disabled.

But see T115414: Remove the ability to disable the API with $wgEnableAPI.

In T160821#3153629, @Aklapper wrote:

I would like to request an 'export' right which restricts access to people who have it to the Special:Export page.

Still waiting for a why here...

To restrict people from just exporting your entire wiki and uploading the information to their own site. I am aware of all the counter-arguments that have been presented so far, but this right would be very useful, especially if it's coupled with restricting exporting through the API (as others have mentioned above).

To use a metaphor, it would be much like this gate. There are many ways around the barrier you want to create.