Wikipedia:Update/1/Conduct policy changes during July 2009

• Wikipedia:Civility
  • Added to the nutshell: "This policy is not a weapon to use against other contributors."
  • Added to WP:CIV#Engaging in incivility: "Ridiculing comments from other editors, rather than making serious criticism of them"

• Wikipedia:Consensus
  • Changed Category:Wikipedia enforcement policies to Category:Wikipedia conduct policies
  • In the introduction, changed "Consensus is wikipedias fundamental model for decision making, and determines how editors work with others." to "Consensus is one of a range of policies regarding how editors work with each other ...", and shortened "... article talk pages may be used as a further means to reach consensus. While on-wiki text is considered to be the canonical consensus, creative use of other means of reaching consensus is permitted and encouraged." to "... consensus is sought on article talk pages."
  • In WP:CON#Exceptions, shortened "... a local debate on a WikiProject does not override the larger consensus of the community, as documented in for instance policies or guidelines." to "... a local debate on a WikiProject does not override the larger consensus behind a policy or guideline." Also changed "consensus among all Wikimedia projects" to "consensus decisions achievable among all Wikimedia projects", and removed "Because there's such a large community subscribing to them, they are rather hard to change."
  • In WP:CON#Consensus-building, changed [Developing consensus requires special attention to neutrality ] "– remaining neutral in our actions" to "and verifiability"
  • Expanded WP:CON#Consensus as a result of the editing process from the June 30 version
  • Added to WP:CON#See also: "Wikipedia:Don't revert due to "no consensus", essay opposing use of consensus to violate the editing policy"; "Wikipedia:No consensus (essay)"; and Truth by consensus

• Wikipedia:Edit war
  • The entire page was changed substantially (again) from the June 30 version

• Wikipedia:Editing policy
  • Added to WP:EP#Adding information to Wikipedia: "Depending on the degree of its suspected inaccuracy or negative impact, the information may be removed either immediately or after sources have been requested and none has been provided for some time." Also added footnote, "Jimmy Wales (2006-05-16). ""Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information"". WikiEN-l electronic mailing list archive. Retrieved 2006-06-11."

• Wikipedia:Harassment
  • Added Category:Wikipedia conduct policies

• Wikipedia:Ignore all rules
  • Added Category:Wikipedia conduct policies

• Wikipedia:No legal threats
  • Added to lead section: [If you must take legal action ... You should instead contact the person or people involved directly,] "by email or through any other contact methods the user provides."
  • Added to WP:NLT#What is not a legal threat: link to legal threat

• Wikipedia:No personal attacks
  • Added to WP:NPA#First offenses and isolated incidents: link to the essay Wikipedia:Shunning

• Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines
  • The entire page was changed substantially from the June 30 version

• Wikipedia:Sock puppetry
  • Added to lead section: "As a general rule, each Wikipedian is allowed only one account."
  • Added footnote to WP:SOCK#Administrative sock puppets: "ArbCom case link"
  • Added to WP:SOCK#Inappropriate uses of alternative accounts: "When using more than one account it is essential not to "cross the streams" of the different accounts. If more than one account controlled by the same user edits the same page or joins the same discussion, there may be a finding of sock puppetry. Editors who use multiple accounts may be sanctioned if they unintentionally, accidentally, or carelessly engage in sock puppetry." Also added footnote: "See Ghostbusters#Plot."
  • In WP:SOCK#Legitimate uses of alternative accounts, changed "prominent users might create a new account to experience how the community functions for new users." to "longterm contributors using their real name may wish to use a pseudonymous account for contributions they do not want their real name to be associated with. If you use an alternate account, it is your responsibility to ensure that you do not use it in a forbidden manner."
  • Added to WP:SOCK#Clean start under a new name: "This is permitted only if there is no active deception, particularly on pages that the old account used to edit. That is, you should not turn up on a page User:A used to edit to continue the same editing pattern, this time as User:B, while denying any connection to User:A, particularly if the edits are contentious."
  • In WP:SOCK#Alternative account notification, changed from "... this list does not allow direct mailing by non-members" to "The local functionaries email list (functionaries-enlists.wikimedia.uk) can also be advised". Also, removed [the Arbitration Committee list (arbcom-l@lists.wikimedia.org)] "which includes current and former members of the committee"

• Wikipedia:Username policy
  • Changed Category:Wikipedia enforcement policies to Category:Wikipedia conduct policies
  • In WP:U#Company/group names, changed "Explicit use of a company or group name as a username" to "Explicit use of a name or url of a company, group or product as a username".
  • In WP:U#Using multiple accounts, removed: "experienced contributors might create a new account in order to experience how the community functions for new or inexperienced users"
  • There was a major revision of the entire page from the June 30 version, with a new section WP:U#Choosing an appropriate username that begins "... This section is aimed at new users." A new section WP:U#Dealing with inappropriate usernames is aimed at patrollers and admins, including advice on Usernames for Administrator Attention and username blocks, and advice on remedies other than blocking.

• Wikipedia:Vandalism
  • In WP:VAN#See also, changed [ WikiProject Vandalism studies ] "(currently inactive)" to "(currently semi-active)"