User:Bluerasberry/WikiProject code of conduct

Friendly collaboration in WikiProjects

This WikiProject Code of Conduct describes the expected behavior of visitors to WikiProjects and their project pages.

Code of conduct

While visiting a WikiProject and its project pages, everyone will behave in the following way:

1. participate with intent to support projects which WikiProject members organize
2. say nice things
3. thank others for their contributions to Wikipedia

Visitors will take care to avoid the following:

1. complaining
2. expressing negativity about another person's ideas or contributions
3. using the WikiProject as a forum for protesting activities of the WikiProject

Consequences of noncompliance

Anyone who identifies a post which does not comply with this WikiProject code of conduct should respond by linking to this code of conduct below the post and in the edit summary.

Anyone who chooses behavior outside of the code of conduct will get an invitation to express themselves elsewhere on Wikipedia. Good alternatives to this WikiProject include

• WP:PUMP
• Wikipedia:Noticeboards

A consequence of violating the code of conduct may include having one's words striken from consideration in a discussion. While strong expressions of negativity may make someone's word's more prominent in a conversation, misconduct is not an acceptable strategy for being persuasive in a conversation or debate. Suppose that someone has excellent ideas, but they fail to comply with the code of conduct. In that circumstance, the entirety of their posts may be deleted or removed from a conversation. Anyone who wants to rethink behavior which has the appearance of misconduct can do so by striking out their own post with the strikeout function. When in doubt be nice.

About this code

Per Wikipedia:WikiProject, "A WikiProject is a group of contributors who want to work together as a team to improve Wikipedia." WikiProjects invite participation from people who wish to work together. WikiProjects are unable to host people who engage in any activity which is contrary to working together with others.

WikiProjects are a friendly places which host a diverse contributor base including new users, external expert contributors and Wikipedia editors of all interests. WikiProjects are special places in Wikipedia because they are public facing and should present Wikipedia at its most civil. All visitors to WikiProjects should expect a positive, fun, experience and freedom from an environment of misconduct. WikiProject participants wish to enjoy their time in WikiProjects by collaborating in the absence of negativity and conflict.

WikiProject organizers supports everyone who has criticism and complaints to share. When someone wishes to seek conflict, express themselves with negativity, contribute complaints, or explain why things are wrong, then anyone is free to do all these things anywhere else on Wikipedia, outside of WikiProjects, and in other places where people who consent to receive these messages can accept them by choice. WikiProject visitors do not consent to receive these messages while in the WikiProject. There are many opportunities in Wikipedia for anyone to say what they want and find all the people who want to hear them. Everyone has a right to say what they wish, but no one has a right to demand that the WikiProject community space must be available for protests against the activities of a WikiProject.

FAQ

Who determines what conduct is acceptable or unacceptable, positive or negative?

In many cases there is no ambiguity and humans can readily distinguish between friendly and unfriendly behavior. This code of conduct does not seek to judge ambiguous cases, but rather to state the expectation that obvious and blatant negativity and misconduct is not allowed.

Why is this a "WikiProject code of conduct"? Should Wikipedia have the same rules everywhere?

WikiProjects are special places. New users come to WikiProjects to orient themselves to editing and regular WikiProject participants visit to enjoy themselves. WikiProjects are places where people should be free to peacefully enjoy their Wikipedia participation.

There is a place for aggressive and negative discussions on Wikipedia and WikiProjects are not that place.

Misconduct is not allowed anywhere on Wikipedia. Why have a code of conduct for WikiProjects?

In practice, Wikipedia tolerates a range of misbehavior. Wikipedia moderators are volunteers. Everyone is supposed to behave in a civil manner. One of the most difficult circumstances to address is when a user is an excellent Wikipedia content contributor but also with regularity engages in toxic negative behavior. Such people who mix good conduct and misconduct will have their supporters, and they can do well in Wikipedia in certain places, but Wikipedia has to reign in chaotic situations. By designating Wikiprojects as places for particularly friendly behavior, we set expectations that chaos belongs someplace else.

Should Wikipedia judge ideas for the strength of their arguments, and ignore characteristics like tone of presentation?

By default, Wikipedia should give no credence whatsoever to any community conversation where misconduct and negativity are present without recognition and chastisement. Civility is not an optional part of conversation, but rather, it is the essential characteristic which legitimizes a conversation. Conversations without civility lack legitimacy because the presence of misconduct in a forum is a barrier to participation from normal, friendly people who expect a positive environment for civil discourse.

Is removal of negativity, complaining, misconduct, and bad behavior a form of censorship?

No. It is possible to express any idea in a nice way. This code of conduct only judges conduct and tone, not ideas, so say things in a nice way.

Tone policing stifles natural human expression. Why should Wikipedia prevent people from expressing anger, hostility, and offense when they feel these emotions?

Everyone has a right to feel negative emotions but no one has a right to force others to be the target of that negativity or to listen to rants. Typical people thrive in positive supportive environments and Wikipedia protects their peaceful enjoyment of WikiProjects for this purpose. For people who want to be negative, choose any of Wikipedia's other forums of expression where people consent to expose themselves to negativity.

Also, an occasional emotional outburst is fine, because that is healthy human behavior. This code of conduct addresses people who use negativity as their routine mode of expressing what they have to say.

When someone complains, why not fix the problem? Why order the person who complains to change their conduct?

Irrespective of how important a complaint is, the person giving the complaint should first be civil. Wikipedia has processes for resolving issues, and all these processes start with civil conduct among everyone involved. Escalating a conflict with negativity and misconduct is not a pathway to more, better, and quicker responses.

Someone did something that I do not like! Should I complain to them until they fix it?

No, if two parties are in conflict, then the one who feels strongly should immediately request a neutral third party to mediate. Any person who engages in misconduct in an attempt to bring their own justice to a situation is themselves in error.

What should I do if I have questions about the code of conduct?

Please post to the talk page.