User:XLinkBot

Administrators: if this bot is malfunctioning, try changing its settings. It can also be shut off there in a server-friendly way.

This user account is a bot operated by Versageek (talk) and Beetstra (talk). It is used to make repetitive automated or semi-automated edits that would be extremely tedious to do manually, in accordance with the bot policy. The bot is approved and currently active – the relevant request for approval(s) or tasks can be seen here.
Administrators: if this bot is malfunctioning or causing harm, please block it.

:: History & Ownership

This bot started its wiki-life as User:SquelchBot.
This bot has taken up the work of User:AntiSpamBot. It is written in perl and uses perlwikipedia.pm. The code is a copy of the most recent code used by User:Shadow1 for User:AntiSpamBot, with some major enhancements made by User:Beetstra. We started with a minimal revert list.
This bot's functions are primarily automatic & it runs 24/7/365 (or as close to that as hardware & network conditions allow) .
The bot is hosted by User:Versageek, and the code is maintained by User:Beetstra. Versageek is responsible for day-to-day operations of the bot, including dealing with user queries and bot errors.

Approvals:

Wikipedia:Bots/Requests_for_approval/SquelchBot - the basic operation
Wikipedia:Bots/Requests_for_approval/XLinkBot_2 - addition of a task to revert addition of email addresses in mainspace.

:: Subpages

Subpages

User

Talk

Purpose & Scope

XLinkBot is primarily intended to deal with domains which may have a legit use on-wiki, but are frequently misused by new and anonymous users (or have a history of being misused). The bot allows established users to add links, while reverting links added by others. Editors who edit under their IP address and new users can still edit a page that contains links on the bot's revert list, they won't be reverted unless they add or change a link themselves.

XLinkBot can also serve as a good "step-up" to, or "step-down" from, the Mediawiki:Spam-blacklist, allowing time to see if the URL continues to be abused.

The Override list and the HardOverride list should only be used for short-term issues. If URLs are being abused to the point that the override is necessary on a long-term basis - they should be placed on the Mediawiki:Spam-blacklist.

Sites which are completely inappropriate for Wikipedia belong on the Mediawiki:Spam-blacklist rather than the RevertList.

At the request of the community, we have extended the ability to modify XLinkBot's revert list and revert behavior to all English Wikipedia admins. This can be done by editing the XLinkBot control pages noted below.

A Note to Users

If your additions were reverted by XLinkBot, please take time to review our external links & spam guidelines, and take note that Wikipedia is not a repository of links, not a directory, nor an advertising service; one should not link to sites that contain (likely) copyright infringements, and when you have a conflict of interest, you should avoid linking to a site you are connected to. If you feel your addition was within these policies and guidelines, you may undo the changes made by XLinkBot. In all other cases, please discuss the links on appropriate talkpages first.

A Note for RC Patrollers

Due to the nature of what the bot does, it will occasionally revert additions which may have been appropriate. As an RC patroller you are always required to make sure vandalism is obvious and uncontroversial, please do not revert someone who reverts or 'undoes' an XLinkBot edit based solely on the bot reverting the addition originally.

A Note for Admins

If you are here after XLinkBot reported a user to WP:AIV, please do check the contributions of the editor. Although most of the rules on the revert list are for links which are discouraged per our policies and guidelines, it is possible that a user is adding links which are allowed or even encouraged. If you encounter such an editor, please consider whitelisting them instead of blocking them.
- Note that in some extreme cases, XLinkBot is set to override and/or to override levels. This is e.g. done with spammers who use redirect sites to spam links to (redirects to) blacklisted sites. This results in editors being repeatedly reverted by the bot and may result in editors being reported to AIV without talkpage warnings. --Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 06:19, 28 July 2018 (UTC)

If you don't understand how to format a complex regular expression, please limit yourself to adding simple entries. Requests for complex entries can be made on the requests page.

Analysis

Every now and then a rule gets analysed, e.g. when someone has serious doubts the rule does make too many mistakes. See User:XLinkBot/Analysis.

A final comment

As bot owner, I am ultimately responsible for the actions of this bot. I reserve the right to remove entries from any of the lists and return Settings to default. --Versa geek 01:14, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

RevertList requests

For requests, see the request page

Frequently asked questions

See the FAQ

Reversion reasons

See Reversion reasons and list of commonly reverted sites

Customised warnings

See the customised warnings.

Revertlist

The regular expressions reverted by XLinkBot can be found here: RevertList

When the settings have the parameter 'RevertListSource' set to wiki, this revertlist is the actual source of rules which XLinkBot will revert. Admins may edit the RevertList. It uses the same syntax and format as the Mediawiki:Spam-blacklist. Versageek has stocked her trout pond with especially large fish for benefit of those who add bad Regex.

Override & Hard Override

For certain cases, certain settings can be put on override by adding a regular expression to

/OverrideList (overrides references, templates, size_limit, reversions, and the bot will revert to itself and other AntiVandalismBots, but the bot will still obey 3RR and ignore established users)
/HardOverrideList (same as the OverrideList, but now also ignores 3RR, and it will now also revert established users).

The regex has to be on the RevertList as well.

User and Page Locks

When an external link should not be used by one specific user, or not be used on one specific page, it is possible to 'lock' the rule to that single user or page.

/PageLocks (to lock a pagename to a regex)
/UserLocks (to lock a username to a regex)

The regex has to be on the RevertList as well, and the regex can be used together with the OverRide and Hard Override, which will have the described effect. This may result in edit-warring between a user and XLinkBot!

Barnstars & such

		The Technology Barnstar
		This Barnstar is awarded to XLinkBot for reverting Spam vandalism On Wikipedia! --Hu12 (talk) 12:56, 31 January 2008 (UTC)

		The Bot award
		To the most useful and overworked bot on Wikipedia. For reverting spam in the blink of an eye, thus allowing editors to... well, edit. Paxse (talk) 03:40, 26 November 2008 (UTC)

	The Working Wikipedian's Barnstar
	Awarded to Sir XLinkBot and its creator in recognition of pushing through early adversity and contributing to the endless task of reverting questionable link additions. Enigma^msg 21:37, 16 March 2009 (UTC)

		The Anti-Spam Barnstar
		I just love seeing this bot do its work, it's soo... satisfying! :) œ ^™ 03:19, 27 August 2009 (UTC)

		The Civility Barnstar
		for the amazing "warning" messages left by User:XLinkBot after reverting new users (Including both a welcome template and a very nicely worded note). With many of our warning templates being abrasive seeing this on a talk page is a refreshing, and welcome, change. Jalexander--WMF 20:57, 21 March 2011 (UTC)

	The Anti-Vandalism Barnstar
	Great work on automatically removing spam links. hydrox (talk) 22:48, 1 August 2011 (UTC)