 | This is an explanatory essay about the WP:User page page. This page provides additional information about concepts in the page(s) it supplements. This page is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Users may remove comments from their own talk page. There is no need for others to restore those comments. |
If a user removes a comment from their own talk page it should not be restored. By removing the comment, the user has verified that they have read it. The comment is still in the page history, so it is not necessary to keep it visible just to show that the user received the message. It is also wrong to force them to keep it there as a sort of "badge of shame".
There are several types of messages that a user should not remove: declined unblock requests while the block is still in effect; miscellany for deletion tags that seek deletion of the talk page the tag is on (i.e., while the discussion is still in progress); and for unregistered editors, shared IP header templates (this includes schools, military installations, Wi-Fi hotspots, and other shared IP addresses, but not dynamic IP addresses). These templates are intended not only to communicate with the user in question but also to communicate with others. (See Wikipedia:User pages#Removal of comments, notices, and warnings for other cases.)
Users should not remove only portions of another user's comment nor edit their comment in any other way. This includes paraphrasing, or correcting spelling, grammar, or factual errors. Even though these actions may be well meaning, they can change the intent of the original user's comment. Indentation or re-sectioning of comments (to help identify who said what or to provide chronological context) is allowed. Removing wikilinks without removing the displayed text is also allowed, as users may not want their talk page to show up in the "what links here" special page for certain Wikipedia pages.
Users who repeatedly restore the same comment to another user's talk page may be blocked for violating the three-revert rule or harassing another user, regardless of whether the talk page is for a registered editor or for an unregistered "anonymous" editor.