Wikipedia:Contentious topics/2021-22 review
Status as of 01:54 (UTC), Thursday, 22 August 2024 (
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- The final decision has been posted and announced.
- The initial implementation period has concluded and the updated procedure has come into effect.
- Any editors interested in the ongoing implementation process are invited to assist at the implementation talk page.
- To be notified about updates, subscribe to the update list.
The revision process will be conducted in four phases:
The revision process was managed by drafting arbitrators designated by the Arbitration Committee (CaptainEek, L235, Wugapodes). |
The Arbitration Committee is seeking to revise the discretionary sanctions procedure.
The discretionary sanctions procedure sets forth a special set of rules that apply in topic areas defined by the Arbitration Committee. Within those topic areas, administrators are granted additional authority to prevent and respond to misconduct by editors. Discretionary sanctions were first introduced in 2009, codified in 2011, and substantially reformed in a 2013–14 review process.
The purpose of this revision process is to simplify and clarify the procedure and resolve problems with the current system of discretionary sanctions.
Revision process
editThe revision process will be conducted in four phases:
- Phase I community consultation (March – April 2021) (closed)
- Closing statement posted (May 2021) (closed)
- Discretionary sanctions topic amendments (February 2022) (closed)
- Phase II community consultation (September – October 2022) (closed)
- Proposed decision (November – December 2022)
- Public review (November 13 – 18, 2022)
- Final decision (December 2022)
- Implementation: The drafting arbitrators will implement the Committee's decision in conjunction with the Committee's clerks and interested volunteers designated by the Committee.
The revision process was managed by drafting arbitrators designated by the Arbitration Committee (CaptainEek, L235, Wugapodes).
Final decision
editThe merged text of the final decision may be found at Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Discretionary sanctions/2021-22 review/Implementation/Merged.
Name
edit1) The discretionary sanctions (DS) system will be renamed "contentious topics" (CT), and restrictions placed within the DS system will be referred to as "contentious topic restrictions".
Adopted language
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The language in subsequent proposals reflects the "contentious topics" and "contentious topic restrictions" language. In the event that an alternative name proposal is passed, the wording will be substituted as appropriate. |
- Passed 10 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Nutshell
edit2)
Adopted language
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Contentious topics are specially-designated topics that have attracted more persistent disruptive editing than the rest of the project. Administrators are allowed to impose editing restrictions on editors who do not follow project expectations within contentious topics. Administrators are also allowed to set special rules on pages within a contentious topic to prevent inappropriate editing. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Lead
edit3)
Adopted language
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A special set of rules applies to certain topic areas, which are referred to as contentious topics (abbreviated CT). These are specially-designated topics that have attracted more persistent disruptive editing than the rest of the project and have been designated as contentious topics by the Arbitration Committee.[a] Not all topics that are controversial have been designated as contentious topics – this procedure applies only to those topics designated by the Arbitration Committee (list). When editing a contentious topic, Wikipedia's norms and policies are more strictly enforced and Wikipedia administrators have additional authority to reduce disruption to the project. Editing a contentious topic Within contentious topics, you must edit carefully and constructively, refrain from disrupting the encyclopedia, and:
You should err on the side of caution if you are unsure whether making a particular edit is consistent with these expectations. Within contentious topics, administrators have the ability to set editor restrictions (restrictions on editing by particular editors) and page restrictions (special rules on how particular pages can be edited). Some of these abilities may be exercised by a single administrator while others require a consensus of administrators. All editor and page restrictions may be appealed. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Awareness
edit4)
Adopted language
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When an editor first begins making edits within any contentious topic, anyone may alert the editor of the contentious topic designation using [CT/TOPICNOTICE] template. Only the officially designated templates should be used for an editor's first contentious topic alert, and these templates may not be placed using a bot or other form of automated editing without the prior approval of the Arbitration Committee. When alerting an editor who has previously received any contentious topic alert, the [LINK] template may be used, but any message that conveys the contentious topic designation is acceptable.[b] If the enforcing administrator believes that an editor was not aware that they were editing a designating contentious topic when making inappropriate edits, no editor restrictions (other than a logged warning) should be imposed.[c] Once alerted to a specific contentious topic, editors are presumed to remain aware but may attempt to refute this presumption on appeal.[d] |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Appeals and amendments
edit5)
Adopted language
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All contentious topic restrictions (and logged warnings) may be appealed. Only the restricted editor may appeal an editor restriction. Any editor may appeal a page restriction. The appeal process has three possible stages. An editor appealing a restriction may:
Appeals submitted at AE or AN must be submitted using the applicable template. A rough consensus of administrators at AE or editors at AN may specify a period of up to one year during which no appeals (other than an appeal to ARCA) may be submitted. Changing or revoking a contentious topic restrictioneditAdministrators have the authority to revoke or change a contentious topic restriction if and only if:
An appeal is successful only if one of the following agrees with revoking or changing the contentious topic restriction:
Any administrator who revokes or changes a contentious topic restriction out of process (i.e. without the above conditions being met) may, at the discretion of the Arbitration Committee, be desysopped. Standard of revieweditOn community revieweditUninvolved administrators at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard ("AE") and uninvolved editors at the administrators' noticeboard ("AN") should revoke or modify a contentious topic restriction on appeal if:
On Arbitration Committee revieweditArbitrators hearing an appeal at a request for amendment ("ARCA") will generally overturn a contentious topic restriction only if:
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Amendment history
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- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Contentious topic restrictions: imposition, types, duration, use
edit6)
Adopted language
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Administrators are authorized to impose contentious topic restrictions in contentious topic areas. Those contentious topic restrictions take the form of editor restrictions and page restrictions. Editor restrictions prohibit a specific editor from making edits described in the restriction and may be imposed on editors who do not follow the expectations listed in #Editing a contentious topic in a contentious topic. Page restrictions prohibit all editors on a particular page from making edits described in the restriction and may be imposed to minimize disruption in a contentious topic. Unless otherwise specified, contentious topics are broadly construed; this contentious topics procedure applies to all pages broadly related to a topic, as well as parts of other pages that are related to the topic.[h] Single administrators may only impose restrictions in the standard set of contentious topic restrictions. A rough consensus of administrators at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard ("AE") may impose any restriction from the standard set and any other reasonable measures that are necessary and proportionate for the smooth running of the project.
The following editor restrictions constitute the standard set of editor restrictions which may be imposed by a single uninvolved administrator:
The following page restrictions constitute the standard set of page restrictions which may be imposed by a single uninvolved administrator:
Contentious topic restrictions may be imposed for any fixed length of time, or for an indefinite period. However, one year after being imposed (or last renewed, if applicable), contentious topic restrictions which were imposed by a single administrator may be amended or revoked without going through the appeals and amendments process in the same way as an ordinary administrator action. Additionally, sitewide blocks become ordinary administrator actions one year after imposition, whether or not imposed by a consensus of administrators at AE.
An administrator who imposes an editor restriction must provide a notice on the restricted editor's talk page specifying the reason for the restriction and informing the restricted editor of the appeal process. An administrator who imposes a page restriction (other than page protection) must add an editnotice to restricted pages using the standard template ([CT EDITNOTICE]), and should generally add a notice to the talk page of restricted pages.
If an uninvolved administrator (including the original enforcing administrator) decides that a page restriction is still necessary after one year, the administrator may renew the restriction by re-imposing it under this procedure and logging the renewal. The administrator renewing a page restriction then becomes the enforcing administrator. This does not apply to page restrictions imposed by consensus at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard.
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Amendment history
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- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Enforcement
edit7)
Adopted language
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Editors must comply with contentious topic restrictions. Editors who disagree with a contentious topic restriction may appeal it, but the restriction remains in effect until it is revoked or modified by an administrator. Edits that breach an editor or page restriction may be reverted.[u] Editors who breach an editor or page restriction may be blocked or subjected to further editor restrictions. However, breaches of a page restriction may result in a block or editor restriction only if:
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- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Warnings
edit8)
Adopted language
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Administrators may warn editors for conduct that falls short of the expectations in a contentious topic. Administrators may choose to log warnings in the arbitration enforcement log. Warnings that are logged in the arbitration enforcement log may be appealed like other editor restrictions. An editor may be warned even if the editor was not previously aware that their editing occurred in a contentious topic. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Administrator instructions
edit9) The Arbitration Committee will, acting through its members, clerks, and other editors designated by the Committee, maintain instructions for enforcing administrators.
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Contentious topic subpages
edit10) The Arbitration Committee will, acting through its members, clerks, and other editors designated by the Committee, maintain a subpage of the contentious topics procedure listing relevant information including:
- other topic-wide remedies (e.g. ARBPIA-wide 500/30 and 1RR)
- standard templates for the topic area
- any guidance for admins from ArbCom
- any ARCAs or other clarifications that affect the topic
- any additions to the "standard set" for the topic
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Editnotices and talk page notices
edit11) The Arbitration Committee will, acting through its members, clerks, and other editors designated by the Committee, modify contentious topics editnotices and talk page notices with the following broad goals:
- Creating two editnotice templates: one for optional use on pages with no page restrictions, and one for mandatory use on pages with page restrictions;
- Using clear and concise formatting when describing page restrictions in place of long individual lines; and
- Creating custom ArbCom-maintained templates for cases with existing topic-wide restrictions (such as Template:Editnotice GMO 1RR).
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Designation of contentious topics
edit12)
Adopted language
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Contentious topics may be designated either as part of the final decision of an arbitration case or by Arbitration Committee motion. When it becomes apparent that a particular contentious topic designation is no longer necessary, the Committee may rescind it. Any editor may request that the Committee review a contentious topic designation by submitting a request for amendment ("ARCA"). Unless the Committee specifies otherwise, after rescinding a designation, all restrictions previously-issued under that designation remain in force and continue to be governed by the contentious topics procedure. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Logging
edit13)
Adopted language
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Contentious topic restrictions must be recorded in the arbitration enforcement log by the administrator who takes the action.[v] Administrators who renew, change, or revoke a contentious topic restriction must append a note recording the amendment to the original log entry. Administrators should clearly and unambiguously label their actions as contentious topic restrictions (such as in the block summary, page protection summary, edit summary, or talk page message announcing the action, whichever is appropriate).[w] |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Continuity
edit14)
Adopted language
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Any restrictions imposed under the prior discretionary sanctions procedure to date remain in force. Any changes to or appeals regarding previously-imposed restrictions will be governed by the current contentious topics procedure, subject to the following transitional rules:
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Amendment history
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Adopted as an amendment to the "Contentious topic restrictions: imposition, types, duration, use" proposal with effect on this proposal.
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- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Administrators' role and expectations
edit15)
Adopted language
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Administrators should seek to create an acceptable collaborative editing environment within contentious topics. Administrators are expected to use their experience and judgment to balance the need to assume good faith, to avoid biting genuine newcomers and to allow responsible contributors maximum editing freedom with the need to keep edit-warring, battleground conduct, and disruptive behaviour to a minimum. Before imposing a contentious topic restriction, administrators must consider whether a regular administrative action would be sufficient to reduce disruption to the project. While contentious topic restrictions give administrators necessary latitude, administrators must not:
Administrators who fail to meet these expectations may be subject to any remedy the committee considers appropriate, including desysopping. Administrative actions may be peer-reviewed using the regular appeal processes. Former administrators – that is, editors who have temporarily or permanently relinquished the tools or have been desysopped – may neither act as administrators in arbitration enforcement nor reverse their own previous administrative actions. Administrator expectationsedit
Enforcing administrators are accountable and must explain their enforcement actions; and they must not be involved. Prior routine enforcement interactions, prior administrator participation in enforcement discussions, or when an otherwise uninvolved administrator refers a matter to AE to elicit the opinion of other administrators or refers a matter to the committee at ARCA, do not constitute or create involvement. Administrators may not adjudicate their own actions at any appeal. However, they are encouraged to provide statements and comments to assist in reaching a determination. Enforcing administrators are expected to exercise good judgment by responding flexibly and proportionately when they intervene. Except for the cases when the Arbitration Committee has predetermined the set of escalating sanctions to be imposed for violations of a final decision, the severity of the sanction imposed should be commensurate with all circumstances of the case at hand, including the seriousness of the violation and the possible recidivism of the editor in question. When dealing with first or isolated instances of borderline misconduct, informal advice may be more effective in the long term than a sanction. Conversely, editors engaging in egregious or sustained misconduct should be dealt with robustly. Administrators do not need explicit consensus to enforce arbitration decisions and can always act unilaterally. However, when the case is not clear-cut they are encouraged, before acting, to seek input from their colleagues at arbitration enforcement. When a consensus of uninvolved administrators is emerging in a discussion, administrators willing to overrule their colleagues should act with caution and must explain their reasons on request. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
AE noticeboard
edit16)
Adopted language
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The arbitration enforcement noticeboard may consider:
For all other matters, including content disagreements or the enforcement of other community-imposed sanctions, editors should use the other fora described in the dispute resolution process. To appeal decisions made directly by the Arbitration Committee, editors should submit a request for clarification or amendment.
Requests and appeals at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard may not be closed with a "rough consensus" or "clear consensus" outcome without at least 24 hours of discussion. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Sufficiency of other actions
edit17)
Adopted language
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Before imposing a delegated enforcement action, administrators must consider whether a regular administrative action would be sufficient to reduce disruption to the project. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Enforcement templates and procedural documents
edit18)
Adopted language
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Arbitrators and arbitration clerks may, after consultation with the Arbitration Committee, update and maintain templates and procedural documents related to arbitration enforcement processes (including the contentious topics system). |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Arbitration enforcement log
edit19)
Adopted language
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The last paragraph of Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Procedures § Logging is amended to read as follows:
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- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Decorum
edit20)
Adopted language
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Certain pages (including the arbitration enforcement noticeboard ("AE"), the administrators' noticeboard ("AN"), and the Arbitration Committee's requests for amendment ("ARCA")) are used for the fair, well-informed, and timely resolution of individual and page restrictions. Editors participating in enforcement cases must disclose fully their involvement with parties (if any). While good-faith statements are welcome, editors are expected to discuss only evidence and procedure; they are not expected to trade insults or engage in character assassination. Insults and personal attacks, soapboxing and casting aspersions are as unacceptable in enforcement discussions as elsewhere on Wikipedia. Uninvolved administrators are asked to ensure that enforcement cases are not disrupted, and may remove statements or restrict or block editors to address inappropriate conduct. |
- Passed 11 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Administrative provisions
edit21) Each reference to the prior discretionary sanctions procedure shall be treated as a reference to the contentious topics procedure. The arbitration clerks are directed to amend all existing remedies authorizing discretionary sanctions to instead designate contentious topics.
- Passed 10 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Referrals from Arbitration Enforcement noticeboard to the full Committee
edit22)
Adopted language
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A consensus of administrators at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard may refer an arbitration enforcement request to the Arbitration Committee for final decision through a request for amendment. |
- Passed 10 to 1 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)
Notes
editNotes
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Motion to close
editThe above proposals that are supported by an absolute majority of unrecused active arbitrators are hereby enacted. The drafting arbitrators (CaptainEek, L235, and Wugapodes) are directed to take the actions necessary to bring the proposals enacted by this motion into effect, including by amending the procedures at WP:AC/P and WP:AC/DS. The authority granted to the drafting arbitrators by this motion expires one month after enactment.
The Arbitration Committee thanks all those who have participated in the 2021-22 discretionary sanctions review process and all who have helped bring it to a successful conclusion. This motion concludes the 2021-22 discretionary sanctions review process.
- Passed 6 to 0 with 1 abstention at 21:36, 14 December 2022 (UTC)