Powerbase:Etiquette

This page offers some principles of etiquette, on how to work with others on SpinProfiles.

SpinProfiles's contributors come from many different countries and cultures. We have many different views, perspectives, opinions, and backgrounds, sometimes varying widely. Treating others with respect is key to collaborating effectively in building an international online encyclopedia of propaganda and spin.

SpinProfiles invites contributers to improve its text. But often there are differences of opinion on whether a change in text is an "improvement". These guidelines are intended to assist in ensuring that SpinProfiles remains a healthy online community: by clarifying SpinProfiles policy in regards to what is appropriate/acceptable conduct for SpinProfiles contributers, to avoid disputes wherever possible and advise on how to deal with any disputes if they do arise.

Some basic principles of SpinProfiles etiquette

• Assume good faith.
• Treat others as you would have them treat you – even if they are new. We were all new once...
• Be polite, please!
  • Keep in mind that raw text is ambiguous and often seems ruder than the same words coming from a person standing in front of you. Irony isn't always obvious - text comes without facial expressions, vocal inflection or body language. Be careful of the words you choose – what you intended might not be what others perceive, and what you read might not be what the author intended.
• Sign and date your posts to talk pages (not articles!)
• Work toward agreement.
• Argue facts, not personalities.
• Don't ignore questions.
  • If another disagrees with your edit, provide good reasons why you think it's appropriate.
• Concede a point when you have no response to it, or admit when you disagree based on intuition or taste.
• Be civil.
• Although it's understandably difficult in a heated argument, if other editors are not as civil as you'd like them to be, make sure to be more civil than they are, not less. That way at least you're not spiralling down to open conflict and name-calling by your own accord; you're actively doing something about it: taking a hit and refraining from hitting back – everybody appreciates that (or at least they should).
  • However, don't hesitate to let the other party know that you're not comfortable with their tone in a neutral way – otherwise they might think you're too dense to understand their "subtlety", and you'll involuntarily encourage them (e.g. "I know you've been sarcastic above, but I don't think that's helping us resolve the issue. However, I don't think your argument stands because...").
• Be prepared to apologize. In animated discussions, we often say things we later wish we hadn't. Say so.
• Forgive and forget.
• Recognize your own biases and keep them in check.
• Give praise when due. Everybody likes to feel appreciated, especially in an environment that often requires compromise. Drop a friendly note on users' talk pages.
• Remove or summarize resolved disputes that you initiated.
• Help mediate disagreements between others.
• If you're arguing, take a break. If you're mediating, recommend a break.
  • Take it slowly. If you're angry, take time out instead of posting or editing. Come back in a day or a week. You might find that someone else has made the desired change or comment for you.
  • Walk away or find another SpinProfiles article to distract yourself.
• Avoid reverts and deletions whenever possible. Explain reversions in the edit summary box.
  • Amend, edit, discuss.
• Remind yourself that these are people you're dealing with. They are individuals with feelings and probably have other people in the world who love them. Try to treat others with dignity. The world is a big place, with different cultures and conventions. Do not use jargon that others might not understand. Use acronyms carefully and clarify if there is the possibility any doubt.

Consensus

SpinProfiles works fundamentally by building consensus.

Consensus is an inherent part of the process when contributing to SpinProfiles, which is normally reached as a natural product of the editing process. When someone makes a change or addition to a page, everyone who reads the page has an opportunity to either leave the page as it is or contribute by changing/adding to it.

Any disagreements that arise should be resolved through polite reasoning, cooperation and negotiation on talk pages.

When consensus is referred to in SpinProfiles discussion, it always means 'within the framework of established policy and practice'. There are exceptions that supersede consensus decisions on a page. This includes declarations from the Personnel/Editor's in charge of SpinProfiles: in particularly for server load or legal issues (copyright, privacy rights, and libel) that have policy status.

Avoid Edit Wars

An edit war is when two or more SpinProfiles contributers have differing opinions as to how a page should be and engage in repeated revertion/changes to each others work.

This could be due to people having different opinions on the content of a page (or how it is structured), or it could also be a conflict over the sharing of power.

Most people take pride in their work and in their point of view and egos can easily get hurt in editing. But edit wars are not the answer and are never productive. The improvement process employed by SpinProfiles is iterative and the critical analysis of prior work is a necessary part of that process. If you are not prepared to have your work thoroughly scrutinized, analyzed and criticized, or if your ego is easily damaged, then SpinProfiles is probably not the place for you.

If two or more people are unable to agree and there is a danger that it may decend into an edit war, use the talk pages to calmly and rationally discuss your points of view in order to come to some kind of agreement as to how to proceed.

Try to avoid deleting things as a matter of principle. When you amend and edit (rather than delete), it is remarkable how you might see something useful in what was said. Most people have something useful to say: which also includes you. Deletion upsets people and can make them feel that they have wasted their time. If you feel that something from a page truly necessitates deletion, then move it into the talk page along with a explaination of your thinking behind it. If your reason is to do with legal matters (such as libel), contact sysops AT spinprofiles.org straight away.

Using Talk Pages

Talk pages are not a place for striking back or getting personal. They can be used to comfort or undo damage to egos, but most of all they're for forging agreements that are best for the articles they're attached to.

If someone disagrees with you, try to understand why, and in your discussion on the talk pages take the time to provide good reasons why you think your way is better.

Before initiating a discussion, ask yourself: is this really necessary to discuss? Editing pages in SpinProfiles is an integral part of the process and if we were to discuss every change we make then progress would be very slow. If the changes are slight and do not radically alter the nature of the page then it may be more appropriate to edit it and provide an explaination in the edit summary. Radical changes that fundamentally change the nature of a page should first be discussed so that the previous editers have the opportunity to express their point of view.

• You can always take a discussion to e-mail or to your user page if it's not essential to the article.
• If you know you don't get along with someone, don't interact with them more than you need to. Unnecessary conflict distracts everyone from the task of making a good encyclopedia, and is just unpleasant. Actually following someone you dislike around SpinProfiles could be considered stalking, and is frowned on because it can be disruptive. If you don't get along with someone, try to become more friendly. If that doesn't help the situation then it is probably best to avoid them.
• Though editing articles is acceptable (and, in fact, encouraged), editing the signed words of another editor on a talk page or other discussion page is not acceptable, as it can alter the intent or message of the original comment and misrepresent the original editor's thoughts.

qualify your interpretation with a remark such as "as you seem to be saying" or "as I understand you" to acknowledge that you are making an interpretation. Before proceeding to say that someone is wrong, concede you might have misinterpreted him or her.

Always remember that anything that is written on SpinProfiles is kept permanently, even if it is not visible.

Assume Good Faith

To assume good faith is a fundamental principle on SpinProfiles. In allowing anyone to edit, we work from an assumption that most people are trying to help the project, not hurt it. When you can reasonably assume that a mistake someone made was a well-intentioned attempt to further the goals of the project, correct it without criticizing. When you disagree with people, remember that they probably believe that they are helping the project.

Unless there is strong evidence to the contrary, assume that people who work on the project are trying to help it, not hurt it.

This guideline does not require that editors continue to assume good faith in the presence of evidence to the contrary. Actions inconsistent with good faith include repeated vandalism, malicious actions and lying. Assuming good faith also does not mean that no action by editors should be criticized, but instead that criticism should not be attributed to malice unless there is specific evidence that it is deliberate.

If you are uncertain as to whether an action may be deliberately malicious, contact management AT spinprofiles.org for advice.

For instances of vandalism, refer to SpinProfiles Guidelines on Vandalism

Don't Make it Personal

When editors weigh the pros and cons of whether a change is an improvement, it may be difficult to criticize text without being subjective about the situation. In trying to be clear they can sometimes be unnecessarily harsh on the giving end. Conversely, on the receiving end, editors can be oversensitive when they see what they wrote replaced by something that claims to be "better" (whether this is implied intentionally or not).

Silent and faceless words on talk pages and edit summaries also do not transmit the nuances of verbal conversation: leading to small, facetious comments being misinterpreted. One uncivil remark can easily escalate into a heated discussion which may not focus objectively on the problem at hand. It is during these exchanges that community members may become uninterested in improving articles and instead focus on "triumphing" over the "enemy".

If someone disagrees with you, this does not necessarily mean that the person hates you or thinks you're stupid. It also does not necessarily mean that the person themself is stupid or mean.

SpinProfiles encourages a positive online community: people make mistakes, but they are encouraged to learn from them and change their ways. Personal attacks are contrary to this spirit and damaging to the work of building this encyclopedia. So do not make personal attacks anywhere in SpinProfiles. Comment on content, not on the contributor. Personal attacks will not help you make a point, they hurt the SpinProfiles community and can deter users from contributing.

If you have to criticize, you must do it in a polite and constructive manner.

If criticism is needed, endeavour to discuss editors' actions rather than criticising the person. It is also neither appropriate nor productive to accuse others of harmful motives: If you suspect that someone is displaying harmful motives, contact management AT spinprofiles.org for assistance.

If an editor uses an insult, it is normally in the heat of the moment during a longer conflict and they often regret having used such words afterwards. Insults can essentially end the discussion, making it more difficult to calmly and rationally agree to how editing of a page should proceed. Insults not only go against SpinProfiles policy, it is also never a productive way to deal with things.

Also avoid labelling people or their edits. Terms like "racist", "sexist" or even "poorly written" make people defensive. This makes it hard to discuss articles productively.

While personal attacks are never excusable, editors are encouraged to disregard angry and ill-mannered postings of others when it is reasonable to do so, and to continue to focus their efforts on improving and developing SpinProfiles articles.

If you feel that a response is necessary and desirable, you should leave a polite message on the other user's talk page. Do not respond on a talk page of an article; this tends to escalate matters. Likewise, it is important to avoid becoming hostile and confrontational yourself, even in the face of abuse. When possible, try to find compromise or common ground regarding the underlying issues of content, rather than argue about behaviour.

In some cases, someone may be provoking on purpose: either to distract the "opponent(s)" from the issue, or simply to drive them away from working on the article or even from the project. It may also be to push others to commit an even greater breach in civility which might result in the removal of their SpinProfiles editing rights. There may also be instances were an editor may deliberately push others to the point of breaching civility, without seeming to commit such a breach themselves. In these cases, it is far less likely that the offender will have any regrets and it would become necessary for the Managing Editor to be informed by emailing management AT spinprofiles.org

Attacks that are particularly offensive or disruptive (such as physical or legal threats) should never be ignored.

The most serious types of personal attacks, such as efforts to reveal nonpublic personal information about SpinProfiles editors, go beyond the level of mere invective, and should be reported immediately to management AT spinprofiles.org.

Recurring, non-disruptive personal attacks that do not stop after reasoned requests to cease should also be reported.

Off-SpinProfiles personal attacks

SpinProfiles cannot regulate behaviour in media not under the control of SpinProfiles, but personal attacks made elsewhere create doubt as to whether an editor's on-SpinProfiles actions are conducted in good faith. Posting personal attacks or defamation off-SpinProfiles is harmful to the community and to an editor's relationship with it, especially when such attacks take the form of violating an editor's privacy. Such attacks can be regarded as aggravating factors by administrators.

Do not post external links to pages which call for the malicious harassment of a SpinProfiles editor, or contain privacy violations of a SpinProfiles editor. Doing so deliberately and repeatedly may result in a block. As with personal attacks, extreme and deliberate harassment by way of external links are grounds for a ban.

Tips for when things get heated

• If someone acts uncivilly towards you, do not do the same in return. remain calm and polite and try not to lose your cool over it. Even though it demands a lot of self control and patience, it is ultimately a lot easier for others to resolve a dispute and see who is breaching policies, if one side is clearly editing appropriately throughout.
• Take a break and step away from the source of the disagreement. SpinProfiles is a very big place. Just go edit somewhere else for a while and return when tempers have cooled.
• 'Please'. 'Thank you'. 'I'm sorry'. 'You're welcome'. 'You're a good person and I know we'll work this out'. Treat your fellow editor as a respected and admired colleague, who is working in collaboration with you on an important project. For some people, it may be crucial to receive an apology from those who have offended them. For this reason, a sincere apology is often the key to the resolution of a conflict.
• You do not have to like an editor as a person, to appreciate that they are also working for the good of the project. Though in the case of personality clashes it is probably best to stear clear of one another as far as is possible.

Ownership

The involvement of multiple editors contributing to a page can be complex and people may be (quite rightly) proud of the work they have put into it. It may be the case that some people will become possessive about the work they have contributed and may go as far as to defend their contributions against any 'intruders'. It is one thing to take an interest in an article that you maintain on your watchlist. Maybe you really are an expert or you just care about the topic a lot. But if this watchfulness crosses a certain line, then you are overdoing it.

SpinProfiles is a collaborative project which means that we must work together to build this encyclopedia. Working together is our strength and whilst no one person owns an article, we can all be active contributers to the success of the project.

When contributing to an article be sensitive to the work that previous contributers have already put into it. Try to avoid making any sweeping changes when it is not necessary. If large changes do seem necessary, then using the 'talk' page to explain/discuss the reasons can help to avoid hurting people's feelings and leaving them feelling that they have wasted their time.

Also, when contributing to an article, remember that other contributers are likely to follow. This is the nature of the SpinProfiles process as we build the encyclopedia together. We all have different preferences and styles, but in the end it is what is best for a SpinProfiles article that counts. Quality and accuracy should be our top priority. If changes have been made to your contributions that you genuinely feel are not the best for the article then use the talk pages to discuss it. It may also be useful to use the talk page in the exchange of ideas, as a simple exchange of ideas will usually solve any ownership issues.

While it may be easy to identify ownership issues, it is sometimes far more difficult to resolve the conflict to the satisfaction of the editors involved. It is always helpful to remember to stay calm, assume good faith, and remain civil. Accusing other editors of owning the article may appear aggressive, and could be perceived as a personal attack. Address the editor in a civil manner, with the same amount of respect you would expect. Often, editors accused of ownership may not even realize it, so it is important to assume good faith. Some editors may think they are protecting the article from vandalism and may respond to any changes with hostility. If necessary, remind editors of SpinProfiles proceedures by referring them the appropriate policy or guidelines page.

If a conflict does arise that cannot be resolved through discussion in the talk pages. See SpinProfiles dispute resolution guidelines for further advice.

Action that is never acceptable

some types of comments are never acceptable:

• Racial, sexual, homophobic, ageist, religious, political, ethnic, or other epithets (such as against disabled people) directed against another contributor. Disagreement over what constitutes a religion, race, sexual preference, or ethnicity is not a legitimate excuse.
• Threats of legal action. (See SpinProfiles policy on legal threats)
• Threats of violence, particularly death threats.
• Threats of vandalism to userpages or talk pages. (See Vandalism guidelines for further info).
• Threats or actions which expose other SpinProfiles editors to political, religious or other persecution by government, their employer or any others.

Violations of this sort may result in a block for an extended period of time, which may be applied immediately upon discovery.

What to do if a problem cannot be resolved or is of a serious nature

• Dispute resolution

SpinProfiles editors will be glad to help and are capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct (if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence of it).

Reporting a fellow editor is not a step to be taken lightly or in haste. However if ... contact the Managing Editor by emailing management AT spinprofiles.org. If the matter is of a legal nature, such as in the case of libelous entries posted onto an article, immediately contact sysops AT spinprofiles.org

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Info for merging

• Always make clear what point you are addressing, especially in replies.
  • In responding, make it clear what idea you are responding to. Quoting a post is O.K., but paraphrasing it or stating how you interpreted it is better. Furthermore,
  • Interweaving rebuttals into the middle of another person's comments, however, is generally a bad idea. It disrupts the flow of the discussion and breaks the attribution of comments. It may be intelligible to the two of you, but it's virtually impossible for the rest of the community to follow.

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• When the community grows larger. Each editor does not know all the others and may not perceive the importance of each individual to the project — so they do not worry about maintaining relationships that do not exist. Covering up a bad reputation is easier in a larger community than it is in a smaller community.

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Consider using talk pages to clearly explain yourself, and give others the opportunity to do the same. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives and look for ways to reach consensus if possible. This can avoid misunderstandings and prevent problems from escalating.

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Although editors are encouraged to ignore or respond politely to isolated personal attacks, that should not imply that they are acceptable or without consequences. A pattern of hostility reduces the likelihood of the community assuming good faith, and can be considered disruptive editing. Users who insist on a confrontational style marked by personal attacks are likely to end up in the dispute resolution process.

In extreme cases, even isolated personal attacks may lead to a block for disruption. Legal threats, death threats, and issues of similar severity may result in a block without warning.

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If necessary, educate users by referring to the appropriate SpinProfiles policies or style page.