Powerbase:Editorial Policy
Template:Helpbar Template:SpinProfiles policy
SpinProfiles is a wiki -- a collection of articles, configured so that any registered user can create or edit an article. Edits by registered users are logged under their user name, to register email editor@spinprofiles.org.
Contents
Groups/Individuals Posting Articles on Themselves
We don't encourage individuals and groups to create SpinProfiles articles about themselves or people or organizations with which they are affiliated. We encourage people who edit articles about themselves or people or organizations with which they are affiliated to exercise restraint and to defer to other contributors with regard to editing choices that are matters of interpretation rather than fact. When disputes arise over interpretation, such individuals should try to address them with comments on the talk page rather than the article space itself. Users who are overly aggressive in deleting relevant facts from articles about themselves or others may be blocked from contributing to or editing the site.
Security
Although anyone can contribute, SpinProfiles uses a system of "soft security" to minimize damage from commercial spammers, trolls and vandals.
Our "soft security" measures are as follows:
- Some registered SpinProfiles users have been given the status of "sysop," which enables them to block contributions from registered users.
- Sysops can also "protect" individual articles. A "protected" article can only be edited by other sysops. The SpinProfiles home page is protected. Other pages should only be protected if they are targets of recurring vandalism.
- Any user, sysop or not, can "rollback" recent editorial changes made to an article by any other user. To "rollback" an article means to return that article to the state it was in before the previous user began editing.
Security measures should be used sparingly. Blocking should be used: a) on the first offence if commercial spam is added to one or more articles; b) where the changes are of an editorial nature, only when a user has shown a pattern of inappropriate edits such as major unexplained edits. A single inappropriate edit may be simply a mistake or a learning experiment by a new user.
Most blocks should initially be for a period of 24 hours and stepped up if vandalism is repeated. (A block on an IP address has the potential to freeze out other innocent contributors from the same IP "catchment"). Longer IP blocks may be imposed when dealing with especially egregious cases of repeated abuse.
If spam or repeated vandalism is originating from a registered user a stricter response can be adopted without adversely affecting other contributors. Where a registered user is adding spam or has repeatedly vandalised a page they can be blocked for an indefinite period by setting the block period to "indefinite" (all lower case).
Role of CMD staff
SpinProfiles is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), and CMD sets the policies under which SpinProfiles operates. CMD staff members also contribute content to SpinProfiles and are responsible for maintaining and configuring the MediaWiki software on which it runs. However, CMD do not review every article or contribution, and articles on SpinProfiles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CMD or their staff.
Resolution of disputes
SpinProfiles should not be used as a repository for content that is defamatory, obscene, or that violates copyright laws. SpinProfiles users who encounter inappropriate content are encouraged to correct it themselves. They may also notify CMD staff of problems using the contact information provided at the bottom of each SpinProfiles page.
Complaints and legal threats relating to the content of a SpinProfiles page should be dealt with as a matter of high priority. Any complaints hinting at legal action are to be communicated to editor@spinprofiles.org as soon as possible. If you believe that your copyrighted material has been infringed, you may contact the Center for Media and Democracy's registered copyright agent: John Stauber, Executive Director, Center for Media and Democracy, 520 University Avenue, Suite 227, Madison, WI 53703. Telephone (608) 260-9713. Email: info@prwatch.org
Commentary about a SpinProfiles article should not be included in the article itself, but each article has a corresponding "talk" page where comments may be posted (accessed via the "discussion" tab at the top of the page). In cases where someone adds commentary about an article to the article itself, it should not be simply deleted. Instead, move it to the talk page.
Editorial disagreements between SpinProfiles users should focus on facts and evidence pertaining to the article(s) being edited. SpinProfiles talk pages should not be used to vent or to insult other users. Contributors who persist in a pattern of abusive or insulting behavior toward other contributors may be blocked. Contributors who repeatedly infringe copyrighted material will have their accounts terminated.
Users who violate SpinProfiles policies
Users who violate any SpinProfiles policies or guidelines should expect their contributions to be edited or deleted - either by other users, sysops or CMD staff - and security measures to be taken against them. This applies to policies and guidelines found on, but not limited to, the following pages:
