Wikipedia:Update/1/Enforcement policy changes, July 2010 to December 2010


 * Administrators
 * In WP:ADMIN, added: [Rather, administrators should be a part of the community like other editors,] "with no special powers or privileges when acting as editors. Administrators are also expected to observe a high standard of conduct."


 * Blocking policy
 * Substantial changes throughout since September


 * Bot policy
 * In WP:BOTPOL, added: "Administrators blocking a user account suspected of operating a unapproved bot or an approved bot in unapproved ways should block indefinitely.]]
 * In WP:BOTPOL, added: [Bot processes may not fix spelling] "or grammar mistakes or apply templates such as " [in an unattended fashion ...].
 * New section: WP:BOTPOL


 * Harassment
 * In WP:Harassment, added: "Wikihounding usually involves following the target from place to place on Wikipedia."
 * New subsection: WP:Harassment


 * Protection policy
 * There were several changes in the icons used to designate different kinds of page protection.
 * In WP:PROTECT, removed: "In the case of WP:SPAs pushing a point of view, block the SPAs and not the editors who are maintaining a WP:NPOV."
 * Substantial changes to WP:PROTECT since September


 * Sock puppetry
 * Substantial changes throughout since September


 * Username policy
 * In WP:U, added: [Also, unless your account is an approved bot, your name should not end with "bot", which is used to identify bot accounts,] "nor should it be easily misunderstood to refer to a bot."


 * Vandalism
 * Substantial changes throughout since September


 * Banning policy
 * In the introduction, changed: "Users may be banned as an outcome of the dispute resolution process, or by uninvolved administrators enforcing Arbitration Committee rulings." to: "Editors are typically banned as an outcome of the dispute resolution process."
 * In WP:BAN, added: " Community banning discussions generally take place at the administrators' noticeboard or a subpage thereof."
 * In WP:BAN, added: [Administrator-imposed bans] "arising from an arbitration case" [should be appealed at the arbitration enforcement noticeboard.]
 * Removed section: WP:BAN


 * Blocking policy
 * In WP:BLOCK, added: "attempts to coerce actions of editors through threats of actions outside the Wikipedia processes, whether onsite or offsite"


 * Protection policy
 * In WP:PROTECT, added: "Files are indefinitely move-protected."
 * In WP:PROTECT, there were substantial changes.
 * In WP:PROTECT, changed: "Templates are like all pages in regard to protection, and are not protected unless there is a special reason to do so. Highly visible templates or templates in use on many pages are usually protected. Protection may be semi-protection or full protection, based on the degree of visibility, type of use, content, and other factors." to: "Highly visible templates which are used on an extremely large number of pages or substituted with great frequency may be semi- or fully protected based on the degree of visibility, type of use, content, and other factors."
 * The status of the WP:Pending changes trial was updated.


 * Sock puppetry
 * Changed in the introduction: "Undisclosed alternative accounts should not be used to edit project discussions (e.g. policy debates and Arbitration proceedings)." [Previously, this applied to all alternative accounts.]
 * In WP:SOCK, added: [Contributing to the same page] "or discussion" [with multiple accounts]
 * Under the WP:CLEANSTART anchor, changed: "If you decide to make a fresh start and do not wish to be connected to a previous account, you can simply discontinue the old account(s) and create a new one that becomes the only account you use." to: "If you decide to make a fresh start, you can discontinue the old account(s) and create a new one that becomes the only account you use. Clean-start accounts should not return to old topic areas, editing patterns, or behavior previously identified as problematic, and should be careful not to do anything that looks like an attempt to evade scrutiny." Removed: "You are not obliged to reveal previous accounts".  Changed: [Failure to notify the Arbitration Committee] "may be considered deceptive" to "is likely to be considered deceptive".
 * In WP:SOCK, added: [If you believe someone is using sock puppets] "(or meat puppets)," [you should create a report ...]


 * Username policy
 * In WP:U, added: "Usernames should also not include the phrase "wikipedia", "wikimedia", "wiktionary", etc, which could imply the account was officially affiliated with the Foundation or one of its projects."


 * Banning policy
 * New section:WP:BAN


 * Blocking policy
 * In WP:BLOCK, removed: [whose main or only use is forbidden activity (sockpuppetry,] "obvious" [ vandalism, and so on), do not require any warning and may be blocked immediately.]


 * Bot policy
 * New subsection: WP:BOTPOL


 * Protection policy
 * New subsection: WP:PROTECT


 * Sock puppetry
 * In WP:SOCK, added: [To link an alternative account to a main account,] "use the main account to" [tag any secondary accounts with main account] "(using the main account shows it's genuine)."


 * Username policy
 * In WP:U, changed:
 * Explicit use of a name or URL of a company, group or product as a username is not permitted. Your username should represent you. Accounts that represent an entire group or company are not permitted; see Sharing accounts below. Since usernames that are the name of a company or group create the appearance of intent to promote that group, accounts with a company or group name as a username are indefinitely blocked.
 * Avoid editing articles with which you may have a conflict of interest. You will need to carefully follow Wikipedia's guide to editing with a conflict of interest.


 * to:
 * Unambiguous use of a name or URL of a company, group or product as a username is not permitted. A username that is the name of a company or group implies the intent to promote this group. Accordingly, such usernames may be indefinitely blocked. Even if the name is ambiguous, accounts with a company or group name as a username may be indefinitely blocked if their editing behavior appears to be promotional.
 * Accounts that represent an entire group or company are not permitted no matter the name; see Sharing accounts below. Please note that promotional editing is not permitted regardless of user name, and avoid editing articles with which you may have a conflict of interest. If you choose to edit articles that are in any way related to your company or group, you will need to carefully follow Wikipedia's guide to editing with a conflict of interest.


 * Administrators
 * In WP:ADMIN, added: [Administrators may be removed either by Jimmy Wales,] "stewards ..."


 * Blocking policy
 * New section, WP:BLOCK
 * In WP:BLOCK, changed the last paragraph to: "However, note that warnings are not a prerequisite for blocking. Administrators should generally ensure that users who are acting in good faith are aware of policies and are given reasonable opportunity to adjust their behavior before blocking. On the other hand, users acting in bad faith, whose main or only use is forbidden activity (sockpuppetry, obvious vandalism, and so on), do not require any warning and may be blocked immediately."


 * Bot policy
 * In WP:BOTPOL, removed: "* The language and/or program that it is running"
 * In WP:BOTPOL, added: "Cosmetic changes should only be applied when there is a substantial change to make at the same time."
 * In WP:BOTPOL, changed: "The need for an account to be added to the "bot" user group may also be determined by the approvals group; should this be required, it may be carried out by any bureaucrat." to: "The "bot" user group will be assigned by any bureaucrat."; changed: "may" [approve a short trial] to: "will typically"
 * In WP:BOTPOL, added: [Administrators are allowed to run semi-automated tools (assisted use of administrative tools)] "on their own accounts ..."


 * Protection policy
 * In WP:PROTECT, added: " In the case of WP:SPAs pushing a point of view, block the SPAs and not the editors who are maintaining a WP:NPOV."


 * Sock puppetry
 * In WP:SOCK, changed the Deceptively seeking positions of community trust bullet point to: "You may not run for positions of trust without disclosing that you have previously edited under another account. Adminship reflects the community's trust in an individual, not an account, so when applying for adminship, it is expected that you will disclose past accounts openly, or to |email the arbitration committee if the accounts must be kept private. Administrators who fail to disclose past accounts risk being desysopped, particularly if knowledge of them would have influenced the outcome of the RfA." Some of this was borrowed from the Administrators with multiple accounts bullet point.  Changed: "Note that editing under multiple IP addresses, without registering, can be treated the same as editing under multiple accounts where it is done deceptively or otherwise violates the above principles. Registered users who edit without logging in are treated the same as if the IP was an alternate account." to: "Editing logged out in order to mislead: Editing under multiple IP addresses may be treated the same as editing under multiple accounts where it is done deceptively or otherwise violates the above principles."
 * In WP:SOCK, added: "Only blocked accounts should be tagged as Category:Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets and only upon sufficient evidence that would be stand up to scrutiny."


 * Vandalism
 * In WP:VANDAL, under "Link vandalism", added: "... self-promotion," [an explicit image, a shock site ...]


 * Enforcement policy changes, January 2010 to June 2010
 * Enforcement policy changes, July 2009 to December 2009
 * Enforcement policy changes, December 2008 to June 2009