Wikipedia:Responding to incivility
This is an civility policy. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
This page in a nutshell: Responding to incivility with genuine encouragement and guidance can yield productive and meaningful results. |
The best way to approach someone on Wikipedia in regards to
Identifying incivility
Examples of incivility:
- Bad-faith comments or the assumption of bad faith
- General rudeness, deliberate mocking, personal attacks, and/or disrespect
- Casting aspersions or making unfounded accusations
- POV-pushing (except civil POV-pushing)
Examples of comments that are civil, but are often mistaken for incivility:
- Any comments that assume good faith
- Calling a spade a spade or blunt honesty
- Controversial discussion
Before you respond
There are a few very important things that you need to know and understand before you decide to approach anyone about their recent
How to respond
A good approach to others about civility is filling the role of a "concerned editor who just wants to help." It has proven successful as far as receiving civil replies in return.
Here's an example of an excellent response to incivility:
"Hi [Username of editor]! I hope you're doing well and that your day has been pleasant. I just wanted to leave you a message in order to talk to you about some concerns that I have regarding some of your recent comments and responses toward other editors in some discussions. For example, the comment you made [here - provide a diff link pointing them toward their uncivil edits], and [here - list additional diffs as necessary]. These comments are
civility policyso that you can correct this behavior before it leads you into any trouble. If you need help with anything, have questions, or just need someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'll be more than happy to help you with anything that you need. I wish you well, and I hope that you'll take this as an opportunity to self-evaluate how you respond and communicate with others, and that you'll do what you need to do in order to keep calm, remain civil, and keep discussions positive and focused toward our primary goal of building an encyclopedia. Thank you for taking the time to read this message, and I hope you have a great rest of your day. [signature]."
Leave a message similar to this with someone who needs to be talked to about their recent lack of civility, and there's a good chance of it turning out well. It doesn't need to be this lengthy, but just make sure you're being understood and coming off as an empathetic, concerned editor. As long as you come across with that genuine sentiment, you're off to a good start.
What to expect
Poor reactions
Another important thing to understand, expect to have happen, and be prepared for, is the fact that the user that you're approaching is highly likely to respond to your discussion negatively, uncivilly, and in a confrontational and battleground-like manner toward you. If this happens, don't take it personally–they're just upset with the situation, and they're upset that someone is now talking to them about their behavior. Consider this to be the typical and expected outcome of your discussion with them, and be prepared for this emotionally. When this happens, don't make any further responses or replies to the discussion. Just walk away and consider the matter closed; you've told them about their behavior, pointed them toward relevant policies and guidelines, and were civil and offered to help them.
The goal
The most important objective with approaching someone about their behavior is that you've informed them and that you've warned them. If anything, they now understand that they're violating one of Wikipedia's
Done well, a response to incivility can improve civility on Wikipedia.