Deletion Gestapo

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"Deletion Gestapo"<ref name="mediashift"> Template:Cite web ("deletion gestapo") </ref> and "Deletion Nazi"<ref name="slashdot">Template:Cite web ("...the 'vote for Deletion Nazis")</ref> are terms used by frustrated contributors to wiki-type websites and blogs, referring to any (allegedly) overly-exuberant contributor who is quick to delete Wiki articles or blog entries.

This article focuses on wikis rather than blogs.

Contents

[edit] Origin of the Terms

The "Deletion Gestapo"<ref name="mediashift"/> and "Deletion Nazi"<ref name="slashdot"/> terms (and sometimes "Deletion Police"<ref name=pixelmutt>Pixelmutt, "Attention: Moron Alert" ("Deletion Police")</ref><ref name="puzzlepirates">[1] MVN Forum, "Piratical Parley and Politics," Thread: Wiki Stupidity ("deletion police")</ref> or "Deletion Mafia"<ref name="livejournal">Template:Cite web ("Deletion Mafia")</ref>) came about largely due to repeated frustration by online encyclopedia and blog contributors who have their entries deleted or flagged for deletion.<ref name="mediashift"/><ref name="slashdot"/><ref name="pixelmutt"/><ref name="puzzlepirates"/><ref name="Nelson">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Cohen">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="August">Template:Cite web("Deletion Nazis")</ref><ref>[2] Rubechat, "re: Challenge to the admins"</ref> Also known in more civil terms as "deletionists",<ref>[3] Wikipedia:Deletionist</ref> some related terms, "revert wars" and "edit wars" were coined referring to situations where contributors fight madly to change articles back and forth.<ref name="Hafner">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=livejournal/>

Academic blogger and Vexi/XWT project originator Adam Megacz uses the term Deletion Gestapo to refer to people who delete "anything that can�t be validated using the first four hits from a one-word search on Google."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He continues: "Kinda sad. I stopped contributing [to Wikipedia] regularly a while ago because keeping up with deletions/alterations by the librarian types got to be too much effort. These people cause real problems for any sort of material that isn�t taught in high school." Many Wikipedia contributors feel the same frustration, and simply quit contributing.

[edit] Opposing Viewpoints

It has been postulated that psychological reasons for squabbling amongst Wikipedia contributors and recalcitrant viewpoints regarding edits or article "keep/delete" decisions revolve around the concept that "people love to get power and hate to give it up".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One group favoring deletionism[4] is the Association of Deletionist Wikipedians, whose goals are to "outpace rampant inclusionism," and to create "a quality encyclopedia containing as little junk as possible".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The association has been called "a cantankerous collective"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>, and a group that has "a bias towards deletion even in light of majority Keep votes".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On the other side of this philosophy is the Association of Inclusionist Wikipedians<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who want to focus on making articles as good as possible, and building the body of knowledge rather than focus on deleting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales has publicly expressed the desire to encompass "the full body of human knowledge" made available to the entire world, and in hundreds of languages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

[edit] Neutrality considered

Holding the middle-ground view is The Association of Mergist Wikipedians who believe "some information is notable and encyclopedic and therefore has a place on Wikipedia, much of it is not notable enough to warrant its own article and is therefore best merged".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

[edit] Reasons for Deletion

Roughly 4,000 articles are added to Wikipedia each day, and about half that number are deleted that same day.<ref name="Cohen">Template:Cite news</ref> There are many valid reasons for contributors to flag pages for deletion:

  • Advertising
  • Propaganda or advocacy
  • Violation of copyright
  • Content, especially negative content, that is not verifiable to a reliable source
  • Inappropriate for an encyclopaedia. From Wikipedia, "Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia. This means that lots of things that are useful are excluded because they don't belong in an encyclopaedia. A list of all the phone numbers in New York would be useful, but are not included because Wikipedia is not a directory (we have Yellowikis for that). A page defining the word useful would be useful but is not included because Wikipedia is not a dictionary (we have Wiktionary for that). A guide to the best restaurants in Paris would be useful but is not included because Wikipedia is not a travel guide (there is a Wikitravel for that)."
  • Minimum threshold of notability - contributors may flag such articles for deletion from a Wiki. For Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Notability.

[edit] Reasons for Inclusion

There are many "inclusionist" arguments from Deletion Gestapo "victims". Writers often speak of how powerfully liberating their first contribution felt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Similarly, writers can feel frustrated, disempowered, and victimized after creating an article, only to see it disappear, even when sufficiently cited and notable according to official 'pedia policies. Writers justify their position by quoting the various policies for inclusion and deletion:
For Wikipedia policies:

  • Decorum and politeness. Wikipedia urges any contributor to read the Wikipedia:Deletion policy before deleting or nominating an article for deletion. It says "When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page." (Discussing on the talk page before flagging for deletion is rarely done.)
  • Policies and guidelines. Wikipedia encourages contributors to "edit in good faith," show civility, seek consensus, and work towards the goal of creating a great encyclopedia<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>.
  • Criteria for notability. Wikipedia policy on notability says that "notable" is defined as "worthy of being noted" or "attracting notice"; it is not synonymous with "fame" or "importance". This defense is given when the person flagging the deletion claims that an article is "minor" or "isn't needed". (There are no WP criteria for whether an article is "needed".) Notability criteria do not equate to personal or biased considerations, such as: "never heard of this," or "page does not meet the Wikipedia notability requirements" without explaining why.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Wikipedia goal. Wikipedia's goal is stated as follows: "The goal of this project is to ensure that Wikipedia has a corresponding article for every article in every other general purpose encyclopedia available...".

For Wiktionary policies:

  • "All words" policy. "As an international dictionary, Wiktionary is intended to include 'all words in all languages'"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • "Multilingual". "Wiktionary is, above all, a multilingual dictionary".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Wiktionary criteria for exclusion cites such things as vandalism, protologisms, "belongs in Wikisaurus", and Wiktionary is "not an encyclopedia", etc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

[edit] Other deletionism

[edit] YouTube links

Many contributors delete YouTube links, (incorrectly) citing WP Youtube policy, which was only proposed - and rejected.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

[edit] Screenshots

The policy for Screenshots is clouded by legal issues of copyright. Screenshots and other art are often deleted from Wiki articles for copyright concerns. Wikipedia policy may be found at this link: [[5]

[edit] Neutrality

Maintaining a neutral point of view in articles can be difficult for any knowledgeable or passionate writer, but is essential. WP:NPOV policy requires views to be represented without bias. Types of bias include: Class, Commercial advertising, Ethnic or racial: racism, Geographical, Nationalistic, Gender, and Political.

[edit] Footnotes

<references/>

[edit] References

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