IRC/wikipedia-en-admins/Guidelines

Guideline information agreed by channel users, March 2008.

Purpose of IRC

Wikipedia IRC channels exist specifically to support the wiki community.

• IRC is a useful communication tool. However, it is not an alternative to on-wiki debate, and is not intended to shortcut or replace good discussion elsewhere.
• Always remember that just because you might use IRC to chat, other Wikipedians may not.

Channel guidelines

Users are expected to exercise good common sense. At all times, users should act sanely, civilly, and fairly.

1. Don't be a jerk
   • No incivility toward others and no excessively offensive language (and if complaints are heard, desist).
   • Others are to be treated in an appropriate manner, whether present or not.
   • You are responsible for your conduct; repeated warnings indicate a need to change — heed them.
   • Ask channel ops to defuse disruptive discussions.
2. Ask openly, don't canvass
   • No conspiring for reverts, blocks, deletions, protections, etc.
   • It's often a good idea to simply ask for outside input — comments, feedback, and suggestions.
   • If someone asks you to review or enact a block, ban, or support / oppose in any debate, think first and be neutral. Whatever the request is, if it has merit and you have reviewed it and checked it yourself, support it. If you haven't done so carefully, do not.
   • IRC is good for sanity checks, but is not a substitute for on-wiki consensus in situations where it would be required.
3. Logging
   • Anyone may be logging; however, it is a gross breach of channel expectations to publish logs without permission. If there is an issue, e-mail channel logs to the Arbitration Committee to consider any possible action. (Recaps of channel logs posted back on channel are usually ok.)

If needed, channel ops will discuss and decide when something needs to be done, if warnings have been ignored, or if the behavior is so egregious a warning isn't required.

Ops guidelines

Channel operators' main job is to help users, and act fairly and neutrally to keep the quality of the channel and its discussions appropriate.

1. Channel environment
   • A higher standard of conduct, fairness and civility is expected from chanops
   • You were chosen for careful judgment here too. Use it.
2. Guidelines for channel kick, temp/perm ban and access alterations
   • Warn fairly, first, in private if appropriate. Consider mediating in the background. Do not use kick/ban casually. Consider your neutrality before acting.
   • If it's just someone who refuses to cool down, often < 3 hours is enough.
   • If it's longer than a few days, check broad chanop consensus.
   • If there is disagreement, discuss.

Comment: - proposed typical handling of some common situations
To avoid room for capriciousness in decisions, here are some common situations and suggested handling if "routine". That said, any user is encouraged to help improve the channel and no user should have to suffer an unpleasant or problematic channel in silence. Over-heated debate - seek cooling down (public or private). Moderate, warn, then remove moderation when it seems safe. Any user who doesn't get a hint, remove briefly to chill. Harassment, grudges, spill-overs - as above. If the user persists, then ensure genuine issues are covered but (after fair discussion) do not allow unhelpful ones from constantly dominating and distracting the channel. Canvassing - warn, note in channel warnings been given (if privately discussed), then remove briefly for a 2nd or further attempts. If persistent, deal appropriately. Gross attack, gross offensiveness, serious breach of trust etc - remove (minimally if possible), then discuss with chanops. Channel flags - flags typically used will be simplified to +iA (Admin), +votifA (op and can issue invites), +votsriRfA (SuperOp) and +votsriRfAF (channel contact). Appointment and management of SuperOps are by the channel contact or one of the group contacts.

This page is maintained by users of the irc en-admins channel as a general channel user guide.