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Do not make personal attacks anywhere in Age of Wushu Wiki. Comment on content, not on the contributor. Personal attacks do not help make a point; they only hurt the community and deter users from helping to create good articles. Derogatory comments about other contributors may be removed by any editor. Repeated or egregious personal attacks may lead to blocks.

Why personal attacks are harmful

Contributors often wish to have their viewpoints included in articles. Through reasoned debate, contributors can synthesize these views into a single article, and this creates a better article for everyone. Every person who edits an article is part of the same larger community.

The prohibition against personal attacks applies equally to all editors. It is as unacceptable to attack a user with a history of foolish or boorish behavior or one who is blocked as it is to attack any other user. Age of Wushu Wiki encourages a positive online community: people make mistakes, but they are encouraged to learn from them and change their ways. Personal attacks are contrary to this spirit and damaging to the work of building a Wiki.

What is considered to be a personal attack?

There is no rule that is objective and not open to interpretation on what constitutes a personal attack as opposed to constructive discussion, but some types of comments are never acceptable:

  • Racial, sexist, homophobic, ageist, religious, political, ethnic, sexual, or other epithets (such as against people with disabilities) directed against another contributor. Disagreement over what constitutes a religion, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity is not a legitimate excuse.
  • Using someone's affiliations as an ad hominem means of dismissing or discrediting their views—regardless of whether said affiliations are mainstream.
  • Linking to external attacks, harassment, or other material, for the purpose of attacking another editor.
  • Comparing editors to Nazis, dictators, or other infamous persons. (See also Godwin's law.)
  • Accusations about personal behavior that lack evidence. Serious accusations require serious evidence. Evidence often takes the form of diffs and links presented on wiki.
  • Threats, including, but not limited to:
    • Threats of legal action
    • Threats of violence or other off-wiki action (particularly death threats)
    • Threats of vandalism to userpages, talk pages, or message walls.
    • Threats or actions which deliberately expose other editors to political, religious or other persecution by government, their employer or any others.

These examples are not exhaustive. Insulting or disparaging an editor is a personal attack regardless of the manner in which it is done. When in doubt, comment on the article's content without referring to its contributor at all.

Responding to personal attacks

First offenses and isolated incidents

Sometimes the best way to respond to an isolated personal attack is not to respond at all. Debates can become stressful for some editors, who may occasionally overreact. Additionally, discussions are in a text-only medium that conveys nuances and emotions poorly; this can easily lead to misunderstanding. While personal attacks are not excused because of these factors, editors are encouraged to disregard angry and ill-mannered postings of others when it is reasonable to do so, and to continue to focus their efforts on improving and developing the encyclopedia.

If you feel that a response is necessary and desirable, you should leave a polite message on the other user's message wall. Avoid responding on a talk page of an article; this tends to escalate matters. Likewise, it is important to avoid becoming hostile and confrontational yourself, even in the face of abuse. When possible, try to find compromise or common ground regarding the underlying issues of content, rather than argue about behavior. If you are too angry to respond without violating this policy, consider taking a short break from the wiki, or contact an administrator.

Attacks that are particularly offensive or disruptive (such as physical threats, legal threats, or blatantly racist or sexist insults) should not be ignored. Extraordinary situations that require immediate intervention are rare, but may be reported to any active administrator on their message wall.

Recurring attacks

Recurring, non-disruptive personal attacks that do not stop after reasoned requests to cease should be reported to any administrator on their message wall. In most circumstances, problems with personal attacks can be resolved if editors work together and focus on content, and immediate administrator action is not required.

Off-wiki attacks

Age of Wushu Wiki cannot regulate behavior in media not under its control, but personal attacks made elsewhere create doubt about the good faith of an editor's on-wiki actions. Posting personal attacks or defamation off-wiki is harmful to the community and to an editor's relationship with it, especially when such attacks take the form of violating an editor's privacy. Such attacks can be regarded as aggravating factors by administrators and are admissible evidence in the dispute-resolution process.

See also

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