The following is a list of Policies the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki abides by. All users, regardless of status or position, are expected to adhere to them. In the case of repeated or egregious violations of these Policies, administrative action may be taken by the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki staff. This is done only in the interest of preventing damage and mitigating disruptive editing practices.
Above all, the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki exists to serve its community. These policies and guidelines, as written, simply document existing community consensus regarding acceptable practices. They may be subject to change based on evolving consensus. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding Policy, please get in touch with a member of the staff.
Core Policy[]
Fandom's Terms of Use[]
Fandom's Terms of Use apply across all of Fandom, and the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki is no exception. Users are encouraged to review User:Semanticdrifter's blog post Understanding Wikia's Terms of Use, which covers the main points.
Users are also strongly encouraged to review Fandom's Community Guidelines and Licensing Policies
Assume Good Faith[]
Assuming good faith is key to the smooth operation of the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. As stated in Fandom's Community Guidelines: "wikis are all about working together, and that takes care, tolerance, and understanding."
Users are, to assume that all parties involved are well-intentioned and want to help the Wiki, not damage it. Malice should not be presumed without reasonable cause. Prevention, discussion, and (if necessary) correction are important in avoiding and facilitating amicable resolution to disputes. This is in turn important to maintaining a welcoming and productive editing environment.
While these guidelines set out to make less experienced editors feel welcome, if and when staff involvement becomes necessary, it should be noted that having little to no history on the Wiki or a history of acting in bad faith will be taken into account when deciding on what course of action to take based on an individual user's standing with the Wiki.
Civility[]
Civility is key to the smooth operation of the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki and is expected from all users. All users, to the best of their ability, should remain civil in their dealings with one another, maintain the spirit of cooperation, and always attempt to resolve disputes through discussion first and foremost. Personal attacks, insults, rude or disrespectful comments, unnecessarily aggressive or patronizing behavior, and excessive profanity when directed in aggression toward a person or a group of people are not conducive to resolving any dispute, regardless of who may be in the right. Disputes should never lead to the singling out of an individual (as opposed to a particular contribution).
While isolated incidents of incivility may not necessarily be a cause for concern, a pattern of incivility or particularly egregious acts of incivility that rise to the level of abuse or harassment are, and may result in administrative action.
Consensus[]
Consensus is key to the smooth operation of the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki and serves as the heart of its structural foundation. Boldness is encouraged and appreciated, but the Wiki is ultimately a collaborative effort. Users are expected to remain in line with the established processes and conventions when contributing. This is vital in keeping editors in the know, in making sure the decisions the Wiki makes are right for the community, and in making sure that no one editor takes on more work than they can handle or inadvertently puts more work on other editors' plates.
Although democratic processes play a part in the Wiki's efforts in this area, the Wiki is not a democracy. Consensus is established and maintained through editing and informed discussion, not voting. Polls may be conducted in certain matters (for example, to gauge community interest), but polling is ultimately not a replacement for discussion. It should not be used as one. While the Wiki does its best to make sure as many voices as possible are heard, it is not under any obligation to account for every possible difference in opinion.
Large-scale structural changes should ideally be previously discussed on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki's Discord server, or in the discussion forum. Clear efforts should be made to get in touch with active and/or experienced editors, especially those knowledgeable in the given topic. Large-scale structural changes are defined as changes that are likely to:
- impact all or a significant percentage of editors
- impact all or a significant percentage of editors that work on the type of content in question
- impact reader experience significantly
Serious administrative action will not be taken concerning this policy provided it does not escalate to the level of Disruptive Editing. However, all editors should keep the importance of consensus in mind and try their best to act according to it.
Violations of Policy[]
Disruptive Editing[]
Disruptive editing is not tolerated on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. It is heavily discouraged to deliberately engage in editorial behavior that is disruptive to the Wiki's processes. It is also discouraged to attempt to undermine the concept that no single individual or group has "ownership" over the Wiki or its content. Violations may result in administrative action to de-escalate the situation.
- Contributions in violation of this policy may be subject to reversion.
- Pages that become contentious due to violations of this policy, particularly in the case of Edit Warring, may be temporarily locked to admins-only while the relevant parties come to a consensus or permanently locked to autoconfirmed users-only.
- If the editor's behavior rises to an egregious degree in either frequency or severity, a reminder may be posted to their talk page.
- If the editor's behavior rises to an egregious degree in either frequency or severity after the reminder, they will be issued a {{Warning}}.
- If the editor's behavior continues or rises to a more egregious degree in either frequency or severity after the {{Warning}} is issued, they will be issued a {{BlockNotice}}, along with with a temporary block for no less than 24 hours and no more than 3 days.
- If the editor's behavior continues or rises to a more egregious degree in either frequency or severity after the first {{BlockNotice}} is issued, they will be issued a second {{BlockNotice}}, along with with a temporary block for no less than 7 days.
- If the editor's behavior continues or rises to a more egregious degree in either frequency or severity after the second {{BlockNotice}} is issued, they will be issued a third {{BlockNotice}}, along with with a temporary block for no less than 14 days. They will also be notified that a subsequent violation will result in an indefinite block.
- If the editor's behavior continues or rises to a more egregious degree in either frequency or severity after the third {{BlockNotice}} is issued, they will be issued a fourth {{BlockNotice}}, along with with an indefinite block.
Examples of violations include, but are not limited to:
- Edit Warring by repeatedly attempting to make or revert the same edit against consensus, without attempting to establish consensus, while ignoring attempts to establish consensus.
- Attempting to establish content as "territory" by preventing or hindering any attempt to make edits to it or being overly watchful towards any attempt to make edits to it. This does not apply to reversing or overwriting edits that go against consensus, violate policies, or violate guidelines.
- Making large-scale structural changes without establishing consensus.
- Actively refusing to work within the established consensus.
- Actively refusing to use talk pages or refusing to follow talk page guidelines when using talk pages.
- Actively refusing to leave edit summaries or using them in a deliberately misleading way.
- Mechanical or "bot-like" editing that is not marked as automated or otherwise results in issues that cannot be easily reversed.
- Marking significant edits as minor.
Spam or Excessive Self-Promotion[]
Spam or Excessive Self-Promotion is typically a form of Disruptive Editing and is not tolerated on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. The Wiki is not a free place to advertise your related website, YouTube channel, blog, social media account, etc. Users may only engage in commercial promotion or self-promotion on their user page (or their signature, provided it is not done in a disruptive way) and nowhere else on the Wiki. This includes crediting specific users for things like translations or other work done on or for the Wiki. Violations will result in administrative action.
- Contributions in violation of this policy will be overwritten, reverted or deleted.
- If the editor either has a history of good-faith edits or immediately reverts their actions and the violation does not cross over into more serious policy violations, they will initially be issued a {{Warning}}. This is done so otherwise good-faith editors are not punished unduly for what may have been a mistake.
- If the editor violates this policy multiple times within a very short period, has no history of edits, or has a history of prior problematic edits, or the violation crosses over into more serious policy violations, they will be issued a {{BlockNotice}} along with a temporary block for no less than 3 days and no more than 7 days.
- If the editor violates this policy after the {{Warning}} or first {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a second {{BlockNotice}}, along with temporary block for no less than 7 days.
- If the the editor violates this policy after the second {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a third {{BlockNotice}}, along with with a temporary block for no less than 14 days. They will also be notified that a subsequent violation will result in an indefinite block.
- If the the editor violates this policy after the third {{BlockNotice}} is issued, they will be issued a fourth {{BlockNotice}}, along with with an indefinite block.
Examples of violations include, but are not limited to:
- Inserting, replacing any quantity of text on, or creating a page with the express aim of commercial promotion or self-promotion.
- Replacing or creating a media file with offensive with the express aim of commercial promotion or self-promotion.
- Creating a discussion post with the express aim of commercial promotion or self-promotion.
- "Flooding" any userspace (such as the discussions forum, talk pages, or the Discord server) with unsolicited messages of any kind.
Vandalism[]
Vandalism is an extreme form of Disruptive Editing and is not tolerated on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. It is unacceptable to deliberately damage the quality of an article or any other part of the Wiki. It is also unacceptable for any user to modify the content of another user's page or comments made by another user in any way. The use of the {{Unsigned}} template and staff removing content that is against Fandom's Terms of Use are exceptions to this rule. Violations will result in administrative action.
- Contributions in violation of this policy will be overwritten, reverted or deleted.
- If the editor either has a history of good-faith edits or immediately reverts their actions and the violation does not cross over into Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery or Criminal or Unlawful Activity, they will initially be issued a {{Warning}}. This is done so otherwise good-faith editors are not punished unduly for what may have been a mistake.
- If the editor violates this policy multiple times within a very short period, has no history of edits, or has a history of prior problematic edits, or the violation crosses over into Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery or Criminal or Unlawful Activity, they will be issued a {{BlockNotice}} along with a temporary block for no less than 3 days and no more than 7 days.
- If the editor violates this policy after the {{Warning}} or first {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a second {{BlockNotice}}, along with temporary block for no less than 7 days.
- If the the editor violates this policy after the second {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a third {{BlockNotice}}, along with with a temporary block for no less than 14 days. They will also be notified that a subsequent violation will result in an indefinite block.
- If the the editor violates this policy after the third {{BlockNotice}} is issued, they will be issued a fourth {{BlockNotice}}, along with with an indefinite block.
Examples of violations include, but are not limited to:
- Knowingly and deliberately adding misinformation.
- Blanking or deleting large quantities of text from an article without adequate explanation.
- Inserting, replacing any quantity of text on, or creating a page with offensive, crude, or nonsensical material, especially that which falls under the criteria outlined under Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery.
- Replacing or creating a media file with offensive, crude, or nonsensical material, especially that which falls under the criteria outlined under Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery.
Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery[]
Abuse and Shocking or Hateful Language and Imagery are not tolerated on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. While shocking or hateful language is permitted within the content of articles in the form of quotations or transcripts, it is discouraged at the point it is not necessary to convey the idea it is used to convey or detracts from the encyclopedic tone expected of a wiki article. To put it another way, such language within quotations and transcripts should be employed in a way intended to "shock" the other characters, not the readers. Violations will result in administrative action.
- Contributions in violation of this policy will be overwritten, reverted or deleted.
- Discussion posts in violation of this policy will be overwritten or deleted.
- If the violation does not cross over into other serious policy violations, they will initially be issued a {{Warning}}.
- If the editor violates this policy multiple times within a very short period, has no history of edits, has a history of prior problematic edits, or the violation crosses over into other policy violations, they will be issued a {{BlockNotice}} along with along with a temporary block for no less than 3 days and no more than 7 days.
- If the editor violates this policy after the {{Warning}} or first {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a second {{BlockNotice}}, along with temporary block for no less than 7 days.
- If the editor violates this policy after the {{Warning}} or second {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a third {{BlockNotice}}, along with temporary block for no less than 14 days. They will also be notified that a subsequent violation will result in an indefinite block.
- If the the editor violates this policy after the third {{BlockNotice}}, they will be issued a fourth {{BlockNotice}}, along with with an indefinite block.
Examples of violations include, but are not limited to:
- Slurs targeted at, or language that mocks, disparages, or targets hatred or violence toward a person or a group of people based on gender, race, orientation, nationality, religion, ability, mental health, etc. There is no room for irony, reappropriation, or reclamation, as there is no way to gauge someone's intent.
- Harassment, threats, attempts to intimidate, hateful messages, or otherwise extremely aggressive behavior targeted toward a person or a group of people.
- Shocking, gratuitous, or inappropriately sexual content, including description of violent or non-consensual sex.
- Imagery of nudity or inappropriately sexual content.
- Shocking or gratuitous depictions of violence or gore.
- Imagery of real-world violence or gore.
Criminal or Unlawful Activity[]
Criminal or Unlawful Activity, the promotion of criminal or unlawful activity, or conspiracy to engage in criminal or unlawful activity (according to US or local law) are not tolerated on the What We Do in the Shadows Wiki. Violations will result in administrative action and may be reported at the staff's discretion.
- Contributions in violation of this policy will be overwritten, reverted or deleted.
- Discussion posts in violation of this policy will be overwritten or deleted.
- Due to the broad nature of this policy, further procedures when it comes to policy violations are not outlined here in detail. They are handled on a case-by-case basis. Please consult staff on these matters.
Examples of violations commonly not thought of as unlawful (yet still are) include, but are not limited to:
- Plagiarizing outside sources.
- Infringing copyright by contributing or sharing copyrighted material in a way that falls outside of fair use.
- Contributing or sharing information obtained through illegal or unlawful means, such as leaks. This applies to non-What We Do in the Shadows properties as well.
- Engaging in discussion about piracy, sharing resources to facilitate engagement in piracy, sharing links to pirated material, or otherwise promoting or engaging in piracy. This applies to non-What We Do in the Shadows properties as well.