Editing Incubator escapee wiki:Protection policy (section)

{{Short description|Policy on page protection}}{{See also||Wikipedia:Requests for page protection|Wikipedia:Lists of protected pages}}
{{redirect2|WP:PP|WP:PROTECT|other uses|WP:PP (disambiguation)|and|WP:PROTECT (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{policy|subcategory=enforcement|WP:PP|WP:PROTECT}}
{{nutshell|While Wikipedia strives to be as open as possible, sometimes it is necessary to limit editing of certain pages to prevent [[WP:VD|vandalism]], [[WP:EW|edit warring]], or other [[WP:DE|disruptive edits]].}}
{{Right place
|desc=documents the protection policy on Wikipedia
|action1=make a request to protect or unprotect a page
|page1=see [[Wikipedia:Requests for page protection]]
|action2=make a request to edit a page
|page2=see [[Wikipedia:Edit requests]]
|action3=obtain user rights to edit protected pages
|page3=[[WP:RFPERM|request user rights]]
|action4=report a user for persistent vandalism or spam
|page4=[[WP:AIV|file a vandalism report]]
|action5=report a user for [[WP:EW|edit warring]] or violating revert restrictions
|page5=[[WP:ANEW|open an edit warring report]]
}}
{{Enforcement policy list}}
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ Protection icons
|-
! Icon !! Mode
|-
| [[File:Pending-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Pending changes protected|alt=White padlock]] White || [[#pending|Pending changes protected]]
|-
| [[File:Semi-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Semi-protected|alt=Silver padlock]] Silver || [[#semi|Semi-protected]]
|-
| [[File:Extended-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Extended confirmed protection|alt=Dark blue padlock]] Blue || [[#extended|Extended confirmed protected]]
|-
| [[File:Template-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Template-protected|alt=Pink padlock]] Pink || [[#template|Template-protected]]
|-
| [[File:Full-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Fully protected|alt=Gold padlock]] Gold || [[#full|Fully protected]]
|-
| [[File:Interface-protection-shackle.svg|40px|alt=Brown padlock]] Red || [[#interface|Interface protected]]
|-
| [[File:Move-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Move protected|alt=Green padlock]] Green || [[#move|Move protected]]
|-
| [[File:Create-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Create protected|alt=Blue padlock]] Skyblue || [[#create|Create protected]]
|-
| [[File:Upload-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Upload protected|alt=Purple padlock]] Purple || [[#upload|Upload protected]]
|-
| [[File:Cascade-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Cascade protected|alt=Turquoise padlock]] Turquoise || [[#cascade|Cascade protected]]
|-
| [[File:Office-protection-shackle.svg|40px|Protected by Office|alt=Black padlock]] Black || [[#office|Protected by Office]]
|}

In some circumstances, pages may need to be '''protected''' from modification by certain groups of editors. Pages are protected when there is disruption that cannot be prevented through other means, such as [[WP:Blocking policy|blocks]]. Wikipedia is built on the principle that [[WP:5P3|anyone can edit]], and therefore aims to have as many pages open for public editing as possible so that anyone can add material and correct issues. This policy states in detail the protection types and procedures for page protection and unprotection, and when each protection should and should not be applied.

Protection is a technical restriction applied only by [[Wikipedia:Administrators|administrators]], although any user may [[WP:Requests for page protection|request protection]]. Protection can be [[Wikipedia:List of indefinitely protected pages|indefinite]] or expire after a specified time. The various levels of protection can be applied to the page edit, page move, page create, and file upload actions. Even when a page is protected from editing, the source [[Help:Wikitext|wikitext]] of the page can still be viewed and copied by anyone.

A protected page is marked at its top right by a padlock icon, usually added by the {{tlx|pp-protected}} template.