Editing Incubator escapee wiki:Protection policy (section)

== Protection levels ==

Each of these levels is explained in the context of edit protection, but each can be applied to other types of protection except for pending changes.

=== Comparison table ===
{{anchor|Comparison table}}
{{Protection table|yes}}

=== Pending changes protection<span class="anchor" id="pending"></span><span class="anchor" id="Pending-changes protection (trial)"></span><span class="anchor" id="pc1"></span><span class="anchor" id="pc2"></span><!--former tags allow section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ===
{{see|Wikipedia:Pending changes}}
[[File:Pending-protection-shackle.svg|64px|upright=0.4|right|alt=White padlock|link=]]
{{Policy shortcut|WP:PCPP|WP:WHITELOCK}}

Pending changes protection allows [[WP:IP|unregistered]] and [[Wikipedia:User access levels#New users|new users]] to edit pages, while keeping their edits hidden from most readers (specifically, unregistered users{{snd}}the vast majority of visitors to Wikipedia articles) until those changes are accepted by a [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Pending changes reviewer|pending changes reviewer]] or [[Wikipedia:Administrators|administrator]]. An alternative to [[#Semi-protection|semi-protection]], it is used to suppress [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] and certain other persistent problems, while allowing all users to continue to submit edits. Pending changes is technically implemented as a separate option, with its own duration, and it yields to other edit protection levels in cases of overlap.

When a page under pending changes protection is edited by an unregistered editor or a new user, the edit is not directly visible to the majority of Wikipedia readers, until it is reviewed and accepted by an editor with the pending changes reviewer right. When a page under pending changes protection is edited by an [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Autoconfirmed users|autoconfirmed user]], the edit will be immediately visible to Wikipedia readers, unless there are pending edits waiting to be reviewed.

Pending changes are visible in the page history, where they are marked as pending review. Readers who are ''not logged in'' (the vast majority of readers) are shown the latest ''accepted'' version of the page; ''logged-in'' users see the latest version of the page, with all changes (reviewed or not) applied. When editors who are not reviewers make changes to an article with unreviewed pending changes, their edits are also marked as pending and are not visible to most readers.

A user who clicks "edit this page" is always, at that point, shown the latest version of the page for editing ''regardless of whether the user is logged in or not''.
*If the editor is not logged in, their changes join any other changes to the article awaiting review{{snd}}for the present they remain hidden from not-logged-in users. (This means that when the editor looks at the article after saving, the editor will not see the change made.)
*If the editor is logged in and a pending changes reviewer, and there are pending changes, the editor will be prompted to review the pending changes before editing{{snd}}see [[Wikipedia:Pending changes]].
*If the editor is logged in and not a pending changes reviewer:
**If there are no unreviewed pending edits, the editor's edits will be immediately visible to everyone.
**If there are unreviewed pending edits, the editor's edits will be immediately visible only to logged-in users (including themselves), but not to logged-out users.

Pending changes are typically reviewed within several hours.

==== When to apply pending changes protection ====
Pending changes can be used to protect articles against:
* Persistent vandalism
* Violations of the [[Wikipedia:biographies of living persons|biographies of living persons]] policy
* [[WP:CV|Copyright violations]]

Pending changes protection should not be used as a preemptive measure against violations that have not yet occurred. Like semi-protection, pending changes protection should '''never''' be used in genuine content disputes, where there is a risk of placing a particular group of editors (unregistered users) at a disadvantage. Semi-protection is generally a better option for articles with a high edit rate as well as articles affected by issues difficult for [[Wikipedia:Reviewing pending changes|pending changes reviewers]] to detect, such as non-obvious vandalism, plausible-sounding misinformation, and hard-to-detect copyright violations.

In addition, administrators may apply temporary pending changes protection on pages that are subject to significant but temporary vandalism or disruption (for example, due to media attention) when blocking individual users is not a feasible option. As with other forms of protection, the time frame of the protection should be proportional to the problem. Indefinite PC protection should be used only in cases of severe long-term disruption.

Removal of pending changes protection can be requested to any administrator, or at [[Wikipedia:RFUP|requests for unprotection]].

{{anchor|Reviewing}}The reviewing process is described in detail at [[Wikipedia:Reviewing pending changes]].

=== Semi-protection<span class="anchor" id="semi"></span><span class="anchor" id="semi-user"></span><!--former tag allows section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ===
{{See also|Wikipedia:Rough guide to semi-protection}}
[[File:Semi-protection-shackle.svg|64px|upright=0.4|right|alt=Silver padlock|link=]]
{{Policy shortcut|WP:SEMI|WP:SILVERLOCK}}

Semi-protected pages cannot be edited by [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Unregistered users|unregistered users]] ([[IP address]]es), as well as accounts that are not [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Confirmed users|confirmed]] or [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Autoconfirmed users|autoconfirmed]] (accounts that are at least 4 days old with at least 10 edits on English Wikipedia). Semi-protection is useful when there is a significant amount of disruption or [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] from new or unregistered users, or to prevent [[WP:SOCK|sockpuppets]] of blocked or banned users from editing, especially when it occurs on [[WP:BLP|biographies of living persons]] who have had a recent high level of media interest. An alternative to semi-protection is [[Wikipedia:Pending changes|pending changes]], which is sometimes favored when an article is being vandalized regularly, but otherwise receives a low amount of editing.

Such users can request edits to a semi-protected page by proposing them on its talk page, using the {{Tl|Edit semi-protected}} template if necessary to gain attention. If the page in question and its talk page are ''both'' protected, the edit request should be made at [[WP:RFED|Wikipedia:Requests for page protection]] instead. New users may also request the confirmed user right at [[Wikipedia:Requests for permissions/Confirmed]].

==== Guidance for administrators ====
Semi-protection should {{em|not}} be used as a preemptive measure against vandalism that has not yet occurred or to privilege registered users over unregistered users in (valid) content disputes.

Administrators may apply {{em|temporary}} semi-protection on pages that are:
* Subject to significant but temporary vandalism or disruption (for example, due to [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia in the media|media attention]]) if [[Wikipedia:Blocking policy|blocking]] individual users is not a feasible option.
* Subject to [[Wikipedia:Edit warring|edit warring]] if {{em|all}} parties involved are unregistered or new editors. This does {{em|not}} apply when autoconfirmed users are involved.
* Subject to [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] or [[Wikipedia:Edit warring|edit warring]] where unregistered editors are engaging in [[IP address#Dynamic IP|IP hopping]] by using different computers, obtaining new addresses by using [[dynamic IP]] allocation, or other address-changing schemes.
* Article discussion pages, if they have been subject to persistent disruption. Such protection should be used sparingly because it prevents unregistered and newly registered users from participating in discussions.
* Protection should be used sparingly on the talk pages of blocked users, including IP addresses. Instead the user should be re-blocked with talk page editing disallowed. When required, or when re-blocking without talk page editing allowed is unsuccessful, protection should be implemented for only a brief period not exceeding the duration of the block.

In addition, administrators may apply {{em|indefinite}} semi-protection to pages that are subject to heavy and persistent [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] or violations of [[:Category:Wikipedia content policies|content policy]] (such as [[Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons|biographies of living persons]], [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|neutral point of view]]).

A page and its talk page should not normally be protected at the same time. In exceptional cases, if a page and its talk page are both protected, the talk page should direct affected editors to [[WP:RFED|Wikipedia:Request for edit]] through the use of a non-iconified page protection template, to ensure that no editor is entirely prevented from contributing.

[[Wikipedia:Today's featured article|Today's featured article]] is, since 2023, always semi-protected. [[Wikipedia:Main Page featured article protection|This was historically not the case]], however.

=== Extended confirmed protection<span class="anchor" id="30/500"></span><span class="anchor" id="extended"></span><span class="anchor" id="Arbitration 30/500 protection"></span><!--former tags allow section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ===
{{see also|Wikipedia:Rough guide to extended confirmed protection}}
[[File:Extended-protection-shackle.svg|64px|upright=0.4|right|alt=Dark blue padlock|link=]]
{{policy shortcut|WP:ECP|WP:30/500|WP:BLUELOCK}}
Extended confirmed protection, previously known as 30/500 protection, allows edits only by editors with the [[Wikipedia:User access levels#Extendedconfirmed|extended confirmed]] user access level, administrators, and [[WP:BOT|bots]]. Extended confirmed is automatically granted to users one edit after their account has existed for at least 30 days and has made at least 500 edits.<ref>For accounts meeting the 30-day requirement, the permission is added on the edit following the 500th (i.e., the 501st edit). For accounts meeting the edit count requirement before the 30-day requirement, the permission is granted on the edit following the account reaching 30 days in age.</ref>

==== As escalation from semi-protection ====
Where semi-protection has proven to be ineffective, administrators may use extended confirmed protection to combat disruption (such as [[WP:VD|vandalism]], abusive [[WP:SOCK|sockpuppetry]], [[WP:WAR|edit wars]], etc.) on any topic.<ref>[[Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Extended confirmed protection policy]].</ref> Extended confirmed protection should not be used as a preemptive measure against disruption that has not yet occurred, nor should it be used to privilege extended confirmed users over unregistered/new users in valid content disputes (except as general sanction enforcement; see below).<ref name="ECPRFC2">[[Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Extended confirmed protection policy 2]].</ref>

==== Contentious topics ====
When necessary to prevent disruption in [[WP:CTOP|designated contentious topic areas]], administrators are authorized to make protections at any level. (This is distinct from the extended confirmed restriction below.) Some [[Wikipedia:General_sanctions#Community-authorised_discretionary_sanctions|community-authorized discretionary sanctions]] grant similar authorizations.

==== Extended confirmed restriction ====
Some topic areas are under Arbitration Committee [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Procedures#Extended confirmed restriction|extended confirmed restriction]] as a general sanction.<ref>The extended confirmed restriction was previously known as the "500/30 rule" which differed slightly.</ref> When such a restriction is in effect in a topic area, only extended-confirmed users may make edits related to the topic area. Enforcement of the restriction on articles primarily in the topic area is preferably done with extended confirmed protection, but it is not required (other enforcement methods are outlined in the policy). As always, review the policy before enforcing it.

Community general sanctions, applying a similar extended confirmed restriction, have also been authorized by the community.

[[Wikipedia:General sanctions|General sanctions]] has a list of the active general sanctions that incorporate the extended confirmed restriction.

==== Other cases ====
[[WP:HRT|High-risk templates]] can be extended-confirmed protected at administrator discretion when template protection would be too restrictive and semi-protection would be ineffective to stop widespread disruption.<ref>[[Special:Diff/1042239556#Should we use ECP on templates?|Should we use ECP on templates?]] discussion at the village pump.</ref>

Extended confirmed protection can be applied at the discretion of an administrator when creation-protecting a page.<ref name="ECPRFC2"/>

==== Logging and edit requests ====
A bot maintains a report of [[User:MusikBot/ECPMonitor/Report|pages recently put under extended confirmed protection]].<ref>{{slink|Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Archive365#Revisiting § Pages recently put under extended-confirmed protection}}</ref> Any protection made as arbitration enforcement must be logged at [[Wikipedia:Arbitration enforcement log]]. Community-authorized discretionary sanctions must be logged on a page specific to the topic area. A full list of the {{User:MusikBot/ECPMonitor/Total}} pages under extended confirmed protection can be found <span class="plainlinks">[{{fullurl:Special:ProtectedPages|level=extendedconfirmed}} here]</span>.

Users can request edits to an extended confirmed-protected page by proposing them on its talk page, using the {{Tlx|Edit extended-protected}} template if necessary to gain attention.

=== Full protection<span class="anchor" id="full"></span><!--former tag allows section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ===
[[File:Full-protection-shackle.svg|64px|upright=0.4|right|alt=Gold padlock|link=]]
{{policy shortcut|WP:FULL|WP:GOLDLOCK}}
A fully protected page cannot be edited or moved by anyone except [[Wikipedia:Administrators|administrators]].

Modifications to a fully protected page can be proposed on its [[Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines|talk page]] (or at another appropriate forum) for discussion. Administrators can make changes to the protected article reflecting [[Wikipedia:Consensus|consensus]]. Placing the {{tlx|Edit fully-protected}} template on the talk page will draw the attention of administrators for implementing uncontroversial changes.

==== Content disputes<span class="anchor" id="full-dispute"></span><!--former tag allows section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ====
{{See also|Wikipedia:Stable version}}
{{redirect|WP:PREFER|what title name should be preferred|Wikipedia:Disambiguation#Primary topic}}
While content disputes and [[Wikipedia:Edit war|edit warring]] can be addressed with user [[Wikipedia:Blocking policy|blocks]] issued by [[WP:UNINVOLVED|uninvolved]] administrators, allowing normal page editing by other editors at the same time, the protection policy provides an alternative approach as administrators have the discretion to temporarily fully protect an article to end an ongoing edit war. This approach may better suit multi-party disputes and contentious content, as it makes talk page [[Wikipedia:Consensus|consensus]] a requirement for implementation of [[Wikipedia:Edit requests|requested edits]].
{{anchor|PREFER|prefer}}<!--former tags allow section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.-->
{{Policy shortcut|WP:PREFER}}
When protecting a page because of a content dispute, administrators have a duty to avoid protecting a version that contains policy-violating content, such as [[WP:Vandalism|vandalism]], [[WP:COPYVIO|copyright violations]], [[WP:Libel|defamation]], or [[WP:BLP|poor-quality coverage of living people]]. Administrators are deemed to remain uninvolved when exercising discretion on whether to apply protection to the current version of an article, or to an older, [[WP:STABLE|stable]], or pre-edit-war version.

Fully protected pages may not be edited except to make changes that are uncontroversial or for which there is clear consensus. Editors convinced that the protected version of an article contains policy-violating content, or that protection has rewarded edit warring or disruption by establishing a contentious revision, may identify a stable version ''prior to'' the edit war and [[Wikipedia:Edit requests|request]] reversion to that version. Before making such a request, editors should consider how independent editors might view the suggestion and recognize that continuing an edit war is grounds for being blocked.

Administrators who have made substantive content changes to an article are considered [[WP:INVOLVED|involved]] and must not use their advanced permissions to further their own positions. When involved in a dispute, it is almost always wisest to respect the editing policies that bind all editors and call for input from an uninvolved administrator, rather than to invite controversy by acting unilaterally.

==== "History only" review ====
{{Policy shortcut|WP:PPDRV}}
If a deleted page is going through [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]], only administrators are normally capable of viewing the former content of the page. If they feel it would benefit the discussion to allow other users to view the page content, administrators may [[Wikipedia:Restore|restore]] the page, replace the contents with the {{tlx|Temporarily undeleted}} template or a similar notice, and fully protect the page to prevent further editing. The previous contents of the page are then accessible to everyone via the [[Help:Page history|page history]].

==== <span id="Protected generic image names"></span> Protected generic file names ====
Generic file names such as [[:File:Photo.jpg]], [[:File:Example.jpg]], [[:File:Map.jpg]], and [[:File:Sound.wav]] are fully protected to prevent new versions from being uploaded. Furthermore, [[:File:Map.jpg]] and [[:File:Sound.wav]] are [[#Creation protection|salted]].

==== High-risk pages and templates ====

The following pages and templates are usually fully protected for an indefinite period of time:
* The [[Main Page]] and highly visible pages related to the Main Page.
* Pages that should not be modified for ''legal reasons'', such as the [[Wikipedia:General disclaimer|general disclaimer]] or the [[Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License|local copy of the site copyright license]].
* Pages that are [[Wikipedia:Transclusion|transcluded]] very frequently, such as {{tlx|tl}} or {{tlx|citation needed}}, to prevent [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]] or [[Denial-of-service attack|denial of service]] attacks. This includes images or templates used in other highly visible or frequently transcluded pages. See [[Wikipedia:High-risk templates]] for more information.

=== Template protection<span class="anchor" id="template"></span><!--former tags allow section referencing while accommodating section name changes. DO NOT REMOVE IT.--> ===
{{main|Wikipedia:Template editor}}
[[File:Template-protection-shackle.svg|64px|upright=0.4|right|alt=Pink padlock|link=]]
{{Policy shortcut|WP:TPROT|WP:PINKLOCK}}
A template-protected page can be edited only by administrators or users in the {{int:group-templateeditor}} group. This protection level should be used almost exclusively on [[Wikipedia:High-risk templates|high-risk templates]] and [[WP:LUA|modules]]. In cases where pages in other namespaces become transcluded to a very high degree, this protection level is also valid.

This is a protection level<ref>Created October 2013 as a result of [[Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Template editor user right‎]]</ref> that replaces [[WP:FULL|full protection]] on pages that are merely protected due to high transclusion rates, rather than content disputes. It should be used on templates whose risk factor would have otherwise warranted full protection. It should not be used on less risky templates on the grounds that the [[WP:TPE|template editor]] user right exists—the existence of the right should not result in more templates becoming uneditable for the general editing community. In borderline cases, [[WP:ECP|extended confirmed protection]] or lower can be applied to high risk templates that the general editing community still needs to edit regularly. A full list of the pages under template protection can be found <span class="plainlinks">[{{fullurl:Special:ProtectedPages|level=templateeditor}} here]</span>.

Editors may request edits to a template-protected page by proposing them on its talk page, using the {{Tlx|Edit template-protected}} template if necessary to gain attention.