User:Tempodivalse/Respect

Respect is a key, cornerstone principle for any online community that wishes to obtain a good reputation and a productive, focussed working environment. Editing Wikinews can be stressful due to the deadlines involved, and tempers can flare, but nonetheless it's important to maintain This page outlines concepts that all users of Wikinews, both established and new, should follow at all times.

Respect the person
If there is a problem with an article, criticism should be directed at the content and not the author. Criticism should also specifically state what needs to be improved and why, instead of vague, unhelpful comments. ("You're a fool for not reading the appropriate policy" is not acceptable, for instance, but "This article is unacceptably badly written because it lacks punctuation" is.) Even then, make an effort to phrase comments gently - your words may come off as being more abrasive and upset than you intended.

Do not make blatantly insulting or derogatory remarks about the person. It is never helpful nor productive to call someone a "moron", "imbecile", or similar names - even if you think it's true, you're never going to improve things that way.

Comments regarding negative personal behaviour or traits are acceptable if they are clearly relevant to the issue at hand (such as to voice concern at a RfA or deadminship request). However, even then any assertions should be backed up with evidence and phrased in a respectful manner.

Insults and disrespectful remarks do not help anything. They only reflect poorly on the person making them, and also make the atmosphere less encouraging and productive for others.

Enforcement
Users not abiding by the above guidelines should be notified and requested to tone down conversation and display more respect. Be careful when engaging a user - they may not have realised their words could be read in that way. Repeated hostility or disrespect towards others after requests not to may be viewed as disruptive and lead to a block at an administrator's discretion.

Users who are flagrantly and repeatedly hostile and rude to others after repeated warnings can be subject to blocks of longer and longer duration, culminating in an indefinite block if there is community consensus.

Don't feed the trolls
Respect also means not responding childishly to vandals and trolls who are clearly out to harm the project. They should be blocked in a professional manner. Remember, most trolls want to get a rise out of you. You can actually frustrate them more by not taking the bait, and make them less likely to bother the wiki again.