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Motivations for vandalism (as distinguished from abuse like harassment and edit warring) range from a desire for recognition and infamy[1][2] to frustration with the project or community. Vandalism is encouraged by offering such users exceptional notice. This is particularly true for prolific vandals, who were (prior to this essay) immortalised by Wikipedia pages, meticulously catalogued by category pages, dedicated specific templates, and who thereby become a notable part of wiki culture.
This glorification of vandalism through infamy encourages Internet memes through reinforcement, where users imitate notorious or unique vandalism methods for amusement, to share in the infamy, or for the thrill of defying authority and/or the perception of destroying other users' work. Denying recognition and infamy removes the primary motivations for vandalism and disruption.
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Continuing to deal with vandalism
Some material is still going to be valuable in dealing with vandalism, so this is not about pretending vandalism does not exist. Information on vandalism should be critically appraised for its genuine value, and if that value outweighs any detriment from the publicity of that vandal/vandalism. Stating that a certain individual is involved in very obvious vandalism probably does not enable any better recognition or response to that vandalism, it merely adds to the legend of a specific vandal. On the other hand, documenting a new form of vandalism in a neutral manner like Wikipedia:Vandalism#Types of vandalism ensures a suitable awareness of that vandalism's existence.
How to mitigate vandalism
If you see information pages about vandals or vandalism that you think have no practical purpose, list them for deletion (if you see a whole group of similar pages, make a group nomination). User pages for indefinitely blocked users (except sockpuppets and banned users) that have no practical purpose can be put on WP:MFD or WP:PRODed after a short while.[3] Remember that this is not a criterion for speedy deletion, though.
For the same reasons, most indefinite block templates place user pages in Category:Temporary Wikipedian userpages, whence they are routinely deleted after at least a month along with associated user pages.
See also
Similar pages:
- Wikipedia:What is a troll
- Wikipedia:Don't stuff beans up your nose
- Wikipedia:Revert, block, ignore
- Wikipedia:The Motivation of a Vandal
- User:The Cunctator/HomePage Vandalism
- DissuadeReputation
- Wikiversity:No shrines for vandals
Contrasting pages:
References
- ^ As an example of desire for recognition and infamy as a motivation for vandalism, see "Pelican shit" on Wikipedia talk:Long term abuse.
- ^ request for own long term abuse page user had previously taken screenshots of their own sockpuppets vandalism and added them to other long term abuse pages
- ^ IP addresses stored for registered users are only kept in the system for so long; categorising a user after this period of time serves no useful purpose.
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 20 August 2008, at 18:59.
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