Wikipedia:Libel: Difference between revisions

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This page documents a Wikipedia policy with legal considerations. This page is also a Wikimedia Foundation policy, established by Jimmy Wales and endorsed by the Foundation as necessary for the operation of the sites under its jurisdiction.

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This page in a nutshell: Delete libelous material when it has been identified.

The goal of Wikipedia is to create an encyclopedic information source adhering to a neutral point of view, with referenced information through the citation of reliable published sources, so as to maintain a standard of verifiability.^[1]

It is the responsibility of all contributors to ensure that the material posted on Wikipedia is not defamatory.

It is a Wikipedia policy to immediately delete libelous material when it has been identified. Page revisions containing libelous content should also be removed from the page history. Libelous material (otherwise known as defamation) is reasonably likely to damage a person or company's reputation and could expose Wikipedia to legal consequences.

Contact instructions for subjects of libel

If you believe that you are the subject of a libelous statement on Wikipedia, please:

Send an E-mail to info-en-q@wikipedia.org with details of the article and situation.

References

^ Wales, Jimmy (2006-05-16). "[WikiEN-l] Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information". lists.wikimedia.org. WikiEN-l. Archived from the original on 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2019-07-17. It should be removed, aggressively, unless it can be sourced. This is true of all information, but it is particularly true of negative information about living persons.

External links

How to avoid libel and defamation (2004)—Information from the BBC for contributors to its defunct community website, Action Network, based on the English law of libel, which differs considerably from U.S. law.
Once it's on the Web, whose law applies?
Internet policy – Jurisdiction
Defamation FAQ at Chilling Effects Clearinghouse

[Wales_2006-05-16_WikiEN-l-1] Wales, Jimmy (2006-05-16). "[WikiEN-l] Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information". lists.wikimedia.org. WikiEN-l. Archived from the original on 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2019-07-17. It should be removed, aggressively, unless it can be sourced. This is true of all information, but it is particularly true of negative information about living persons.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
+{{Short description|Wikipedia policy with legal considerations}}
-{{Wiktionary|libel}}
 {{legal policy|WP:LIBEL|WP:LBL|text=This page is also a [[Wikipedia:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] policy, established by [[Jimmy Wales]] and endorsed by the Foundation as necessary for the operation of the sites under its jurisdiction.}}
 {{nutshell|Delete [[Defamation|libelous]] material when it has been identified.}}
+{{Wiktionary|libel}}
 {{legal policy list}}
-The goal of [[Wikipedia]] is to create an [[encyclopedia|encyclopedic]] information source adhering to a [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|neutral point of view]], with all information being [[reference]]d through the [[citation]] of [[WP:Identifying reliable sources|reliable published sources]], so as to maintain a standard of [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|verifiability]].<ref name="Wales_2006-05-16_WikiEN-l" />
+The goal of [[Wikipedia]] is to create an [[encyclopedia|encyclopedic]] information source adhering to a [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view|neutral point of view]], with [[reference]]d information through the [[citation]] of [[WP:Identifying reliable sources|reliable published sources]], so as to maintain a standard of [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|verifiability]].<ref name="Wales_2006-05-16_WikiEN-l" />
 It is the responsibility of all contributors to ensure that the material posted on [[Wikipedia]] is not [[Defamation|defamatory]].
-It is [[WP:List of policies|Wikipedia policy]] to delete [[Defamation|libelous]] material when it has been identified.
+It is a [[WP:List of policies|Wikipedia policy]] to immediately delete [[Defamation|libelous]] material when it has been identified. Page revisions containing libelous content should also be [[WP:RevDel|removed from the page history]]. Libelous material (otherwise known as defamation) is reasonably likely to damage a person or company's reputation and could expose Wikipedia to legal consequences.
-==Contact instructions for subject of libel==
+==Contact instructions for subjects of libel==
 If you believe that you are the subject of a libelous statement on Wikipedia, please:
-* '''[mailto:info-en-q@wikipedia.org E-mail]''' us with details of the article and error.
+* '''Send an E-mail to info-en-q@wikipedia.org'''  with details of the article and situation.
 ==See also==
 ===Policies===
+*[[Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons]]
 *[[Wikipedia:No legal threats]]
 *[[Wikipedia:No personal attacks]]
-*[[Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons]]
 ===Other related pages===
 *[[Wikipedia:Contact us]]
-*[[Defamation|Slander and libel]]
 *[[Wikipedia:Legal disclaimer|Wikipedia does not give legal advice]]
 *[[Wikipedia:An article about yourself isn't necessarily a good thing]]
-{{WikipediaHarassment}}
 ==References==
 {{Reflist|refs=
@@ Line 30: / Line 31: @@
 <!-- Order refs by Author, published, publisher -->
 <ref name="Wales_2006-05-16_WikiEN-l">{{cite web
-  | url = http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-May/046440.html
+| url = http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-May/046440.html
-  | title = [WikiEN-l] Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information
+| title = [WikiEN-l] Zero information is preferred to misleading or false information
-  | last = Wales
+| last = Wales
-  | first = Jimmy
+| first = Jimmy
-  | authorlink = Jimmy Wales
+| authorlink = Jimmy Wales
-  | work = lists.wikimedia.org
+| work = lists.wikimedia.org
-  | publisher = WikiEN-l
+| publisher = WikiEN-l
-  | date = 2006-05-16
+| date = 2006-05-16
-  | accessdate = 2010-05-21
+| accessdate = 2019-07-17
-  | archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5ptOvY3lx
+| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110406110126/http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-May/046440.html
-  | archivedate = 2010-05-21
+| archivedate = 2011-04-06
+| url-status = live
-  | quote = […] It should be removed, aggressively, unless it can be sourced.  This is true of all information, but it is particularly true of negative information about living persons. […]
+| quote = It should be removed, aggressively, unless it can be sourced. This is true of all information, but it is particularly true of negative information about living persons.
  }}</ref>
@@ Line 47: / Line 49: @@
 ==External links==
-* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A1183394 How to avoid libel and defamation] (2004)—Information from the [[BBC]] for contributors to its defunct community website, ''Action Network'', based on the English law of libel, which differs considerably from U.S. law. Note that [[Victoria Gillick]] actually '''lost''' her libel case, the reverse of what this claims. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1374961/Victoria-Gillick-broke-after-losing-libel-case.html Millward, David, ''Victoria Gillick 'broke' after losing libel case'', in ''The Telegraph'', Nov. 20, 2000, 12:00AM GMT, section ''UK News''], as accessed Feb. 1, 2011.
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081010222530/http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A1183394 How to avoid libel and defamation] (2004)—Information from the [[BBC]] for contributors to its defunct community website, ''Action Network'', based on the English law of libel, which differs considerably from U.S. law.
 * [http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1219/p02s01-usju.html Once it's on the Web, whose law applies?]
 * [http://www.internetpolicy.net/jurisdiction/ Internet policy – Jurisdiction]
 * [http://www.chillingeffects.org/defamation/faq.cgi Defamation FAQ at Chilling Effects Clearinghouse]
-__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
+__NOTOC__
 [[Category:Wikipedia legal policies]]