Wikipedia:Assume good faith

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✔ This page documents an English Wikipedia guideline. It is a generally accepted standard that editors should follow, though it should be treated with common sense and the occasional exception. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. When in doubt, discuss your idea on the talk page.
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WP:AGF
WP:FAITH
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This page in a nutshell:
  • Unless there is strong evidence to the contrary, assume that people who work on the project are trying to help it, not hurt it.
  • If criticism is needed, discuss editors' actions, but it is never necessary or productive to accuse others of harmful motives.
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“ Civility, Maturity, Responsibility ”

To assume good faith is a fundamental principle on Wikipedia. Most people are trying to help the project, not hurt it. If this were not true, a project like Wikipedia would be doomed from the beginning.

When there is a disagreement, consider using talk pages to clearly explain yourself, and in turn give others the opportunity to do the same. Consider whether a dispute stems from different perspectives and look for ways to reach consensus.

When others cast doubt on their own good faith, continue to assume good faith yourself where you can. Be civil and follow dispute resolution processes, rather than edit warring or attacking editors.

Contents

[edit] About good faith

Everyone make mistakes, both behavioral (like personal attacks) and content-based (like adding original research), and they can be corrected with gentle reminders most of the time. But there will be disagreements on Wikipedia that no policy or guideline has an easy answer for. When disagreements happen, it is unlikely that someone is trying to hurt the project. Keep a cool head, and consider dispute resolution if disagreements seem intractable; many of them aren't.

It is never necessary to attribute an editor's actions to bad faith, even if bad faith is obvious, as countermeasures (like reverting or blocking) are performed on the basis of behavior rather than intent. Vandalism, sock-puppetry, and repeatedly going against consensus are examples of bad faith (although consensus can be hard to pin down). There are processes for dealing with all of these.

[edit] Good faith and newcomers

Main article: Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers

Newcomers unaware of Wikipedia's culture and the mechanics of Wikipedia editing often make mistakes or fail to respect community norms. Some newcomers believe that an unfamiliar policy should be changed to match their experience elsewhere. Some newcomers bring with them experience or expertise for which they expect immediate respect. Behaviors arising from these perspectives are not malicious. Please just be respectful and make your best effort to help.

[edit] Demonstrate good faith

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WP:DGF

In addition to assuming good faith on the part of others, it can improve community spirit to assist others in assuming good faith on your part by demonstrating your own good faith. You can demonstrate good faith by articulating the honest motives behind actions, and by making statements and taking actions that show willingness to compromise, sincere interest in improving Wikipedia and following policies and guidelines, belief that material you add to articles and talk pages is accurate, avoidance of gaming the system, and other good-faith behavior. Demonstrating good faith is not required by this guideline, it is simply recommended as an aid to smooth and successful interaction with other editors.

[edit] Dealing with bad faith

Even if bad faith is evident, do not act uncivilly yourself in return, attack others, or lose your cool over it. It is ultimately much easier for others to resolve a dispute and see who is breaching policies, if one side is clearly editing appropriately throughout.

Wikipedia administrators and other experienced editors involved in dispute resolution will usually be glad to help, and are very capable of identifying policy-breaching conduct if their attention is drawn to clear and specific evidence.

[edit] Accusing others of bad faith

Making accusations of bad faith can be inflammatory and hence these accusations may be unhelpful in a dispute. It can be seen as a personal attack if bad faith motives are alleged without clear evidence that others' editing is actually in bad faith. The result is often accusations of bad faith on your part, which tends to create a nasty cycle.

[edit] See also

[edit] Guidelines

[edit] Essays

[edit] Articles