Wikipedia:Don't restore removed comments
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This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it. |
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This page in a nutshell: Users may remove comments from their own talk page. There is no need for others to replace those comments. |
If a user removes a comment from their own talk page, (legitimate or not), it should remain removed. By removing the comment, the user has verified that they have read it. The comment is still in the page history, so it is not important to keep it visible just to prove that the user was told about it. However, notices regarding blocks and block-reviews should not be removed while the block is still active.
Users should not remove only portions of another user's comment, nor edit their comment in any way. This includes paraphrasing, correcting spelling, grammar, or factual errors. Even though these actions may seem to be helpful, they can change the intent of the original user's comment and are therefore prohibited. Indentation or re-sectionalizing of comments, (to help identify who said what and/or provide chronological context), is allowed. Changing the format of coloured or unusually large or small font, removal of images and other format changes are also allowed. Removing wikilinks without removing the displayed text is also allowed, as users may not want their talk page to show up in the "what links here" special page for certain wikipedia pages.
Users who repeatedly restore the same comment to another user's talk page may be blocked for violating the three-revert rule or harassing another user, regardless of if the talk page is for a registered or unregistered "anonymous" editor.
