User:DangerousPanda/How to handle promotional usernames

The big question

The big question has become "how do we handle accounts that match the name of an organization on the English Wikipedia? This has raised issues surrounding the username policy, promting an entity, advertising and other key policies and guidelines.

Some Wikipedia projects allow such usernames, but the standard procedure on the English Wikipedia has been to block, and force them to change their username. Even the blocking process has not been done in a consistent manner.

In many ways, allowing someone to show their conflict of interest can be beneficial: you know their "angle" when it comes to their edits.

Is it possible, therefore, to make positive use of the self-identification aspect, make use of their "internal" knowledge, and keep the editor contributions to improve the encyclopedia?

Current process

• user registers obviously promotional nickname
• they often perform a couple of WP:SPAM edits
• they get hardblocked or softblocked
• they may request unblock
• the get hit in some cases with a {{coiq}} template
• they either agree and get unblocked, and go off and do whatever ... or they don't agree

Way forward

We can take three different ways forward:

1. we embrace their clear COI, but guide them
2. we either drive them underground
3. we can drive them away

Proposed process

• we guide them
• if they choose not to be so guided, then we block

Self identification

The userpage should contain the following statements:

• I acknowledge that I have conflict of interest as an employee/representative of my organization
• I acknowledge that this account is not, and cannot be shared with others
• I do not hold any other Wikipedia accounts that will edit any article with which I have COI
• I understand the requirement for third party reliable sourcing - my company website doesn't count
• I understand that the article cannot promote or advertise my organization or its services
• I agree to uphold copyright on any images or files I submit for use
• I understand the following restrictions on my own editing of article where I have WP:COI:

1. I may recommend and discuss changes on the article talkpage in order to obtain consensus for them
2. I may correct spelling, grammar, and make minor changes
3. I may remove obvious vandalism
4. I may not remove sourced statements, even if they are negative in content
5. I will take great care with any edits to "competitors" or customers articles, and in my interactions with their representatives

• I recognize that my ability to edit Wikipedia may be removed if I violate these, or other policies of Wikipedia

Policy changes

The following policies will need to be amended. Wording can be determined on the talkpage

• WP:U