User talk:Stifle/FAQs/deletion reasons

To find the deletion reason for any given page, look at the deletion log. Type the page title in under "Title" and you should see the deletion reason. Then see below for what all those reasons mean, and possible reasons that pages deleted under that reason could be undeleted.

Articles for deletion, files for deletion

(includes all other "something for deletion")

The deletion reason should include a link to a discussion page where a consensus was formed to delete the article.

Possible resolutions

• If the administrator who closed the deletion discussion made a material error, the deletion can be reviewed. See Wikipedia:Deletion review.
  • Note that deleting an article where you voted to keep it is not, by itself, a material error.
• If new information has come to light that would have had a material difference to the discussion, the deletion can be reviewed. See Wikipedia:Deletion review.
• If the discussion was correctly closed in respect of the consensus, the article cannot be undeleted at this time. You may request that it be userfied (copied to a subpage of your user page) so that you can improve it. Such requests are made at Wikipedia:Requests for undeletion.

I personally waive any requirement to contact or discuss deletion decisions with me before listing at Deletion Review.

Copyvio

This deletion reason means that the article or image was used in violation of a copyright.

Possible resolutions

• If the article or image was not copyrighted, contact me and provide evidence of this.
  • Note that all images and texts are copyrighted by default, even if it does not have a copyright notice.
  • Just because text or image has been published widely does not mean it is not copyrighted.
• If the copyright holder has given permission for the article or image to be used under a valid licence, send the licence to permissions-en@wikimedia.org quoting the article or image name.

Listed on PUF for over two weeks

This deletion reason means that a query had been raised regarding the copyright permission of an image, and the query was not resolved in over two weeks.

Possible resolutions

• If the image was not copyrighted, contact me and provide evidence of this, and an explanation of why this information was not added to the listing in the fourteen-day waiting period.
  • Note that all images are copyrighted by default, even if it does not have a copyright notice.
  • Just because text or image has been published widely does not mean it is not copyrighted.
• If the copyright holder has given permission for the image to be used under a valid licence, send the licence to permissions-en@wikimedia.org quoting the image name.
• If you created the image yourself, contact me and let me know, including an explanation of why this information was not added to the listing in the fourteen-day waiting period.

Listed at Wikipedia:Copyright problems for over seven days

This deletion reason means that a query had been raised regarding the copyright permission of an article, and the query was not resolved in over a week.

Possible resolutions

• If the text was not copyrighted, contact me and provide evidence of this, and an explanation of why this information was not added to the listing in the seven-day waiting period.
  • Note that (almost) all text is copyrighted by default, even if it does not have a copyright notice.
  • Just because text has been published widely does not mean it is not copyrighted.
• If the copyright holder has given permission for the article to be used under a valid licence, send the licence to permissions-en@wikimedia.org quoting the article name.

WP:PROD: Nominated for seven days with no objection

This deletion reason means that someone suggested the article should be deleted, and nobody objected within seven days.

Possible resolutions

• Make a listing at Wikipedia:Requests for undeletion, which should be handled in a few hours.

G1: Patent nonsense, meaningless, or incomprehensible

This deletion reason means that the page could not be understood or made out as a sensible encyclopedia article.

Possible resolutions

• Create an article that makes sense and cites reliable sources.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, nonsense.

G2: Test page

This deletion reason means that the page appeared to have been created to test editing.

Possible resolutions

• Use the Sandbox for tests.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, a test.

G3: Vandalism (or hoax)

This deletion reason means that the page was created in an attempt to reduce the quality of Wikipedia, or that it was a hoax.

Possible resolutions

• Please do not create vandalism.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, vandalism.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, a hoax. Please provide sources which verify this.

G4: Recreation of a page that was deleted per a deletion discussion

This deletion reason means that the page was deleted after a deletion discussion and a substantially similar page was created afterwards.

Possible resolutions

• If the page was the same as the previously-deleted page, see #Articles for deletion, files for deletion.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, similar to the previously-deleted page.

G5: Creation by a banned user in violation of ban

Banned users are not allowed to create content.

Possible resolutions

• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, created by a banned user whilst banned.

G6: Housekeeping and routine (non-controversial) cleanup

This covers a wide variety of reasons. There is usually an additional text which explains the specific one that applies.

Possible resolutions

• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, housekeeping or routine cleanup.

G7: One author who has requested deletion or blanked the page

This covers cases where an author has requested deletion of a page.

Possible resolutions

• If you requested deletion of a page and want it re-added, make a listing at Wikipedia:Requests for undeletion.
• If an article was deleted under this criterion and you feel it didn't qualify, contact me.

G8: Page dependent on a deleted or nonexistent page, redirect to nonexistent page

This deletion reason applies for talk pages or other dependent pages where the main page has been deleted. It also covers redirects to pages that don't exist.

Possible resolutions

• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, dependent on a deleted or nonexistent page, or it had relevant discussion not duplicated elsewhere.

G10: Attack page or negative unsourced BLP

This deletion reason covers articles that appear to have been created to attack someone, or negative and unsourced articles about living people.

Possible resolutions

• Create a non-negative version of the article.

G11: Unambiguous advertising or promotion

This deletion reason applies to articles that appear to have been created to advertise a product or service. Important note: Specifying that another article (e.g. about a competing service) has not been deleted is not a valid reason to restore an article. See Wikipedia:Other stuff exists. It may be a reason to delete the other article.

Possible resolutions

• Create a non-advertising version of the article.
• Contact me if you feel that the article was not, in fact, advertising.

G12: Unambiguous copyright infringement

This deletion reason applies to articles that appear to have been copied from another website without permission.

Possible resolutions

• Contact me if you feel that the source website is not subject to copyright or has been released under a free licence.
  • Note that (almost) all text is copyrighted by default, even if it does not have a copyright notice.
  • Just because text has been published widely does not mean it is not copyrighted.
• If you have obtained permission from the website creator to use the text under a free licence, send it to permissions-en@wikimedia.org quoting the article name.

A1: Not enough context to identify article's subject

This deletion reason applies to articles which are so short that it is hard or impossible to tell what the article is about.

Possible resolutions

• Draft articles in userspace (see WP:SUBPAGE) before moving them into the main article namespace.
• Create a new article that is not so short, and include context so that readers unfamiliar with the subject can understand it.

A2: Article in a foreign language that exists on another project

This is the English Wikipedia. Articles in foreign languages should be added to the Wikipedia in the appropriate language.

Possible resolutions

• Write articles in foreign language on the appropriate foreign-language Wikipedia. See List of Wikipedias.

A3: Article that has no meaningful, substantive content

This deletion reason applies to articles that only consist of template tags, external links, attempts to contact the subject of the article, or similar content.

Possible resolutions

• Create an article with at least a few sentences about the subject.
• Draft articles in userspace (see WP:SUBPAGE) before moving them into the main article namespace.

A5: Article that has been transwikied to another project

This deletion reason applies to articles that are more suited to another Wikimedia project (like Wikibooks, Wikisource, Wiktionary) and have been transferred there.

Possible resolutions

• There is no resolution of this issue.

A7: No indication that the article may meet guidelines for inclusion (and other reasons)

This is probably the most common deletion reason on Wikipedia. It is used when an article contains no indication that the subject may meet the criteria for inclusion. It applies to articles about people, groups of people, clubs, organizations, companies, corporations, websites, and podcasts, among other things.

Possible resolutions

• If the article is, in fact, about a notable subject (see WP:N), contact me specifying the article name and providing proof that it is notable. Such proof would normally take the form of newspaper articles covering the subject.
• If the article was very short, you can create a new article with proper justification explaining how the subject is notable.

A9: Music recording by artist with no Wikipedia article and without indication of importance or significance

This is used when an article about a music recording (album/EP/single/etc.) contains no indication that it might meet the criteria for inclusion, and the recording is by a band/singer/etc. who does not have a Wikipedia article.

Possible resolutions

• If the article is, in fact, about a notable album (see WP:N), contact me specifying the article name and providing proof that it is notable. Such proof would normally take the form of newspaper articles covering the subject.
• If the artist meets the notability requirements at WP:NMG, create an article for the artist and mention the album there.
• If the article was very short, you can create a new article with proper justification explaining how the subject is notable.

F1: Image redundant to another on Wikipedia

This is used when an image is either an exact copy or a scaled-down copy of another image on Wikipedia. Multiple copies of the same image are not needed, and since the MediaWiki software can resize images on the fly, there is no need for lower-resolution versions of the same image.

Possible resolutions

• If the image was not, in fact, redundant, contact me explaining the difference between it and the replacement image.

F2: Corrupt or empty image, or image page for an image on Commons

This is used when an image does not load, as well as for file description pages that relate to an image on Commons and don't carry any useful information.

Possible resolutions

• If the image was not, in fact, corrupt (which may arise if my internet browser fails to render it), contact me to request undeletion.
• If, in the case of a description page for an image on Commons, the description page contained relevant information, contact me and I will restore it.

F3: Image with improper license

This is used when an image is uploaded with restrictions stating it is for educational or non-commercial purposes, or for use only on Wikipedia. While it might seem this is allowable, it is in fact not, as Wikipedia only accepts freely-licensed content (with the exception of specific non-free content).

Possible resolutions

• If you created the image entirely by yourself and are willing to release it under a free license, contact me specifying the license.
• If you did not create the image yourself, have the copyright holder send a permission release to permissions-en@wikimedia.org quoting the image title.

F4: Lack of licensing information

This is used when an image has been marked for seven days or longer as lacking details of its source and/or copyright status.

Possible resolutions

• If you know the image's source and copyright status, contact me providing full details, as well as an explanation of why this information wasn't added during the seven-day grace period. You may be asked for further verification.

F5: Unused non-free media

This is used when a non-free image is not used in an article and has not been so used for over a week.

Possible resolutions

• If you propose to use the image in an article, contact me specifying the article. You may be asked for further details.

F6: Non-free media without fair-use rationale

This is used when a non-free image has been marked as lacking a rationale for its use for over a week.

Possible resolutions

• You can contact me specifying the full fair use rationale you propose for the image, and the article in which it will be used.

F7: Violates fair use policy

This wide-ranging reason covers several separate cases.

Spurious/irrelevant fair use tag

This indicates that the image had a copyright tag which was completely unrelated to the actual image. An example would be a football team logo marked as a magazine cover, or an old photograph marked as a website screenshot.

Possible resolutions

• If there is an appropriate copyright tag for the image, contact me specifying what it is.

Non-free image of persons who are still alive

As the reason suggests, this relates to non-free images of persons who are still alive. These are almost never allowed, because a new photograph could be taken of the person and released under a free license.

Possible resolutions

• If there is a very strong reason why this photograph isn't replaceable by a free photograph that exists or could be created, contact me explaining it. Note that the following are not valid:
  • I could not find a free photograph (one can be taken)
  • The person is always surrounded by security (a photograph can still be taken)
  • The picture depicts a specific point in the person's career (not relevant for photographs used for identification; only valid if the photograph is specifically discussed in the article)
  • This photograph is much better quality

Other

Generally other deletions under this category occur when an image has been tagged for seven days or more as disputed.

Possible resolutions

• If you feel this image meets all of the criteria, contact me providing an explanation.

F8: Media file available on Commons

This category includes images which are present on Wikimedia Commons. As images from Commons can be used on Wikipedia without any special effort, keeping local copies of them is usually unnecessary.

Possible resolutions

• If the image has been deleted from Commons but remains acceptable on Wikipedia (e.g. if it is free in the USA but not in the country of origin, or if you propose to use it under fair use), contact me providing details.
• If the image is to be used on the main page or needs to be protected, place a request on WP:REFUND, or just upload it here.

F9: Image copyright violation

This reason is used for images which are in violation of the owner's copyright.

Possible resolutions

• If you are the owner or have received permission from the owner to use the image under a free license, send a consent email to permissions-en@wikimedia.org. The email must be sent from an address clearly associated with the original image.
• If the image is not copyrighted, contact me explaining why.
  • Note: All images created since 1978 in the USA, and earlier in most other places, are copyrighted by default and do not need a copyright notice.
  • An image is still subject to copyright even if it has been published all over the internet.
  • An image is still subject to copyright even if it is not known who the copyright holder is.
  • Copyright generally expires 70 years after the death of the author. (See WP:PD for more.)

F10: Useless non-media file

This reason is used for PDF and other files that have no conceivable use to the encyclopedia.

Possible resolutions

• If you feel the image has a conceivable use to the encyclopedia, contact me specifying this. Please note that text should be added as an article, rather than a PDF file.

F11: No evidence of permission

This reason is used where an image has been marked as having a permission issue for over seven days, and this has not been resolved. Permission issues arise when an image is uploaded credited to a third-party, but no evidence is provided that the third party has given permission for the use.

Possible resolutions

• The copyright owner can send a consent email to permissions-en@wikimedia.org, specifying the image name.

R2: Cross-namespace redirect from mainspace

This reason is used for redirects from the main namespace to user or other namespaces, which aren't permitted by policy.

Possible resolutions

• There are no possible resolutions to this issue.

R3: Recently-created, implausible redirect

This reason is used for redirects which are unlikely to be used.

Possible resolutions

• If you feel that the redirect is a plausible misspelling, contact me explaining why.

Contact me

To contact me regarding a deleted page, where your question is not answered above, click here to leave a message. Please make sure that you include the title of the deleted page.