Knowledge (XXG)

:Silence and consensus - Knowledge (XXG)

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can be presumed until disagreement becomes evident. That is typically through reverting, editing, or stating disagreement on a relevant talk page. You find out whether your edit has consensus when it sticks, is built upon by others, and most importantly when it is used or referred to by others.
363:, a lack of response to an edit does not necessarily imply community consent. Knowledge (XXG) is huge and our editors' time is limited. At any given time, there are many open discussions on many different topics across the project. We encourage our editors to 367:
and it is highly likely that you will eventually find yourself affected by the outcome of some decision that you didn't know about, or didn't have the chance to join. Where a decision is based mostly on silence, it is especially important to remember that
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Of course, it is impractical to wait forever for affirmation: in the meantime then, sometimes it is best to assume that silence implies consensus. Lacking any objections on talk pages, you can continue to hold that hopefully safe assumption until
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When two editors reach an impasse, one or both may think that repeating and reiterating the same arguments is the only alternative to consent by silence. This is not the case. Either editor may withdraw from the discussion by stating that:
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Apply the rule of silence and consensus only when a weak consensus would suffice. Silence and consensus does not apply when a mandatory discussion is required. When real people are affected by a decision, such as
190:. No matter how many people on a talk page say they support an edit, sometimes it is only when your changes are reverted or substantially changed that you learn that you did not, in fact, have full consensus. 184:
In wiki-editing, it is difficult to get positive affirmation for your edits. Disapproval comes with a further edit, a statement of disapproval on the page's talk page or your talk page, or at times a
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Most of the time, you will find that it's fine to assume consensus, even if just for now, as it's more important to keep editing and cooperating smoothly in
540: 395:, positive confirmation is preferred. Even in these cases, however, dissent might show up later, and it is then no longer appropriate to assume consensus. 535: 456: 265: 198:
by editing or reverting. The more visible the statement, and the longer it stands unchallenged, the stronger the implication of consensus is.
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The post is correct, well-written information that needs no follow-up commentary. There's nothing more to say except "Yeah, what they said."
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The post is complete and utter nonsense, and no one wants to waste the energy or bandwidth to even point this out.
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This page provides additional information about concepts in the page(s) it supplements. This page is not one of
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Consensus arising from silence evaporates when an editor changes existing content or objects to it.
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If an editor withdraws without comment the other editor should, before assuming consent,
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the silent editor and alert them that their silence will be construed as agreement.
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No one understood the post, but won't ask for clarification, for whatever reason.
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The problem with no response is that there are five possible interpretations:
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Knowledge (XXG):Silence does not imply consent when drafting new policies
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consensus exists because you have seen evidence of disagreement.
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Consensus is assumed when there's no evidence of disagreement.
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The other editor is free to pursue the options offered at
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Explanatory essay about the Knowledge (XXG):Consensus page
314: 215: 67: 341:No one cares about the post, for whatever reason. 323: 223: 101: 441:– relating to articles, media, and other pages 422:Knowledge (XXG):Consensus § Level of consensus 168:if you disagree, the onus is on you to say so 8: 439:Knowledge (XXG):Deletion process § No quorum 457:Knowledge (XXG):BOLD, revert, discuss cycle 226: 103: 335:No one read the post, for whatever reason. 301:Silence is the weakest form of consensus 196:someone comes along and changes the page 46:Knowledge (XXG)'s policies or guidelines 485: 132:Nobody ever complained about my idea → 541:Knowledge (XXG) essays about consensus 351:-- Original description of the dilemma 258:The discussion has reached an impasse, 7: 393:biographies of living persons policy 112:He who is silent is taken to agree. 391:, or using material covered by the 359:This so because, as illustrated by 141:Someone complained about my idea → 536:Knowledge (XXG) supplemental pages 452:Knowledge (XXG):What is consensus? 349:Re: RFCs: two proposals for change 134:You can assume there is consensus 50:thoroughly vetted by the community 14: 297:without first seeking consensus. 202:What does not constitute silence 86: 22: 266:WP:Dispute resolution requests 261:They will not continue it, and 1: 410:Meta:Don't vote on everything 231:": the maxim of the law is " 106:Qui tacet consentire videtur 559: 379: 304: 285:That said, in the face of 205: 177: 57: 469:Consensus decision-making 37:Knowledge (XXG):Consensus 521:meatball:SilentAgreement 293:a good faith editor may 136:until you hear otherwise 94:This page in a nutshell: 498:Internet Movie Database 494:"A Man For All Seasons" 434:Knowledge (XXG):Be bold 344: 251: 227: 120: 104: 16:Wikimedia project page 246:A Man for All Seasons 233:Silence gives consent 163:as much as possible. 376:Scope of application 370:consensus can change 166:A corollary is that 228:Qui tacet consentit 125:Is there consensus? 48:as it has not been 428:Related guidelines 347:Bryan C. Warnock. 143:You can no longer 404:Essays on silence 361:Warnock's dilemma 180:Silence procedure 100: 99: 78: 77: 33:explanatory essay 548: 508: 507: 505: 504: 490: 416:Related policies 352: 317: 281: 275: 249: 230: 218: 118: 109: 90: 89: 83: 70: 26: 25: 19: 558: 557: 551: 550: 549: 547: 546: 545: 526: 525: 517: 512: 511: 502: 500: 492: 491: 487: 482: 401: 384: 378: 354: 346: 321: 320: 313: 309: 303: 279: 273: 250: 239: 222: 221: 214: 210: 204: 182: 176: 150: 126: 119: 116: 87: 81: 74: 73: 66: 62: 54: 53: 23: 17: 12: 11: 5: 556: 555: 552: 544: 543: 538: 528: 527: 524: 523: 516: 515:External links 513: 510: 509: 484: 483: 481: 478: 477: 476: 471: 460: 459: 454: 446:Related essays 443: 442: 436: 425: 424: 413: 412: 400: 397: 389:blocking users 377: 374: 343: 342: 339: 336: 333: 330: 322: 319: 318: 315:WP:WEAKSILENCE 310: 305: 302: 299: 295:employ silence 270: 269: 262: 259: 237: 225:The maxim is " 220: 219: 211: 206: 203: 200: 175: 172: 149: 148: 142: 139: 133: 129: 124: 121: 114: 98: 97: 91: 79: 76: 75: 72: 71: 63: 58: 55: 43: 42: 29: 27: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 554: 553: 542: 539: 537: 534: 533: 531: 522: 519: 518: 514: 499: 495: 489: 486: 479: 475: 472: 470: 467: 466: 465: 464: 458: 455: 453: 450: 449: 448: 447: 440: 437: 435: 432: 431: 430: 429: 423: 420: 419: 418: 417: 411: 408: 407: 406: 405: 398: 396: 394: 390: 383: 375: 373: 371: 366: 362: 357: 353: 350: 340: 337: 334: 331: 328: 327: 326: 316: 312: 311: 308: 300: 298: 296: 292: 288: 283: 278: 267: 263: 260: 257: 256: 255: 248: 247: 242: 236: 234: 229: 217: 216:WP:NOTSILENCE 213: 212: 209: 201: 199: 197: 191: 189: 188: 181: 173: 171: 169: 164: 162: 157: 154: 146: 140: 137: 131: 130: 128: 127: 117:Latin proverb 113: 110: 108: 107: 95: 92: 85: 84: 69: 65: 64: 61: 56: 51: 47: 40: 38: 34: 28: 21: 20: 501:. Retrieved 488: 462: 461: 445: 444: 427: 426: 415: 414: 403: 402: 385: 358: 355: 345: 324: 284: 271: 252: 244: 232: 224: 192: 185: 183: 167: 165: 158: 151: 144: 135: 123: 122: 111: 102: 93: 30: 241:Thomas More 31:This is an 530:Categories 503:2009-05-31 480:References 474:Groupthink 380:See also: 178:See also: 161:good faith 68:WP:SILENCE 35:about the 174:Rationale 153:Consensus 463:Articles 399:See also 307:Shortcut 208:Shortcut 60:Shortcut 365:be bold 287:vandals 291:trolls 187:revert 145:assume 289:and 277:ping 39:page 243:in 532:: 496:. 372:. 280:}} 274:{{ 238:— 170:. 115:— 41:. 506:. 268:. 138:. 52:.

Index

explanatory essay
Knowledge (XXG):Consensus
Knowledge (XXG)'s policies or guidelines
thoroughly vetted by the community
Shortcut
WP:SILENCE
Qui tacet consentire videtur
Consensus
good faith
Silence procedure
revert
someone comes along and changes the page
Shortcut
WP:NOTSILENCE
Thomas More
A Man for All Seasons
WP:Dispute resolution requests
ping
vandals
trolls
employ silence
Shortcut
WP:WEAKSILENCE
Re: RFCs: two proposals for change
Warnock's dilemma
be bold
consensus can change
Knowledge (XXG):Silence does not imply consent when drafting new policies
blocking users
biographies of living persons policy

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