Wikinews:Accreditation policy

This is an official policy on English Wikinews. It has wide acceptance and is considered a standard for all users to follow. Changes to this page must reflect consensus. If in doubt, discuss first on the talk page.

Shortcut: WN:AP

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Etiquette

Accreditation Policy Requests Verify

This page outlines the Wikinews accreditation policy, which enables Wikinews contributors to be recognized as members of the press by third parties. The usual method is for a journalist to file a request for a press pass with an organization (such as a sporting arena, government or corporate office), and present their accreditation. Such third parties can check the credentials against the list of accredited contributors.

Requesting accreditation

Wikinews users should request accreditation from the community before filing a request with a third party. The request should be made at Wikinews:Accreditation requests. It must include a description of types of planned uses of credentials. The request must also include the user's real name, as that will likely be used by the third party for verifying the journalist. A good request will also point to articles they have created on English Wikinews.

• In some circumstances, particularly where reporting on issues that might see an accredited reporter harassed, stalked, or legally threatened, a would-be reporter may identify to the Wikimedia Foundation or a Bureaucrat, and have such agree a plausible pseudonym. (Example: Eric Arthur Blair, a noted author and journalist, who is far, far better known by his pen-name George Orwell.)

The accreditation request will remain open for at least seven days to allow other users to review it and either {{Support}} or {{Oppose}}.

Accreditation criteria include, but are not limited to:

• Being an established, and published, English Wikinews contributor.
• Having started, and substantially contributed to, several English Wikinews articles.
• Demonstrable commitment to NPOV, as shown by contributions and the text of the application.
  • This is particularly important for original reporting – the implicit goal of accreditation.

A prior track record of being a published journalist, with examples, may also be considered. Editorial, or Op-Ed, work elsewhere is likely to be viewed with less weight; such is not in line with the project's Neutral Point of View policy.

Approval requires the consensus of the voting community members. Only registered Wikinews users' votes are counted in the final tally.

Expectations of accreditation

Accredited users should follow Wikinews policies and guidelines and are accountable for their actions when using their Wikinews accreditation.

Removal of accreditation

Inactivity

• If an accredited user does not edit on English Wikinews for at least 2 years, their accreditation may be deemed to have expired. This can be reversed in certain circumstances and is never considered a reflection on their accreditation.
• A courtesy message should be left on the user talk page. If necessary, the userpage should be edited to clarify the status — particularly if any categorization is involved.

Resignation and vanishing

Accredited users may request that their credentials be removed for any reason. Users who choose the right to vanish are assumed to no longer be accredited.

Complaints

Accreditation may be revoked for:

• abuse of any access or privileges obtained;
• for significant violations of the NPOV policy;
• abusing privilege through actions that can be construed as misleading the project's community, any organisation granting privileged access, or otherwise jeopardising future privileged access for other accredited reporters.

Any established user may file a request at WN:AR for the revocation of a reporter's accreditation, with clear justification. Such a request must remain open for at least two weeks to establish community consensus.

Accreditation may be immediately revoked upon administrator or bureaucrat review of a request from the Wikimedia Board of Trustees which meets the criteria above.

Restoration of accreditation

Accreditation may be quickly restored upon request by the affected user to an administrator unless:

• accreditation was revoked after a complaint as above; or
• more than one year has passed since the removal of accreditation.

If either of the above criteria applies, the user will need to go through a normal request for accreditation. A reasonable sustained period of contribution would be required to reestablish community confidence, before a new accreditation request is made.

Verification of accreditation

Third parties can verify Wikinews accreditation by checking for the reporter's name at Wikinews:Credential verification, which is only updated by Wikinews administrators and bureaucrats.