View source for Wiki143:Oversight

{{short description|Wikipedia project page about the Oversight permission}}
{{redirect|WP:SUPPRESS|suppression of redirects|WP:R#SUPPRESS|suppression of categories|WP:CATSUP}}
{{redirect-distinguish|WP:OS|WP:Original synthesis}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{caution|{{center|'''The fastest way to request oversight is to {{big|<u>[[Special:EmailUser/Oversight|email the oversight team]].</u>}}'''}}}}
{{notice|'''If you want to request suppression, don't post the details publicly. Use [[Special:EmailUser/Oversight|this form]], email {{Oversight email}}, or see [[Wikipedia:Requests for oversight]] for other ways to request suppression.'''}}
{{policy|WP:OS|WP:OVER|WP:SUPPRESS|WP:SIGHT}}
{{nutshell| Suppression ([[#Nomenclature|historically "oversight"]]) is used within strict limits to protect privacy, to remove defamatory material, and sometimes to remove serious copyright violations, from any page or log entry.}}
[[File:Wikipedia Oversight (2020).png|250px|thumb|The Oversight logo]]
{{deletion policy list}}

'''Suppression''' on Wikipedia (also known as '''oversight''' for [[mw:Extension:Oversight|historical reasons]]) is a form of enhanced deletion that, unlike normal [[Wikipedia:Deletion policy|page deletion]] or [[Wikipedia:Revision deletion|revision deletion]], expunges information from any form of usual access, even by administrators. It is used within strict limits to protect privacy, remove [[WP:defamation|defamatory material]], and sometimes to remove serious [[WP:COPYVIO|copyright violations]], from any edit, revision, page, or log entry on the English Wikipedia.

On the English Wikipedia, "oversight" (the power to suppress information) is entrusted to [[Special:ListUsers/suppress|a restricted number of users]], who can suppress material if it meets the strict requirements below. Use of these tools is monitored by other oversighters who patrol the log, and by the [[WP:Arbitration Committee|Arbitration Committee]]. The fastest way to request oversight is to '''[[Special:EmailUser/Oversight|email the oversight team]]'''.

The permission is granted by Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee|Arbitration Committee]], after community consultation and vetting of the editor by the committee's members and the [[WP:FUNCT|functionary team]]. While there is no formal requirement that oversighters also be administrators, the Arbitration Committee has traditionally restricted applications to users who are currently administrators. Oversighters must also be 18 years of age or older and have [[Wikipedia:Access to nonpublic information|signed the Wikimedia Foundation's confidentiality agreement for nonpublic information]] before being appointed. The use of the Oversight tool on the English Wikipedia is monitored and controlled by the Arbitration Committee, and Oversighters may have their permissions revoked by the Arbitration Committee for misuse or abuse of the Oversight permission.

This policy supplements the [[m:Oversight policy|global oversight policy]] and applies only to the English Wikipedia.

==Nomenclature==
The term ''"oversight"'' (for the function/tool) originally came from the [[mw:Extension:Oversight|Oversight extension]], an old revision removal function whose log access was intended to allow ''oversight'' of its operation. The Oversight extension was only intended to be a temporary measure; the [[mw:RevisionDelete|RevisionDelete]] system was enabled in 2009, fixed several problems with oversight (including causing misattribution of edits and its irreversibility), added features not originally present (including account and log hiding), and is the method used to this day in order to remove content. For historical reasons, the group of users with the ability to use the RevisionDelete and Oversight tools are still known as ''"oversighters"'', and suppression might still be referred to as ''"oversight"''. However, ''"oversight"'' might refer specifically to use of the old Oversight extension, while ''suppression'' will not.

Page revisions removed with the old Oversight extension did not leave a placeholder in the page history and could not be restored, and revisions that were hidden were logged at Special:Oversight; Oversight, however, was superseded by [[mw:RevisionDelete|RevisionDelete]] with the new version and deployment of the MediaWiki software in 2009. With the replacement of the old extension with the updates and changes to the MediaWiki software, revisions suppressed with RevisionDelete (the new suppression workflow) leave a visible placeholder in the page history and can be restored if the situation calls for it. All visibility changes that were made on Wikipedia using the old Oversight extension were migrated over to the updated workflow and hence are visible and reversible.
{{anchor|Table}}<section begin="table" />
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1" style="text-align:center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|+ Comparison of hiding tools
|-
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Tool
! scope="colgroup" colspan=2 | Content visible to:
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Reversible
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | In public<br>deletion log
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Appearance in<br>page histories
! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Error when<br>viewing diff
|-
! scope="col" | [[WP:ADMIN|Administrators]]
! scope="col" | Oversighters
|-
! scope="row" | [[WP:REVDEL|RevisionDelete]]
| {{Yes C}}
| {{Yes C}}
| {{Yes C}}
| {{Yes C}}
| ''<span style="color: var(--color-subtle,#54595d)">{{strike|(crossed out)}}</span>''
| [[MediaWiki:Rev-deleted-no-diff]]
|-
! scope="row" | Suppression
| {{No X}}
| {{Yes C}}
| {{Yes C}}
| {{No X}}
| ''<span style="color:var(--color-base,#202122); text-decoration:line-through; text-decoration-style:double;">(doubly crossed out)</span>''
| [[MediaWiki:Rev-suppressed-no-diff]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[mw:Extension:Oversight|Old Oversight]]
| {{No X}}
| {{No X}}
| {{No X}}
| {{No X}}
| {{N/A|N/A}}
| {{N/A|N/A}}
|}<section end="table" />

==Policy==
{{hatnote|Wikimedia Foundation suppression policy is documented at [[m:Oversight policy]]}}
{{hatnote|Policy FAQs can be found at [[Wikipedia:Oversight/FAQ]]}}
{{shortcut|WP:OSPOL}}

This feature is approved for use in these cases:{{anchor|personal}}
# '''Removal of non-public personal information.''' Suppression is a tool of first resort in removing this type of information, including (but not limited to):
#* Phone numbers, home addresses, ID numbers, passport numbers, credit card numbers, workplaces or other nonpublic personal data.
#* Identities of pseudonymous or anonymous individuals who have not made their identity public.
#* IP data of editors who accidentally logged out and thus inadvertently revealed their own IP addresses.
#* IP data of editors without an account on request,<ref name="ipondemand" group="note">[[Wikipedia:Village pump (proposals)/Archive 125#Proposal for slight expansion of existing suppression criterion|2015 addition of editors without an account]]</ref> provided that the edits were made recently and are relatively small in number.<ref name="smallnum" group="note">Generally within the last three months and fewer than 20 edits in total</ref>

In the following cases, revision or log suppression may be used when justified by the circumstances. However, consideration should be given to whether administrative [[Wikipedia:Revision deletion|revision deletion]] is an adequate response:
# <li value=2> '''Removal of potentially libelous information,''' either: a) on the advice of Wikimedia Foundation counsel; or b) when the case is clear, and there is no editorial reason to keep the revision.
# '''Removal of copyright infringement''', on the advice of Wikimedia Foundation counsel.</li>
# '''Hiding of blatant attack usernames on automated lists and logs''', where this does not disrupt edit histories. A blatant attack is one obviously intended to denigrate, threaten, libel, insult, or harass someone.<ref name="tempvan" group="note">Criteria #4 and #5 were implemented as an interim solution to certain serious vandalism and grossly disruptive abuses that administrators would expect to address, but could not with their tools (due to previous software limitations). Since tools have since been developed so that administrators can apply deletion norms to '''all''' public logs and data fields on the wiki, these criteria might be considered for removal.</ref>
# '''Removal of vandalism.''' Suppression may be occasionally used to remove vandalism for which removal by normal administrative measures is insufficient. Such cases should be discussed ''in advance'' on the Oversight mailing list unless they are urgent or time-sensitive, in which case they should be discussed on the mailing list afterward.<ref name="tempvan" group="note" />

The original [[meta:Oversight policy]], containing only the first three criteria above, was adopted because the now-deprecated Oversight tool did not provide oversighters with the ability to restore oversighted revisions.  The fourth criterion was adopted at [[meta:Oversight policy]] in November 2009.  The fifth criterion was adopted after the implementation of RevisionDelete which allowed suppression actions to be easily reversed.

==Privacy of account renames==
{{shortcut|WP:HIDERENAME}}
The suppression of any [[WP:RENAME|account rename]] logs, as well as any logs that are generated from any subsequent page moves, redirect placements, or other operations performed as a result of the account rename process, ''will not be granted''. This is true even if the original username is the real name of the editor.

The Oversight team recommends to all users that they do not use or reference any kind of personal information to be part of their account's username. Users who have serious privacy concerns because of their current username, but who also wish to continue editing Wikipedia, should create a new account by following the [[WP:CLEANSTART|clean start process]]. After this is done, the user may disclose the connection privately to the [[WP:AC|Arbitration Committee]].

==Operation==

===Actions===
Oversighters can perform the following actions:
# Suppress and unsuppress elements of individual page revisions (revision text, username, or edit summary) using an extended option on the [[mw:RevisionDelete|RevisionDelete]] function page.
# Suppress and unsuppress elements of log entries (action / target user or page, log summary, or the username / IP of the user that performed the action) using an extended option on the [[mw:RevisionDelete|RevisionDelete]] function page.
# Suppress and unsuppress individual [[WP:EF|edit filter]] logs.<ref name="EditFilterAdditionalInfo" group="note">At this time, edit filter logs cannot be revision deleted. They can only be suppressed, and only users who are oversighters can suppress them.</ref>
# Suppress a target account's username from all edits and log entries when applying a block to it using the [[mw:Block|block]] function page.<ref name="BlockScriptHideFromListOfUsers" group="note">This option will also remove the username from the Wikipedia [[Special:ListUsers|list of users]] page. Oversighters who view this page can see ''all users'' in the list, including those who were hidden by the suppression block. Non-oversighters will only see users in this list that are not hidden by a suppression block.</ref><ref name="BlockScriptIndefOnly" group="note">This option is only available when applying an indefinite block to a Wikipedia user account.</ref><ref name="BlockScriptDescription" group="note">Setting a block with the suppress option ticked triggers a script that executes and performs the suppression of all affected edits and logs automatically. These actions are not logged in the suppression log as individual changes to each edit or log entry; instead, the block event itself is logged in the suppression log noting that it was applied with the suppression option ticked.</ref><ref name="BlockScriptCannotUndoEasily" group="note">The automatic changes to edits and log entries are not undone automatically by unticking the suppress option and updating the block; doing this will do nothing other than to update the block to a normal block (which does nothing functionally). This is stored as a block event in the public block log, not the suppression log. To undo the actions and visibility changes that were automatically performed from blocking an account with the suppression option ticked, you must modify the visibility settings on each affected edit and log entry manually.</ref>
# Suppress all edits to a page when deleting it using the delete function page.<ref name="PageDeletionOptionTickLogInfo" group="note">Deleting a page with this option ticked triggers a script that executes and performs the suppression of all information from each revision automatically. These actions are not logged in the suppression log as individual changes to each revision or a mass change to all revisions; instead, the page deletion event itself is logged in the suppression log noting that it was applied with the suppression option ticked. This action can be reversed by restoring the page and with the "remove restrictions on restored revisions" option ticked. This restoration event is logged in the deletion log, not the suppression log.</ref>
# Review the suppression log containing a list of actions taken by all other oversighters involving suppression, as well as the material that was suppressed by that other user.
# View all suppressed edits and log entries.

===Logging===
The RevisionDelete extension, as well as the delete and block function pages can be used by both oversighters and administrators. Oversighters have an extra option in the RevisionDelete extension that, when ticked, indicates that the visibility change is a suppression action that prevents administrator access, or (if left unticked) as an administrator action that any administrator can see and modify. The delete and block function pages also have an extra option available to oversighters that, when ticked, automatically suppress all revisions and information, or suppress the username from all edits and log entries, respectively. Administrators do not have access to these extra options. These actions are logged in the [[Special:Log/suppress|suppression log]] if the options are ticked, or the [[Special:Log/delete|deletion log]] or [[Special:Log/block|block log]] if they are not.
* Page revisions and logged events that have been suppressed by an oversighter by using the ''"suppress this data"'' checkbox are logged in the suppression log; no entry is added to the public deletion log.<ref name="SuppressionLogUntickOptionInfo" group="note">This includes any visibility changes that untick the suppression option and change the edit or log entry to no longer be a suppression; these changes are recorded in the suppression log, not the public deletion log. Any subsequent visibility changes made afterwards that do not re-enable suppression are logged in the public deletion log.</ref>
* Page revisions and logged events that have been revision-deleted by an oversighter ''without'' using the ''"suppress this data"'' checkbox, or by an administrator, are logged in the public deletion log.<ref name=RevisionDeletionDescriptionInfo" group="note">RevisionDelete is configured to allow administrators to restrict the visibility of revisions and logs from being viewable by non-administrator accounts only. Oversighters are given an extra option to restrict the visibility of revisions and logs from non-administrator users ''and'' designate the visibility to ''also'' be suppressed from administrator view as well. Only when an oversighter designates the visibility of material as also being suppressed from administrator view is the action referred to as a "suppression"; all other visibility actions performed that are not restricted from administrator view are referred to as "[[WP:REVDEL|revision deletion]]" or "RevDel". Administrator revision deletion actions are logged in the public deletion log and are viewable and reversible by other administrators, while revisions and logs that are suppressed from administrator view by oversighters are logged in the suppression log.</ref>
* Accounts that are blocked and with the'' "suppress username from edits and lists"'' checkbox ticked are logged in the suppression log; no entry is added to the public block log.<ref name="BlockScriptHideFromListOfUsers" group="note"/><ref name="BlockScriptIndefOnly" group="note"/><ref name="BlockScriptDescription" group="note"/><ref name="BlockScriptCannotUndoEasily" group="note"/>
* Accounts that are blocked ''without'' the ''"suppress user name from edits and lists"'' checkbox ticked (a normal block without suppression) are logged in the public block log.
* Pages that are deleted with the ''"suppress all revisions and logs"'' checkbox ticked are logged in the suppression log; no entry is added to the public deletion log.<ref name="PageDeletionOptionTickLogInfo" group="note"/>
* Pages that are deleted ''without'' the ''"suppress all revisions and logs"'' checkbox ticked (a normal administrator page deletion) are logged in the public deletion log.

Each entry in the log will list the account who made the visibility change, a timestamp of when the change was performed, the page, edits, or logs that the changes were saved to, and the summary that the performing administrator entered when applying the change. Log entries regarding the visibility of an edit include a diff link to compare the previous live revision to the modified one.

===Oversight blocks===
{{See also|Wikipedia:Blocking policy#Oversight blocks}}

Oversighters can block accounts based on information which has been oversighted, and hence not accessible by the public or by administrators. They will make clear in the block log summary that they have blocked as an "oversight action", usually by including the {{tl|OversightBlock}} template. It is customary for oversighters to submit their OS blocks to the oversight team's internal email list for peer review.<ref group="note">Temporary OS blocks of IP addresses do not require self-reporting. [[Special:PermaLink/1091306917#Short_term_IP_OS_Blocks|(2022 discussion)]]</ref> These blocks must not be reversed by non-oversighters. Administrators must not undo nor loosen any block that is specifically called an "oversight block" without first consulting an oversighter.

==Assignment and revocation==
{{main|Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/CheckUser and Oversight}}
On the English language Wikipedia, access to the suppress function of the RevisionDelete tool is controlled by the [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee|Arbitration Committee]]. Permission is generally automatically granted to members of the Arbitration Committee and retained by them when they leave the committee. Non-Arbitrators may be granted the oversight user rights at the discretion of the Arbitration Committee, and are selected for trustworthiness and availability to handle requests. However, only a very few appointments are typically made per year. Users interested in obtaining access should add the [[WP:AC/N|Arbcom noticeboard]] to their watchlists for an announcement or contact the Committee, and proceed from there. Appointments that are confirmed by the Arbitration Committee will be posted on [[m:Requests for permissions#CheckUser access|Requests for permission]] on Meta-Wiki, a Steward will assign the permission once the user has completed the necessary [[WP:IDENT|non-public information confidentiality document]].

Beginning in 2009, the Arbitration Committee held [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/CheckUser and Oversight elections|periodic elections]] that allowed the community to have a voice in choosing oversighters. Candidates were vetted by Arbcom, and a list of pre-approved candidates was presented to the community for a vote. The [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/CheckUser and Oversight/May 2010 election|May 2010 election]] then resulted in no new oversighters, and thereafter appointments were made directly by the Committee with community consultation. The Committee has since held "[[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/CheckUser and Oversight#Appointments|calls for applications]]", and sought community input among interested candidates before making the final selections, typically around once a year.

Oversighter status may be revoked by the Arbitration Committee at any time. Generally, permission is revoked only "for cause", such as abuse of suppression to remove items that do not qualify under the stated policy, or for unauthorized release of suppressed information. The Arbitration Committee has also ruled that permission will be revoked from oversighters who do not meet [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Procedures#CheckUser/Oversight permissions and inactivity|the minimum activity level]].

As on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis, the technical assignment of the permission to the user account is made by a [[m:Stewards|steward]], acting on instructions from the Arbitration Committee as posted at [[m:Requests for permission#Oversight rights for English Wikipedia|requests for permission]] on Meta-wiki. Emergency requests based upon clear evidence may also be made in exceptional circumstances, the same way. In an exceptional case, ''and for good cause'', a steward may temporarily remove the permission, pending a decision by the Committee. The steward should check that the matter is well founded, and make clear immediately that it is a temporary response only, since such an action could lead to controversy.

==Complaints==
Complaints or inquiries about potential misuse of the oversighter user permissions should be [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Audit|referred to the Arbitration Committee]].

==Users with oversight permissions==
An automatic list of users with this permission is available at [[Special:ListUsers/suppress]]. There are currently {{NUMBERINGROUP:suppress}} users with the Oversight permission on the English Wikipedia. 

{{functionaries}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==See also==
'''Background'''
* [[Wikipedia:User access levels]]: Wikipedia page outlining the various user access levels, including oversighter;
* [[m:Oversight policy]]: Master copy of this page, on [[Wikipedia:Meta|Meta-Wiki]];
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not censored]]
* [[User:Risker/History_of_Oversight on English Wikipedia|History of Oversight on English Wikipedia]]

'''Suppression requests'''
* [[Wikipedia:Requests for oversight]]: For requesting that a revision, log entry, or account be suppressed. Requests should be made by email, not on that page. Please read the instructions there.

'''Frequently-asked questions'''
* [[Wikipedia:Oversight/FAQ]]: Wikipedia page outlining questions and answers regarding the policy.

'''Oversighter status'''
* [[m:Requests for permission]]: The permissions requests page ("RFP") on metawiki, where the Arbitration Committee will direct user rights changes, including oversighter appointments.
* [[m:Special:Log/rights|m:User rights log]]: Shows oversighter assignments and removals. Enter '''<code>User:USERNAME@enwiki</code>''' in the "Title" box.
* Email address for suppression requests:  {{Oversight email}}

'''Statistics'''
* [[Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee/Audit/Statistics]]: Tracks usage of this tool over the previous 6-month period.

'''Technical'''
* [[mw:Extension:Oversight]]: Oversight extension documentation on MediaWiki.org.
* [[mw:RevisionDelete]]: More detailed description of how the Revision/Log entry hiding feature works.
* [[mw:Bitfields for rev deleted]]: How the bitfields for revision deletion are implemented and a list of who-can-see-what.
* [[Wikipedia:Selective deletion]]
* [[Wikipedia:Identification]]
* {{tl|User oversighter since}}, a userbox to indicate having oversighter permission with period of time
* {{tl|User wikipedia/Oversighter}} – a [[Wikipedia:Userboxes|userbox]] template to indicate you have the Oversighter user right
* {{tl|Oversighter topicon}} – a [[Template:Top icon|top icon]] template to indicate you have the Oversighter user right – adds a category to page automatically

{{Wikipedia accounts|collapsed}}
{{Wikipedia community|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Wikipedia deletion policies]]
[[Category:Wikipedia functionaries|Oversight]]
[[Category:Wikipedia policies]]
[[Category:Wikipedia user groups]]
[[Category:Wikipedia oversight]]