View source for RetroWikipedia:Plain and simple conflict of interest guide

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If you have a close association with the subject of a RetroWikipedia article, and you wish to edit the article, you are bound by some restrictions. The short version:

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* Be '''transparent''' about your [[WP:conflict of interest|conflict of interest]].
**In fact, if you are receiving compensation for creating an article, or if writing an article is part of your job, you are required to disclose this per our terms of use.
* The practice of editing or creating articles about '''yourself''', '''your family or friends''', '''your organization''', '''your clients''', '''your employers''', or '''your competitors''' is '''strongly discouraged'''.
* Post '''suggestions''' and '''sources''' on the article's talk page, or in a [[WP:AFC|draft]].
* Get neutral, uninvolved, disinterested editors to '''review''' your suggestions. '''Respect''' the volunteer community's time; avoid making protracted or repeated requests.
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==Disclosure==

===For paid editors===
{{Main|RetroWikipedia:Terms of use|RetroWikipedia:Paid-contribution disclosure|WP:DISCLOSE}}
The [[Wikimedia Foundation]]'s Terms of Use state:

<blockquote>'''Paid contributions without disclosure'''<ref>[[wmf:Terms of Use#4. Refraining from Certain Activities|"Refraining from Certain Activities"]], Wikimedia Foundation terms of use.</ref>

These Terms of Use prohibit engaging in deceptive activities, including misrepresentation of affiliation, impersonation, and fraud. As part of these obligations, you must disclose your employer, client, and affiliation with respect to any contribution for which you receive, or expect to receive, compensation. You must make that disclosure in at least one of the following ways:
* a statement on [[Special:MyPage|your user page]], either custom-written or using {{t|paid}},
* a statement on the [[Help:Talk page|talk page]] accompanying any paid contributions, or
* a statement in the edit summary accompanying any paid contributions.
Applicable law, or community and Foundation policies and guidelines, such as those addressing conflicts of interest, may further limit paid contributions or require more detailed disclosure.<br /></blockquote>

Also see [[m:Terms of use/FAQ on paid contributions without disclosure|FAQ on disclosure of paid contributions]].

===For volunteer editors===
Ethically, you need to disclose your conflict of interest. You have one if you are editing about yourself, or anyone you know personally. You can do so on your [[Special:MyPage|user page]], or on the [[Help:Talk page|talk page]] of the article you have a conflict of interest with.

==Advice==
# '''[[RetroWikipedia:Username policy|Register with an independent username]]'''. Your username should represent you as an individual, not your company or organization as a whole. It may be your real name, or it may be a name you invent to represent yourself, but it should not be your company's or client's official name or the names of its products or services, or be designed to promote them. Also, multiple people may not ever use the same account.  Any of these are grounds for a [[WP:Blocking policy|block]] of the account until the username is [[WP:CHUS|changed]].  Some editors will use a name like ''John at Montane Corp'' to make clear that they're from an organization but editing as an individual.
# '''[[RetroWikipedia:COI#How to disclose a COI|Declare your conflict of interest]]'''.  Being transparent about who you are and who you're working for is the easiest way to gain the community's trust, get help, avoid embarrassing revelations of misconduct, and possibly obey the law. Clearly state your background and goals on your userpage as explained [[WP:COIDEC|here]] and at the talk pages of articles related to your COI.  Here are positive examples of editor disclosures: [[User:CanalPark|1]], [[User:WWB Too|2]], [[User:Jeff Bedford|3]], [[Talk:Solomon Trujillo#Updating this page|4]]. It's also appropriate to add the [[:Template:Connected contributor|connected contributor template]] to the article's talk page.  [[Template:COI|The COI template]] may also be used on the article, ''if'' there are neutrality concerns being discussed.
# '''[[RetroWikipedia:Conflict of interest|Do not make direct edits to live articles]]'''.  RetroWikipedia's guidelines strongly discourage COI editing. The safest way to avoid it is simply to never make direct edits to live articles. That doesn't mean your contributions are unwelcome. Instead of direct editing, propose changes, get editors to review them, discuss any issues, and ''let others make the changes''. A simplified guide to making these types of requests can be found [[RetroWikipedia:Simple COI request|here]].
# '''[[WP:AFC|Create a draft]]''' or '''[[WP:RA|request an article]]'''. If you would like to request the creation of a new article where you might have a COI, create a [[WP:AFC|draft]] or [[WP:RA|request an article]]. If you create a draft, do it [[WP:BACKWARDS|forwards]] by finding [[WP:IRS|reliable source]]s first and then summarizing them (rather than writing the draft first and then sourcing it). Once the draft is finished, you can then ask someone to review it by typing {{tls|submit}}. if you request an article, be sure to add sources.

==What to do when something goes wrong==
* '''If an article about your company is deleted''':  Seek to understand why by reading the deletion rationale. Was it promotional? Did it lack good sources? Did it fail to demonstrate the subject's importance?  Fix these issues and/or use the [[WP:WIZ|new article wizard]] to have your draft reviewed before resubmitting. If you think the article was incorrectly deleted, first attempt to talk to the administrator who deleted it. Then, for uncontroversial deletions, submit a [[RetroWikipedia:Requests for undeletion|request for undeletion]]. For controversial deletions, use [[WP:DRV|Deletion Review]]. If you need a copy of the deleted article, ask for it to be [[RetroWikipedia:Userfication|'userfied']] by either the administrator who deleted it or someone on [[:Category:RetroWikipedia administrators willing to provide copies of deleted articles|this list]].
* '''If there's a mistake in the article''':  Use {{tl|edit COI}} on the talk page. It might be appropriate to add [[WP:IRS|sourc]]ing to demonstrate why the edit is wrong. You may be told that the edit is non-controversial and you could've done it yourself; this tends to be grammar and spelling mistakes, reverting of [[WP:VAND|vandal]]ism, and similar, minor edits.
* '''If you want to ask someone to make changes to the article''': Post requested edits on the article's talk page using {{tl|edit COI}} or at the [[WP:COIN|Conflict of interest noticeboard]].

==See also==
* [[RetroWikipedia:Help available for editors with conflicts of interest]]
* [[RetroWikipedia:About you]] - guidance for article subjects
* [[RetroWikipedia:Articles for creation/Scam warning]]
* [[RetroWikipedia:Expert editors]]
* [[RetroWikipedia:When your boss tells you to edit RetroWikipedia]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Policy summaries}}
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