Help:Usernames and accounts
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This page collects information about current Wikidata policies concerning usernames and user accounts.
- Wikidata has several policies that are relevant to the use of accounts: Wikidata:Alternate accounts; Wikidata:Blocking policy; and ultimately Wikidata:Use common sense.
- User accounts are unified across all Wikimedia projects.
- Each person should only use one account, except for limited purposes set out in Wikidata:Alternate accounts. It should be noticed that it is mandatory to publicly disclose all alternative accounts used in Wikidata.
- Wikidata does not currently have a local username policy. However, as Wikidata is inherently a cross-wiki project, users may run into problems during editing if their username falls foul of the rules of another Wikimedia project:
- Some other Wikimedia projects, notably the English Wikipedia, forbid usernames which imply shared usage or usage by different people at different times, for example "Communications Department at XYZ Company", "Secretary at ABC Foundation". Note shared accounts are currently allowed in Wikidata, as long as they comply with Wikidata:Alternate accounts.
- Many Wikimedia projects have rules that say forbid usernames that are offensive. Sometimes a name that is benign in one language may be misconstrued as offensive in another language. Administrators understand that usernames are unified across projects of many languages and cultural misunderstanding may arise, and editors should be prepared to explain themselves should such situations arise.
- Users with a blatantly inappropriate username and no positive contributions may be globally locked.
- The Wikimedia Foundation terms of use has a few relevant stipulations which apply to all Wikimedia projects:
- Any editor who is receiving compensation for their editing, or editing on behalf of an organisation, must declare their employer and affiliation. This is best done by a statement on the user page attached to your account.
- Attempting to impersonate another user or individual, misrepresenting your affiliation with any individual or entity, or using the username of another user with the intent to deceive, is strictly forbidden.
- Accounts that are disruptive to Wikidata may be blocked according to Wikidata:Blocking policy.
- Wikidata does not have a policy about user pages either, but usage of user pages is governed by other policies and terms of use. For example, per Wikidata:Deletion policy, user pages which are clearly vandalism or promotional are not allowed. Neither are copyright violations or defamatory content.