Commons:Dispute resolution

Shortcut: COM:DISPUTE

COMMONS DISCUSSION PAGES (index)

• Commons Help desk
• Village pump (general discussion)
  • Copyright
  • Proposals
  • Technical
• Graphics and photography discussion
  • Photography critiques
  • Image improvement
    • Illustration workshop
    • Map workshop
    • Photography workshop
    • Video and sound workshop
• Categories for discussion
• Undeletion requests
• Deletion requests
• OTRS noticeboard
• Translators' noticeboard
• Work requests for bots

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• Contact administrators
  • Vandalism
  • User problems (Dispute resolution)
  • Blocks and protections
• Bureaucrats' noticeboard
• CheckUser requests

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• #wikimedia-commons ^webchat
• Commons mailing list (archive)
• Commons' bugs on Phabricator

Sometimes disputes (disagreements) arise between users and then dispute resolution is necessary.

Basic dispute resolution

1. Talk to the user directly. Use talk pages, be civil, polite and assume good faith if possible.
2. Consider asking other users for advice (not intervention) on how to handle the dispute.
3. Try to find creative solutions or compromises that can satisfy everyone. Make sure you understand Commons' policies and guidelines yourself, and consider whether the other person may be right.

More advanced dispute resolution

1. If necessary go to Commons:Administrators' noticeboard/User problems.
2. If it's a substantial content issue that has a wider impact, consider Commons:Village pump (or other language equivalents) to settle the content issue (unless a deletion request or category discussion would be more appropriate).
3. If it's a really big issue, consider a Request for Comment (for content disputes that need wider attention).