Articles about living persons require a higher standard of care than articles about deceased individuals. This policy outlines the guidelines for creating and maintaining articles about living people to ensure accuracy, neutrality, and respect.
This policy generally does not apply to articles about the serial killers themselves, as they are typically the subjects of public record and extensive media coverage. However, it is crucial to apply this policy when writing about their family, friends, other living individuals who may be connected to their cases, and, perhaps most importantly, the families and friends of their victims. These individuals deserve the same level of care and respect as any other living person.
Neutral Point of View and Verifiability[]
- Main articles: Help:Neutral point of view, Help:Verifiability
All articles about living persons must adhere to SKdb's core content policies of Neutral Point of View (NPOV) and Verifiability. This means:
- Neutral Point of View: Articles should be written responsibly, cautiously, and in a dispassionate tone. Avoid both understatement and overstatement. The goal is to provide a balanced and fair representation of the subject.
- Verifiability: Every statement about a living person must be verifiable. This means all quotations and any material that is challenged or likely to be challenged must be supported by an inline citation to a reliable, published source. High-quality sources are imperative for maintaining the credibility of the article.
High-Quality Sources[]
- See more: Help:Source Reliability
- Firm Requirement: Use high-quality, reliable sources. This includes respected news organizations, academic publications, and other reputable entities.
- Inline Citations: Every piece of information that could be challenged must have an inline citation to a reliable source. This is especially important for contentious material.
Removal of Contentious Material[]
- Immediate Removal: Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, regardless of whether it is negative, positive, neutral, or just questionable.
- No Waiting for Discussion: Do not wait for discussion to remove such material. It should be done promptly to protect the subject of the article.
Blocking for Violations[]
- See more: Blocking Policy
Users who persistently or egregiously violate this policy may be blocked from editing. This is to maintain the integrity of the articles and protect the subjects from harm.
Tone[]
Articles should be written in a responsible, cautious, and dispassionate tone. Avoid using language that could be interpreted as biased or sensationalist. The tone should be neutral, presenting facts without embellishment.
If you are uncertain about the neutrality of your writing, use the {{Bias}} tag to prompt a review for potential bias.
Balance[]
- Inclusion of Criticism and Praise: Both criticism and praise should be included if they can be sourced to reliable secondary sources. The material must be presented responsibly, conservatively, and in a disinterested tone.
- Avoiding Bias: Ensure that the article is balanced and does not disproportionately favor one viewpoint over another.
If you are unsure, the {{Bias}} tag can be used to flag the article for further review to ensure it maintains a neutral perspective.
Unsourced and Negative Content[]
- Deletion of Negative Content: Pages that are unsourced and negative in tone, especially those created primarily to disparage the subject, should be deleted at once if there is no policy-compliant version to revert to. This helps maintain the integrity and respectfulness of the platform.
Avoid Gossip and Feedback Loops[]
- Gossip: Avoid including gossip or speculation. All information must be verifiable and sourced from reliable outlets.
- Feedback Loops: Be cautious of feedback loops where information is repeated across multiple unreliable sources. Ensure that all information is independently verified by reputable sources.
Additional Resources[]
By following these guidelines, editors can ensure that articles about living persons are accurate, respectful, and fair, upholding the highest standards of integrity and reliability.