This is an essay on the conduct policy. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
This page in a nutshell: Let's back down together. |
Mutual withdrawal is a trick for interrupting non-productive lines of discussion by simultaneously removing your own and another editors' comments (with permission) in order to reduce conflict and make discussions more concise and productive.
The premise of mutual withdrawal is simply this:
The proposer must be clear about the first comment to be removed:
Form 1: Starting with your last comment:
Form 2: Starting with my last comment:
Editor B can then, if they choose, remove all the comments covered by the proposal (two in the first case, three in the second), and only those comments, preferably citing WP:MUTUAL in their edit summary.[Note 1][Note 2] If the proposal is accepted and the comments are removed, that's the end of it. Both editors are agreeing not to bring conduct complaints against the other over anything in the removed comments.[Note 3]
Normally, with certain exceptions, it is not acceptable to change or remove comments left by another user, or to significantly change or remove your own comments after others have replied to them. So what often happens is this:
By agreeing to a simultaneous removal of the comments, neither editor has to "make the first move" of removing only their own comment, relying on faith that the other editor will then do the same. This lowers the bar of trust necessary to remove a counterproductive exchange. Everyone then gets to pretend it never happened, and in the end, the discussion is shorter, more polite, and more useful to all.
1. Mutual withdrawal involves exactly two editors. If there are any other replies to any of the covered comments from other editors, mutual withdrawal cannot be used and WP:REDACT applies.
2. If anyone else involved in the discussion objects to the removal, then the original comments should remain, unless they are removable on other grounds.
3. Mutual withdrawal should not be invoked when any of the covered comments have been in place for an extended period, usually a day or more.
4. Mutual withdrawal should be invoked explicitly, and only in appropriate circumstances.
5. No one is obligated to accept or respond to a proposal of mutual withdrawal. If an editor chooses not to remove the comments, they are discouraged from leaving a comment to that effect.
6. Once the comments are removed, agreement to mutual withdrawal cannot be revoked by either participant.
7. Following mutual withdrawal, either editor can leave a new comment if they wish, but good faith requires that the new comment not address the point of contention discussed in the removed comments, or the removal itself.