Wikipedia:Contentious topics/Comparison with discretionary sanctions

Arbitration​Committee

The guide is used to describe the differences between the former discretionary sanctions procedure and the new contentious topics system. This guide is aimed at editors who have knowledge about the discretionary sanctions procedure, and only lists important differences between the two systems.

If you are not aware of the discretionary sanctions procedure or your knowledge is limited, it is instead recommended to read the contentious topics procedure page. In cases of difference with this guide, the contentious topics procedure is correct.

Awareness

• Editors no longer need to be alerted every 12 months, as they are presumed to remain aware after their first alert.
• When alerting an editor who has never received a contentious topic or discretionary sanction alert for any topic, you must use {{alert/first}}. In other cases you may use {{alert}}, {{alert/DS}} or any message that the contentious topic designation is in effect.

Restrictions

• Administrators must consider whether a ordinary administrator action would instead be sufficient.

Standard set

• The standard set of restrictions is a list of restrictions that can be picked from. This can be different for a particular contentious topic.
• Single-admins may impose restrictions only from the standard set for the particular topic.
• A rough consensus of administrators at AE can impose any from the standard set plus any other reasonable measures

Page restrictions

• If a page has active page restrictions, {{contentious topics/page restriction editnotice}} or one of the topic specific editnotices must be used to detail that a restriction has been applied.

Expiry

• Single-admin imposed restrictions become ordinary admin actions after one year
  • Single-admin imposed page restrictions can be renewed by an administrator (even the one who imposed originally). If renewed, the restriction will become an ordinary admin action a year from the renewal date.
• Sitewide blocks imposed by a single admin or at AE become ordinary administrator actions after one year.

Warnings

• Warnings can be logged in the arbitration enforcement log. When logged, these warnings are appeal-able like any other editor restriction. Logged warnings can be placed even if the editor isn't aware.

Appeals and amendments

• As detailed above, single-admin imposed restrictions can be modified or removed a year after they were imposed (or if relevant renewed).
• Administrators still must never amend or remove a restriction out of process.
• It is intended to be slightly easier to find consensus to accept an appeal as the standard for accepting is now clear consensus (previously clear and substantial consensus)
• There are now 3 standards for when an appeal should be accepted:

1. the action was inconsistent with the contentious topics procedure or applicable policy (i.e. the action was out of process),
2. the action was not reasonably necessary to prevent damage or disruption when first imposed, or
3. the action is no longer reasonably necessary to prevent damage or disruption.

• As detailed above, logged warnings can be appealed.
• A rough consensus of editors at AN or administrators at AE may specify a period up to a year where no appeals are allowed except to ARCA.

Continuity

• Any DS restrictions are governed under the CT procedure for appeals and amendments. However, the following transitional rules apply:
  • Single-admin DS page restrictions can be renewed, modified and removed in the same way and can also be renewed.
  • Single-admin DS editor restrictions do not become subject to modification and revocation after a year.

Templates

• New templates have been created which are at Template:Contentious topics and its subpages. These templates replace the old Template:Ds family of templates.

Misc

• Instructions for administrators on the contentious topics procedure have been created and can be viewed at WP:CT/ADMIN.
• Topic specific subpages of the contentious topics procedure have been created and contain information specific to the topic.