Bots Policy

1. Bots Policy

This policy outlines the guidelines for the operation of bots on this wiki. Bots are automated accounts used to perform repetitive tasks, and their operation must be carefully managed to ensure they contribute positively to the wiki's health and do not disrupt other users. This policy applies to all users operating bots on this wiki, and violations may result in bot access being revoked. This policy is designed to complement the broader Community guidelines.

What is a Bot?

A bot, in the context of this wiki, is an automated account used to perform tasks that would be tedious or impractical for humans to do manually. Common bot tasks include:

Fixing common errors (e.g., typos, formatting inconsistencies).
Adding information to pages (e.g., infoboxes, categories).
Monitoring for vandalism and reverting it.
Creating new pages (e.g., stubs, redirects).
Maintaining categories and templates.
Performing routine maintenance tasks.

Bots are powerful tools, but they must be used responsibly. Improperly configured or operated bots can cause significant damage to the wiki. Understanding binary options risk management is similar – powerful tools require careful control.

Bot Account Creation and Requirements

Creating a bot account requires adherence to specific requirements:

**Separate Account:** A bot must operate from a separate account from a human user's account. Using a human account for bot tasks is strictly prohibited.
**Clearly Identified:** The bot account name must clearly indicate that it is a bot (e.g., "WikiBot," "ExampleBot").
**Operator Account:** A human user account is required to operate the bot. The operator is responsible for the bot’s actions. The operator must have a good trading history and a demonstrated understanding of wiki policies.
**Approval Process:** Before a bot can be granted bot status and begin operating, it must go through an approval process. This process involves:

   *   Submitting a request to the Bot requests page detailing the bot’s intended tasks, the code used (if applicable), and the operator’s experience.
   *   Presenting a demonstration of the bot’s capabilities to the community.  This demonstration should showcase the bot performing its intended tasks in a controlled environment (e.g., a test wiki).
   *   Receiving approval from the community through a consensus-based discussion.  This often involves a vote or a period of feedback.

**Bot Flag:** Once approved, an administrator will grant the bot account the "bot" user right. This flag enables specific functionalities and identifies the account as a bot to other users and systems. Similar to how a successful High/Low strategy needs to be consistently applied.

Permitted Bot Tasks

Bots are permitted to perform a wide range of tasks, but all tasks must be non-controversial and beneficial to the wiki. Examples of permitted tasks include:

**Syntax Highlighting:** Automatically adding syntax highlighting to code snippets.
**Category Population:** Adding appropriate categories to pages.
**Interwiki Linking:** Adding links to equivalent pages on other wikis.
**Dead Link Detection and Repair:** Identifying and fixing broken links.
**Vandalism Reversion:** Reverting obvious vandalism. This should be done cautiously to avoid reverting legitimate edits.
**Template Updates:** Updating templates to reflect current information.
**Stub Creation:** Creating stub articles on missing topics.
**Redirect Creation:** Creating redirects from alternative page titles.
**Formatting Consistency:** Ensuring consistent formatting across pages. This is akin to ensuring consistency in technical analysis charts.
**Archiving Talk Pages:** Archiving old discussions on talk pages.
**Adding Infoboxes:** Populating infoboxes with relevant information.
**Monitoring Recent Changes:** Monitoring recent changes for potential issues.
**Running Reports:** Generating reports on wiki statistics.
**Performing Bulk Edits:** Making large-scale changes to pages (with prior community consensus).

Prohibited Bot Tasks

Certain tasks are strictly prohibited for bots. These tasks are either too risky, too controversial, or require human judgment. Examples of prohibited tasks include:

**Content Creation (Original Research):** Bots cannot create original content. They can only modify existing content or create stubs based on existing sources. This is similar to not predicting the market in binary options trading.
**Content Dispute Resolution:** Bots cannot participate in content disputes. They should not be used to revert edits in the middle of a disagreement.
**Personal Attacks or Harassment:** Bots cannot be used to harass or attack other users.
**Spamming:** Bots cannot be used to post spam or promotional material.
**Circumventing Restrictions:** Bots cannot be used to circumvent any wiki restrictions or blocks.
**Making Substantive Content Changes:** Bots should not make significant changes to the content of articles without prior community consensus. This includes adding or removing large sections of text. Like applying a ladder strategy without understanding the risk.
**Editing Protected Pages Without Permission:** Bots should not edit protected pages without explicit permission from an administrator.
**Voting in Discussions:** Bots cannot vote in discussions or polls.
**Automated User Interaction:** Bots cannot engage in automated interactions with other users (e.g., sending unsolicited messages).

Bot Operator Responsibilities

Bot operators have significant responsibilities to ensure their bots operate responsibly and ethically. These responsibilities include:

**Monitoring:** Continuously monitoring the bot’s activity to ensure it is functioning correctly and not causing any problems.
**Maintenance:** Regularly maintaining the bot’s code and configuration to ensure it remains up-to-date and secure.
**Error Handling:** Implementing robust error handling mechanisms to prevent the bot from crashing or causing errors.
**Responding to Reports:** Promptly responding to any reports of bot-related issues or problems.
**Compliance:** Ensuring the bot complies with all wiki policies and guidelines.
**Transparency:** Being transparent about the bot’s activities and making its code available for review (if applicable).
**Documentation:** Maintaining clear and concise documentation about the bot’s functionality and configuration.
**Reporting Issues:** Reporting any security vulnerabilities or other critical issues to the administrators. This is akin to reporting a significant trend reversal in the market.
**Respecting Other Users:** Ensuring the bot does not disrupt or interfere with the work of other users.

Reporting Bot Issues

If you encounter a bot that is malfunctioning, violating this policy, or causing other problems, please report it immediately to the Administrators' noticeboard. Provide as much detail as possible, including the bot’s account name, the specific issue, and any relevant logs or screenshots. Don't attempt to resolve the issue yourself unless you are an administrator.

Revocation of Bot Status

Bot status can be revoked at any time if a bot operator violates this policy or if the bot is causing significant problems. The revocation process will typically involve a discussion on the Bot requests page, followed by a decision by an administrator. Reasons for revocation include:

**Policy Violations:** Violating any of the provisions of this policy.
**Malfunctioning:** The bot is consistently malfunctioning or causing errors.
**Disruptive Behavior:** The bot is disrupting the wiki or interfering with the work of other users.
**Lack of Responsiveness:** The bot operator is unresponsive to reports of issues or problems.
**Security Risks:** The bot poses a security risk to the wiki.
**Abandonment:** The bot is abandoned and no longer maintained.

Table of Common Bot Tasks and Permissions

Common Bot Tasks and Permissions
Task	Permission Required	Notes
Vandalism Reversion	Bot Flag	Requires careful configuration to avoid false positives.
Category Population	Bot Flag	Should follow established categorization guidelines.
Dead Link Detection	Bot Flag	Requires access to external link checking services.
Syntax Highlighting	Bot Flag	Must accurately identify code blocks.
Archiving Talk Pages	Bot Flag	Should respect user preferences.
Template Updates	Bot Flag	Requires careful coordination with template editors.
Stub Creation	Bot Flag	Should adhere to stub guidelines.
Redirect Creation	Bot Flag	Should follow redirect guidelines.
Formatting Consistency	Bot Flag	Limited scope to avoid unintentional changes.
Interwiki Linking	Bot Flag	Requires access to interwiki maps.

Relationship to Other Policies

This Bots Policy interacts with several other wiki policies. It's important to understand these relationships:

**Community guidelines**: This policy is subordinate to the overarching community guidelines.
**Privacy policy**: Bots must not collect or store any personal information about users.
**Copyright policy**: Bots must not violate any copyright laws.
**Editing policy**: Bots should adhere to the established editing policy and guidelines.
**Consensus policy**: Significant bot tasks require community consensus.
**Block policy**: Administrators can block bot accounts that violate this policy.
**Deletion policy**: Bots should not create pages that are likely to be deleted.
**Neutral point of view**: Bots should not introduce bias or promote a particular point of view.
**No original research**: Bots cannot create original content.
**Verifiability**: Bots should only modify content that is verifiable.

Advanced Bot Operations & Considerations

For operators planning more complex bot operations, consider these points:

**Rate Limiting:** Implement robust rate limiting to prevent the bot from overwhelming the wiki servers. Like managing the number of binary options trades you execute per hour.
**Error Logging:** Maintain detailed error logs to facilitate debugging and troubleshooting.
**Testing:** Thoroughly test the bot’s code in a test environment before deploying it to the live wiki.
**Community Communication:** Keep the community informed about the bot’s activities and any planned changes.
**API Usage:** Familiarize yourself with the MediaWiki API and its limitations.
**Database Access:** Avoid direct database access unless absolutely necessary and with administrator approval.
**Regular Audits:** Conduct regular audits of the bot’s code and configuration to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities.
**Staying Updated:** Keep abreast of changes to the MediaWiki software and update the bot’s code accordingly. Like keeping up with changes in market volatility.

This policy is subject to change based on community feedback and the evolving needs of the wiki. Please check back regularly for updates. Understanding this policy is crucial for any user intending to operate a bot on this wiki, ensuring a collaborative and productive environment for all. This parallels the importance of understanding the intricacies of a straddle strategy before implementation.

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