Metopedia:Bots
This page explains how bot accounts, automated edits, maintenance scripts, and automated access should be handled on Metopedia.
Overview
Bots and automated tools may be useful for maintenance, cleanup, formatting, categorization, redirects, spam patrol, citation repair, file organization, and technical administration. Automation must not damage source integrity, flood recent changes, bypass review, or conceal responsibility.
Bot accounts
A bot account should be separate from a human user account when it performs repeated or automated edits. The account name should make its automated purpose clear.
Bot operators are responsible for every action performed by their tools. A bot operator must be able to stop the bot, explain its function, review its edits, and repair damage caused by the bot.
Approved uses
Bots may be used for:
- fixing categories;
- repairing redirects;
- standardizing templates;
- correcting formatting;
- adding or updating maintenance tags;
- detecting spam patterns;
- assisting with citation cleanup;
- maintaining site maps or indexes;
- identifying broken links;
- performing administrator-approved technical maintenance.
Restricted uses
Bots must not be used to:
- create large numbers of low-quality pages;
- mass-remove sourced content without review;
- alter article meaning without human oversight;
- harass users or follow users across pages;
- evade rate limits, blocks, protections, or permissions;
- scrape aggressively or degrade site performance;
- upload files in bulk without source and license data;
- manipulate page histories, logs, discussions, or consensus records.
Testing
Bot operators should test automation on a small number of edits before running broader tasks. High-volume or high-risk automation should be approved by an administrator before execution.
Rate limits and review
Bots should operate at a rate that allows review and reversal. Administrators may pause, block, restrict, or revoke a bot if it causes disruption, produces inaccurate edits, floods logs, or violates policy.
Disclosure
Bot edit summaries should identify the task being performed. Where practical, bot user pages should describe the bot's purpose, operator, scope, and contact route.
Contact
Bot requests, bot reports, and automation concerns may be sent to [email protected].