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Point of View (POV) railroading is the use ofbullying tactics to discredit an editor with an opposing viewpoint or toeliminate them from a discussion.Railroading tactics can includefrustrating the editor, hostility that discourages them from participating, or creating a false narrative that misrepresents actual events or edits in order to discredit the editor. These tactics are used to win an argument ortake control of an article or topic area by focusing on the editor rather than the edits and editing process.
A false narrative is a fabrication of a "story" about another editor in an attempt to discredit them, damage theirreputation within the community, frustrate, or bait them. Unsubstantiated accusations ofcanvassing orconflict of interest (COI), labeling an editor as apoint-of-view pusher, or accusing them of being asock puppet ormeat puppet of a banned user are common false narratives. Editors may alsomisrepresent actual edits (including their own) or take diffs out of context to support a skewed version of events that supports their false narrative.
Editors may attack or discredit another editor using a distorted interpretation of Wikipedia's behavioralpolicies and guidelines. They may quote policies in misleading ways, by citing them out of context, with extreme interpretations and without relevant disclaimers and exceptions. In other cases, a "policy bomb"—known as "alphabet soup"—may be used to overwhelm an editor with accusations of violations so numerous and so vague that the targeted editor feels intimidated.
False narratives andcanvassing can be used to recruit multiple editors who "pile-in" to support a viewpoint or editor, resulting in the opposing editor beingoutnumbered, and feeling intimidated, helpless or under attack. A group of editors with a similar viewpoint may create aclique in which they rely on each other to support a point-of-view and act together toeliminate editors who do not share their POV.
POV railroading also occurs on a one-to-one basis and may involve a condescending, patronizing, sarcastic and insulting tone. It may include the insertion ofhidden text and repeatedly reverting edits without discussion or explanation (peremptory deletions).Baiting and goading opponents until they becomeangry and uncivil is another POV-railroading tactic.
POV railroading may be performed in attempts to malign or destroy the reputation of targeted editors by labeling, shaming, branding and discrediting them in a progressively more prejudiced and misleading manner, until the targeted editor leaves a topical or discussion area out of frustration or tiredness, or is potentially blocked or banned.
Tactics can include continuously and exclusively referring to a user in a negative manner, the continuous use ofpersonal attacks that escalate in severity over time and the casting ofaspersions in a generalized manner, without providing any actual qualification for the claims, such asdiffs, instead basing claims uponproof by assertion. Another tactic is to continuously mislabel the target as a disruptive editor in various venues such as theAdministrators' noticeboard/Incidents, in deliberate attempts to mischaracterize entirely normative, civil and functional actions as deviant.
POV railroading is sometimes performed to create and maintain an ongoingsmear campaign against users in multiple areas of Wikipedia. Such attacks may be stated in a highly exaggerated and personalized manner, whereby the railroader attempts to manipulatepublic opinion against their target throughappeals to emotion, rather than facts. Attacks are typically stated from an entirely subjective andbiased point of view, are typically stated using intentional open-endedovergeneralizations, and are typically performed per severe ulterior motives.
A user engaging in POV railroading may alert other like-minded users to their cause both on- and off-wiki in attempts to recruit confederates. Furthermore, if blocked or banned, the target may be used as ascapegoat for problems in articles. If additional opponents show up, the POV railroader may accuse new editors of being sock-puppets or meat-puppets of the sanctioned editor. Sometimes, the POV railroader is motivated byconflict of interest.
POV railroading is an insidious form of bullying that discourages new editors and increases attrition amongst veteran editors. It amplifies Wikipedia's systemic bias (whether that bias be of a gender-based, ethnicity-based, region-based, country-based etc. nature) and creates content bias in article and topic areas. Lastly, it gives Wikipedia an undesirable reputation as a place where aggression andgaming the system are permitted, valued and rewarded.