Membership Guidelines

Independence

As an organization that values freedom, the Independent Wiki Federation (IWF) operates on the principle of independence. By promoting independence, we strive to create a supportive community of wikis that are able to grow and thrive on their own.

Wiki communities should retain effective influence in regards to oversight of their wiki leadership, wiki policies, creative design freedom, hosting and migration. Our commitment to independence is a cornerstone of our organization and we take great care to ensure that each member’s autonomy is respected and upheld. We encourage community members to refer to our FAQ section for more information.

Conduct

We have established guidelines that ensure our organization members conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on themselves, the existing IWF community and any prospective new members. We encourage a healthy, respectful debate and value the input of all members. Actions that harm the overall wiki community will not be tolerated.

  • We expect our organization member’s communities to not display concerning or unwelcoming behavior.
    • Selfish behavior, trying to “Ruin the Fun”, plots or attempts at hostile takeover and frustration tactics will not be tolerated.
  • We encourage our organization member’s leadership to promote collaboration, community consensus, and benevolent decision making.
  • We expect our organization members to conduct themselves professionally on their branded social platforms and in interactions with other organization members.
  • We expect our organization members to maintain a level of respect towards the IWF organization.

Wiki representatives are expected to act as the face of their respective wikis and uphold the same level of professionalism and respect. This includes being civil in all interactions and conducting themselves in a respectful and professional manner.

Verified members of an organization member are expected to maintain a level of civility and respect towards others. This includes refraining from instigating fights or engaging in unwelcoming behavior towards other members.

Wiki Eligibility

At the Independent Wiki Federation, we are committed to fostering a community of practice that values professionalism, high-quality content, and the well-being of our organization members. Therefore, we have established guidelines to ensure that our community remains safe and welcoming to all members.

Scope

  • Applicants should be wikis that allow registration and community participation.
    • A wiki that restricts editing to approved editors or wiki leadership is not eligible for membership.
    • A wiki that restricts account creation without justification or reasonable accommodation is not eligible for membership.
  • We welcome wiki sub-projects of a project to join separately. However, we require that they retain their own jurisdiction and policies despite parent oversight.

Content

Wikis primarily dedicated to political, religious, NSFW, NSFL, or illegal topics are not eligible.

  • Illegal topics include wikis with a primary focus on leaks, mods, cheats, or glitches.
  • We do not categorically permit wikis that have a primary focus covering topics not socially accepted or of a disturbing nature to join. This may include uncomfortable levels of trauma, violence, horror, shock, gore, impairment of mental health, or dark topics.
  • Eligible wikis that happen to contain such content are expected to present the material in a factual, tactful manner with relevant disclaimers and reflected perspective.
  • If you are unsure whether your wiki falls under these categories, you may request a review before officially submitting an application. Wikis or websites handling these topics carefully are encouraged to apply for membership or affiliation.

All eligible wikis, independent from their subject, are expected to present their content with tact and reflected perspective.

Leadership

  • IWF encourages benevolent decision making for the benefit of the wiki’s and community’s benefit. We encourage respectful participation of wiki communities to decide their future.
  • Wiki communities are able to contact and consult with wiki leadership.

Stability

Applicants must meet the following stability criteria:

  • The wiki community is well established within their fan base.
  • The wiki community atmosphere should be welcoming, friendly, and enjoyable.
  • The wiki community retains good staff management.
  • The wiki community is not in danger of collapse in the foreseeable future.

Activity

An active and engaged community is crucial to our community of practice.

  • Members should have an active community that regularly contributes to the wiki’s content, maintain the wiki’s quality and ensure any wiki branded social areas are active. However, we understand that a wiki’s activity may be proportional to the relevant franchise/brand’s social engagement or product releases. We will take this into account when assessing stability.
  • It is important that wikis are functional, with any migrations mostly completed. Wikis should have clear policies in place to ensure a safe and welcoming community of practice for all members. Additionally, active staff should be available to help manage and maintain the wiki.
  • We believe that active participation is crucial to achieving our mission and collaborative endeavors, and we encourage all members to support this goal.

Host & Hosting Platforms

At the Independent Wiki Federation, we recognize that the choice of hosting platform can have a significant impact on the operations of our member wikis. Our goal is to provide a supportive and empowering environment for all of our members, regardless of their hosting arrangements or other external factors.

  • We encourage our organization member’s communities to retain effective influence in regards to oversight of their hosting arrangement.
  • If an applicant’s chosen host enforces specific regulations, we will take those into consideration when evaluating the application. This is to ensure that our members are able to operate autonomously without excessive interference from their host.
  • Applicants are expected to be able to respond to community concerns or inquiries regarding their hosting arrangements. In cases where specific rules or regulations are in place, applicants should be able to provide clarification or context as needed.
  • We prioritize the well-being of potential members and do not permit wikis hosted on exploitative wiki hosting platforms. We believe in upholding ethical standards and promoting fair practices within our community of practice.
  • Host platforms may not interfere with their hosted wikis by unilaterally imposing new regulations (policies or rules). Existing regulations may be expanded on or clarified as long as they don’t violate the spirit of the original regulations.

Participation

The IWF values active participation from all our members, as it allows us to achieve our mission and engage in collaborative endeavors that benefit all communities involved. By supporting one another, we can broaden our reach and enrich our own communities in the process. We encourage all members to contribute actively and take advantage of the resources available within our community of practice.

Wiki to IWF Relationship

Obtaining membership does not in any way transfer ownership or operational control of the wiki to the IWF. We have no jurisdiction over how your wiki community or wiki leadership operates. IWF membership is considered conditional on alignment with our principles and values.

MEMBERSHIP TYPES

WIKI MEMBERSHIP

We welcome independent wikis to join our organization. Please be advised that our Advisory Council will review all applications for this type of membership.

WIKIFARM ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP

We welcome non-profit wikifarm platforms, wiki-family, and wiki ecosystems to join our organization as a collective, which includes the main wiki host platform itself and all currently hosted wikis. Please be advised that our Advisory Council will review all applications for this type of membership.

  • A wikifarm platform is group of unrelated wikis under a single domain or a custom domain.
  • A wiki-family or wiki ecosystem is a group of related wikis under a single domain.

Upon a successful application:

  • The wikifarm/wiki-family/wiki ecosystem collective will be granted “wikifarm organizational” membership, granted their own Discord server category or dedicated channel subject to IWF staff oversight. New editor type roles will be specially created to facilitate communication and collaboration.
  • All future wikis hosted by the non-profit wikifarm platform will gain “wikifarm organizational” membership provided that they uphold the wikifarm platform and IWF’s principles & values.
  • In regards to IWF values to cooperate, all “wikifarm organizational” members shall formally observe and respect a non aggression pact.
  • It is expected that our wikifarm organizational members do not engage in direct or indirect poaching of wikis hosted by our other wikifarm organizational org members.
    • Wikifarm organizational members should respect the decision, made without unethical or outside interference, of their hosted wiki communities to stay or leave.
    • Intending to move wikis to alternative stable wiki hosting due to a wiki hosting platform’s instability and obtaining the impacted wiki community’s agreement is not considered unethical poaching or a violation of IWF values.
    • If a wikifarm organizational member is impacted, we will first try to resolve otherwise should collapse be imminent then the wikifarm organizational membership will be revoked.
    • IWF will assist impacted wikis of our wikifarm organizational member to find alternative wiki hosting to allow continued individual org membership. Hardship waivers can be granted to skip having to reapply at IWF community discretion.

If a non-profit wikifarm platform adds paid premium wiki hosting under the same branding, their wikifarm organizational membership will undergo re-evaluation. Founding Members are exempt.

In the unfortunate event of a wikifarm hosted wiki’s behavior being deemed unacceptable by the host after thorough investigation, the IWF advises to end hosting. The hosting provider is expected to provide a full copy of the wiki’s data. Efforts of the hosted wiki’s community to internally resolve the matter will be taken into account.

MEMORIAL MEMBERSHIP

We understand the importance of preserving the wiki community’s efforts, particularly in cases where a brand/franchise finishes or goes dormant without warning. To support this effort, we offer Memorial Membership to well-designed and high-quality wikis that take steps to maintain their community’s work such that valuable contributions made are not lost. In such cases, the “Activity” requirement is waived. However, the wiki must remain online to maintain organization membership.

OFFICIAL WIKI MEMBERSHIP

We welcome Officially Recognized Wikis to join our organization. Please be advised that our Advisory Council will review all applications for official wiki membership.

IWF considers “Official Status” to meet these criteria:

  • IP owner has established a mutually beneficial collaboration with the wiki community:
    • has not imposed restrictive policies or specified a particular layout that may hinder the wiki’s growth
    • has authorized IP material to be posted on the wiki
    • promotes the wiki on official social media channels, formal website, in media/entertainment, or in-game
    • benevolently interacts with wiki community with any concerns or suggested improvements
  • Wiki community respects the IP’s brand and reputation.
  • An official wiki that restricts editing to approved editors is not eligible for membership. IWF considers this to be “official documentation”.

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP

  • Fan websites or similar entities may apply as affiliates.
  • Applicants may be accepted if their values match the IWF’s values
  • The affiliation will not cause infighting between existing members or affiliates.
  • The IWF and their affiliates support and promote each other.

PARTNERSHIP MEMBERSHIP

  • The applicant is intending to form a close collaboration with IWF and is a valuable resource to the overall wiki community.
  • The applicant is considered of high quality and professional.
  • Partnership may not result in infighting with existing organization members or Affiliates.

EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES

We understand that our members may face unforeseen challenges that prevent them from maintaining their wiki’s activity. As a community of practice, we aim to be supportive and flexible in these situations. Members who inform us of extenuating circumstances with appropriate notice and go offline afterward will be granted a four-month waiver from “inactivity” removal as long as they return online within a reasonable amount of time.

Examples of extenuating circumstances include sudden data center failure, loss of financial stability and loss of paid or volunteer system administrators. If the circumstance is due to lack of funding, we expect that a reasonable offer by investors will be accepted to get the member back online. Our emergency funding can be offered upon organization approval and we expect members to accept. If the circumstance is due to a lack of system administrators, we expect that a reasonable offer by a volunteer system administrator will be accepted and control of IT Infrastructure is transferred.

If members inform us prior to their wiki going offline for an extended period, this will not trigger “inactivity” removal. Reasonable extensions can be granted upon request. However, refusing reasonable offers to get back online may result in extension requests being denied and organization membership placed in jeopardy.

In case of a member being part of a wiki hosting platform that is subsequently sold, IWF membership will be re-evaluated. Should the hosting platform under the new owners not meet membership criteria, the IWF requires the wiki to find a new hosting arrangement within three months.