Commons:Deletion requests/Mass deletion request

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

Shortcut: COM:MASSDEL This page explains how to nominate multiple pages or media files for deletion at the Deletion requests. For more information about deletions, see the Deletion policy.

[edit] Example

First, decide on a name for the deletion request. You will need to use this name multiple times. In this example, we're going to nominate all images of the imaginary user XYZ because we are suspecting they are all copyright violations. The name we're chosing for the deletion request is suitably "Images of XYZ".

==={{subst:SUBPAGENAME}}===
* {{il|Grand School, Cadiz.jpg}}
* {{il|Large Tower, Cadiz.jpg}}
* {{il|Powerplant, Cadiz.jpg}}
I believe that [[User:XYZ]]'s images are all copyvios because several 
of them contain text inside that indicate they were taken 
from various websites.  ~~~~

That's it!

[edit] Creating the deletion request

Commons uses a "subpage" system, where each request has its own separate page — a subpage of Commons:Deletion requests. For example, in Commons:Deletion requests/Foo, Foo is the subpage of Commons:Deletion requests. Usually the name of the subpage is the name of the image. So for Image:Foo.jpg, the deletion request will be at the page Commons:Deletion requests/Image:Foo.jpg.

However for mass requests, where multiple items are requested for deletion for essentially the same reason, it makes more sense to have one central request that applies to multiple items. In this case, the subpage won't be able to have the same name as all of the images.

For mass requests, create the subpage for discussion first. Call it something like

Commons:Deletion requests/Images uploaded by user XYZ

or

Commons:Deletion requests/Paintings of artist QWE

or

Commons:Deletion requests/All photos of item ASD

etc.

Create the page with this content:

==={{subst:SUBPAGENAME}}===
* {{il|image1.jpg}}
* {{il|image2.jpg}}
* {{il|image3.jpg}}
* {{il|image4.jpg}}
* {{il|image5.jpg}}
(etc)

The reason these should all be deleted is _________________________. ~~~~

Change the images to link to the images you want to delete, and fill in the reason. Save the page. You've now created the deletion request.

[edit] Marking the images for deletion

Now you need to mark all the images that your mass request applies to for deletion. This is important because it lets people browsing the site know that the images might not be reliable -- not to mention the people that are using the images, such as Wikipedia, Wikibooks, Wikinews, Wikisource, etc! CommonsTicker relies on files that are nominated for deletion being marked as such.

If you were making a normal (single file) request, you would normally just mark the files as {{delete|reason}}

But because you're making a mass request, you need to tell the template (and thus other users) where they can find the deletion request, since it won't be obvious from the name of the image. So put this:

{{delete|reason|Images uploaded by user XYZ}}

or

{{delete|reason|Paintings of artist QWE}}

or

{{delete|reason|All photos of item ASD}}

etc.

"Delete" is the name of the template, so that stays the same. Change "reason" to be a brief summary of whatever your reason is for making the request, e.g. "User only uploads copyvios", "Artist's paintings still in copyright", "This item is copyrighted". The third bit is the name of the subpage that you created at the start. That's the part that tells the template where to find the deletion request.

[edit] Adding the request to the log

Page B is transcluded onto page A.

Now you need to add this request to the log, so that other users and admins who check new requests will know it exists.

Go to Commons:Deletion requests/2009/11/30 and create/add at the bottom this line:

{{Commons:Deletion requests/Images uploaded by user XYZ}}

or

{{Commons:Deletion requests/Paintings of artist QWE}}

or

{{Commons:Deletion requsts/All photos of item ASD}}

etc.

Yep, it's the name of the page you just created, with some curly brackets around it. What this does is transclude (similar to copying) the content of your page onto the log.

Now save that log page.

[edit] Notify the uploader/s

It is polite to let people know that something they have put time and effort into may be removed. It can also speed up the request process.

Leave this message on the talk page of the relevant user/s:

{{subst:idw|All your images|Images uploaded by user XYZ|plural}}

or

{{subst:idw|All your images|Paintings of artist QWE|plural}}

or

{{subst:idw|All your images|All photos of item ASD|plural}}

etc.

"idw" (image deletion warning) is the name of the template. "All your images" will make a text link to a special page. And the last bit will, like the previous case, tell the template where to find the relevant deletion debate, and link to it.

[edit] All done!

Thanks for helping keep Commons free from copyright violations. If you need help with any of these steps, please ask at the Commons:Help desk.