Board Thread:New Features/@comment-5275700-20150722200934/@comment-5275700-20150724232715

Many thanks to everyone who's provided opinions and feedback here! This is a topic that brings up different feelings and concerns for lots of people. And I think one that also helps us take a look at assumptions that have not been challenged in a long time (or perhaps ever). Just because something's always been a certain way, doesn't mean it's the best way for everyone. This is an important discussion for the whole Wikia community to have, and I'm glad we're hearing from so many of you. Below I'll try to address some of the things that have come up repeatedly.

Promoting account creation and building community

This is a main focus right now for Wikia, and this change is part of a larger effort to see what works best in this area. Disabling anonymous editing could help some communities become stronger, encouraging editing, conversation and other types of participation. We've heard some stories here where that seems to have worked well. However, it could also drive away potential editors who might have contributed anonymously and eventually returned on their own. We're hearing from plenty of users who took their first steps as anons and have become outstanding community members. I strongly encourage admins to consult with the rest of their community before deciding on this, and (if a change is made) to revisit the topic after a little time has passed to see if there’s been a positive effect.

Please keep up the suggestions (per my original post) about different ways to drive account creation and make communities stronger. Building community is a goal that we all share. As Cook Me Plox said, it's really hard to get people to edit. Attracting contributors is a challenge that every wikia faces, and there's no secret sauce for it. The right solution can vary depending on lots of factors — the topic of a wikia, its language and the culture of its editors, whether or not it makes use of any social features, and the size of the existing community.

As I said, Wikia's going to be trying some other things to see what works best. Sgt D Grif’s post touched on some areas that we'll be looking at. Keep the ideas coming!

Anonymous editors and vandalism

Disabling anonymous editing should not be seen as a way to stop vandalism on a wikia. Many have already pointed this out, and I just wanted to reiterate it. Registered users can vandalize just as easily as anons. The best ways to combat vandalism are with attentive admins, a helpful community, and alerting the amazing and dedicated VSTF. Feel free to contact Wikia staff as well for advice on persistent troubles with vandalism.

What the future may hold

As I said above (and further above) we're trying different things and seeing what works. Giving admins this switch is one of those things. What we learn from all of this, and hearing about your experiences (past, present, and future) will determine the next steps. I know that some people would like to hear more specific answers, but there are not any at this time. The future is not yet written!