Board Thread:Support Requests - Designing Your Wiki/@comment-24751497-20170617143919/@comment-452-20170718135811

Fandyllic wrote: You are only allowed to modify the sidebar on the main page, not on other pages.

Fandyllic wrote: you're not allowed to modify it wiki-wide.

Fandyllic wrote: there are case-by-case exceptions, but they are usually very minor. Untrue.

Fandyllic wrote: It does seem odd that there is no mention that you can't just put anything in the right rail wiki-wide with this module. That's because you can.

Exceptions are not made case-by-case, blanket permission was given some time ago, the only "case" not allowed is if existing elements - particularly ads - are "disrupted".

Kirkburn wrote: The quick answer is: items may only be added to the right rail if they appear below the advertisements. Meanwhile, we generally encourage boxes to be placed at the bottom of the list.
 * 2015-03-23 http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:814039#15

We don't have a big list of "Do's and Don'ts" around these kinds of topics because we want to try and avoid ending up overly strict, and because both the site and opinions change over time - we like to be fairly reactive to user proposals and ideas, rather than proactively shut down all creativity.

Anyway, as a general rule: if any customizations affect the way advertisements display on the site, even if it's just moving them, it's not allowed.

Sannse wrote: Hi, it's not against the ToU to add sections to the right sidebar - as long as they don't disrupt any other elements there (by covering them or stopping them working somehow). "Disrupt" is being used here as a wildcard, similar to "otherwise obstruct the proper functioning and view of [...] user interface and functionality" that can - and do - use to deny anything they don't like.
 * 2014-08-21 http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:720672#6

Support Ticket wrote: It is okay to add modules to the right rail as well as appending to existing ones. If we find that the new modules overly push down or break ads and/or ad placement within the rail, they will have to be changed/removed. If they become excessive, they will also need to be removed. We prefer (but don't insist) that custom modules go below the default modules. No module can ever be placed above the top ad. In practice, almost all rail additions that I know of are added above the #wikia-recent-activity module and below the top ad.
 * 2013-09-30

Here's what happens if they're placed above the top ad:
 * http://nitromepixellove.wikia.com/wiki/MediaWiki:Wikia.js?diff=9888&oldid=9887
 * http://nitrome.wikia.com/wiki/MediaWiki:Wikia.js?diff=162569&oldid=162524

In addition to multiple instances of Staff saying it is okay, there are multiple instances of people on Community Central helping people to do it:

Aanok wrote: Hello, I've been told by the Wikia staff that it is allowed by the TOS to add content to the wikia rail on the right.
 * 2015-09-27 http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:917138 (King Dragonhoff assisting)
 * 2015-06-21 http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:862500 (Penguin-Pal assisting)
 * 2013-12-31 http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:615373 (Fubuki風吹 assisting)

Obviously, due to JS review, all javascript is now literally approved on a case-by-case basis, but my point is that saying "there are case-by-case exceptions" indicates that only certain rail modules additions are allowed, it's the opposite: only certain rail modules additions are denied.