Board Thread:Support Requests - Community Management/@comment-970089-20180616234650

Dear Mr Doyle

I write asking you to intervene in the dispute between the community I speak for (Nukapedia: The Fallout Wiki) and Fandom. I previously communicated with your predecessor on this matter.

We have again seen “Featured Video” added onto our wiki. Despite the community’s repeated insistence that this feature was not wanted and is seen as a breach of our editorial independence and control, it seems that Fandom will not accept that no means no.

This arrived without warning - and whilst I understand the commercial need to act quickly in light of an unexpected announcement, the damage and drama it has caused to the community when we should be doing the hard work to prepare the content your platform needs to drive eyeballs and ads is most unwelcome.

You may be aware that part of our community has been preparing an option to move the community to an independent wiki status. Saying that this situation has put the community, and the wiki it supports, at serious risk is no idle comment… The infrastructure and skills are in place to make this happen, if this is the path the community chooses to go.

But even those of us who are most “bullish” about independence as an option know that this option comes with such risks that it should only be pursued as a last resort. Although it does present us with many great opportunities, we acknowledge the strength that Fandom has behind it. Even those who are the least negative on the feature fear the damage to the community if there is yet another split - we never truly regained the skills lost in the previous split.

We're reaching a stalemate and some movement is needed on both sides to steer things down a better road.

The community’s greatest desire is that we go back to exactly where we were 12 months ago, where there was no forced video, where we had a positive relationship with Fandom and its staff. It is my belief that we can get back there, if Fandom makes that choice.

Will you help us resolve this situation?

Please note, I consider this this is an open letter, and unless directed otherwise reserve the right to post any replies. The public version of this letter can be found on our forum here: https://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Forum:Featured_Video_-_Email_to_Wikia_CEO

We have the support of another Fandom Community - Halo Nation - in this request to you. They too regret Fandom’s deteriorating relationship with the wikis it hosts and feel their community is at risk by Fandoms continued insistence on adding this feature, and hope to see a change in relationship going forward. We will be sharing this letter and your responses with them

Agent c / Chad H. 