Hey gang!
As of today, Content Review, a security process we have for wiki-level custom JavaScript edits, has been enabled for communities which were previously on Gamepedia. Now that we are on a unified platform with a unified design, having unified security review and providing equitable access to customization to our wiki admins was an important next step.
Please note that this blog is about historically Gamepedia wikis. If you’re a user on a historically Fandom wiki, feel free to read on, but know that nothing is changing for you with this announcement!
What is Content Review?[]
Content Review is a process that starts when a wiki administrator makes a change to their wiki’s custom JavaScript. It triggers a review of the new code by a member of the Community Team to ensure that the customization which has been implemented is safe for all users and falls in line with our Customization Policy.
Content Review can take up to 1 business day to complete, but most updates are reviewed quite quickly. The approval rate for this process is around 98%, which ensures that said approved changes are well-formed, safe, and appropriate.
Why is Content Review necessary?[]
Wiki administrators on Fandom already enjoy expansive freedom with regards to customization that is not found on most other user-generated content platforms. Content Review doesn’t change that. It is necessary to make sure that the over 300,000 wikis on the platform are safe from bad customization which could, at best, degrade the user experience or, at worst, pose a real threat to user security. The Customization Policy itself does not change with Content Review in place. It is simply a compliance check for that policy, rather than waiting for a community reaction to some bad code or even security issues that could otherwise crop up.
All previous revisions to your wiki’s custom JavaScript, including your most recent revision prior to Content Review being enabled, has been automatically approved by a script. Due to that approach, communicating this had to wait until after the process was complete for us to be able to apply the change at scale without manually reviewing for any potentially harmful code added between announcement and implementation. If we see something after the fact that would not have been approved under a normal Content Review, however, that code will be fixed so the functionality can continue.
What are the benefits of Content Review?[]
With Content Review active on historically Gamepedia wikis, those communities now enjoy access to the library of JavaScript customizations hosted on the Dev Wiki. Today, Dev Wiki is host to many such customizations which enhance the wiki experience without needing Fandom developer resources to realize their goals. A team of passionate volunteers create and maintain these customizations, vetting ones which are useful and safe, while raising awareness for ones which may be too experimental for a wiki-level application. Such customizations may be appropriate for your own personal JavaScript though! The ability to use these customizations requires far less technical prowess than reaching a similar customization without Dev Wiki would require for historically Gamepedia wikis until now, so this is a massive boon for admins of all skill levels.
Loading in Dev Wiki scripts via ImportJS requires Content Review to be enabled, so now that ability is granted to all of our historically Gamepedia wikis. Here are some examples of such customizations that our Wiki Team thinks you’ll find useful:
- UploadMultipleFiles - A slightly different multiple upload system that allows you to add multiple files to your wiki from a single dialog box. Created by Pcj.
- DiscordIntegrator - A right rail module that allows you to display your wiki’s Discord server with information about active users within, providing a compelling call to action for editors to join you in conversation. Created by KockaAdmiralac.
- MassNullEdit - A tool for null editing pages in batches, updating the cache and refreshing any stale links within the page. It can be particularly useful for troubleshooting other customizations at scale. Created by Ozank Cx with contributions from DarthKitty and OneTwoThreeFall.
- CategoryRedLinks - It does what it says, turning links for categories which do not exist red, which some creator communities prefer to Fandom’s default blue link behavior for non-existent category links. Created by SlyCooperFan1.
- QuickDiff - This customization allows you invoke a modal screen for at a glance viewing of an edit diff. Very handy for patrolling Recent Changes. Created by OneTwoThreeFall.
These are just a sampling of the user-created customizations now available to historically Gamepedia wikis from the Dev wiki. You now have access to an entire library of useful customizations which are easy to implement, so experienced Fandom administrators should feel free to share their favorite Dev wiki scripts which may exhibit value in your communities. The Dev Wiki community also has a great Discord server for discussing customization.
This is the first of a few security-focused updates coming in the near future. At the end of the day, you should feel secure on Fandom and supported in your work. That’s a major focus of our Community Safety team, who will have more to share about their technical safety plans, including Dev Wiki, in the near-future.
Any questions?
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