This is a subpage by Explicit. When administrators delete pages, they will leave a reason in deletion summary. Sometimes, these reasons are a bit vague and can leave editors wondering why exactly a file they uploaded or an article they created was deleted. Below, I attempt to further clarify these reasons to aid other editors, as some questions are often asked several times and I often repeat myself. Please keep in mind that I am simply the deleting administrator; I am not responsible for notifying you or any related page, as I was not the user who tagged the page for deletion.
Topics edit
Articles edit
- A1: Not enough context to identify article's subject – This rationale means that the article lacked sufficient context to identify the subject.
- A2: Article in a foreign language which exists on another project – This rationale means that the article was essentially the same content as an article on another Wikimedia project.
- A3: Article has no meaningful, substantive content – This rationale means that the article consisted only of external links, category tags and "see also" sections, a rephrasing of the title, attempts to correspond with the person or group named by its title, a question that should have been asked at the help or reference desks, chat-like comments, template tags and/or images.
- A7: Article about an eligible subject, which does not indicate the importance or significance of the subject – This rationale means that the article was about a real person, individual animal(s), an organization or web content that did not indicate why its subject is important or significant.
- A9: Non-notable music by artist with no Wikipedia article – This rationale means that the article was about a musical recording that did not indicate why its subject is important or significant and where the artist's article does not exist.
- A10: Recently created article that duplicates an existing topic – This rationale means that the article had no relevant page history that duplicated an existing English Wikipedia topic, and that did not expand upon, detail or improve information, and where the title is not a plausible redirect.
Media files edit
- F1: File redundant to another on Wikipedia – This rationale simply means that there were one or more redundant copies of another file that already exists and that is in use. The deleted file would have been the same or lower resolution of the file in use, and in the same file format.
- F2: Corrupt or empty image – This rationale means that a file was uploaded, but failed to display correctly because it was corrupt. A file may also be deleted under this criteria if the file description page was created here on the English Wikipedia, but the file exists on Wikimedia Commons.
- F3: Media file with improper license – This rationale means that the file you uploaded was licensed under "non-commercial use only", "non-derivative use" or "used with permission". At the upload form, the user who uploaded the file indicated that the image may only be used here on Wikipedia. Files that are licensed freely must be licensed to be used here on Wikipedia, as well as for commercial purposes (see here and here). If you hold the copyright to the file and would like to license it for commercial use, you can re-upload the file under any of the licenses listed in this comprehensive list of copyright tags.
- F4: Lack of licensing information or F4: File without a source for more than 7 days – The first of the two rationales means that the file uploaded failed to include a license tag. Please be aware that simply owning the copyright to a file is not sufficient information to keep the file. The second of the two rationales means that the file lacks enough source information to verify its copyright status.
- F5: Unused non-free media file – This rationale simply means that a file was licensed as non-free and was not used in any articles for seven days. The use of non-free files outside of the article namespace still qualifies for deletion, as non-free content may only be used in article namespace.
- F6: Non-free media file with no non-free use rationale – This rationale means that the file was licensed as a non-free file, but was not accompanied with a fair use rationale. Licensing in the case of non-free files is insufficient to keep them.
- F7: Violates non-free content criteria or F7: Invalid fair-use rationale – The first of the two rationales means that the file failed to comply with the non-free content criteria policy. I would suggest giving said policy a read, as the policy is intentionally more strict than the United States fair use law. The second of the two rationales means that the file licensed under a blatantly incorrect non-free license (such as adding the {{Non-free logo}} license to a photograph of a mascot). These can be deleted immediately.
- F8: Media file available on Commons – This rationale means that the exact same file exists on Wikimedia Commons. If the file exists under a different name on Wikimedia Commons, my deletion summary will include a link to it.
- F9: Image copyright violation without claim of PD, FU etc – This rationale means that the file was a blatant copyright violation.
- F11: No evidence of permission – This rationale means that the file was licensed under a free license and it credited to someone other than the user who uploaded the file, but lacks evidence that the original author agreed to license the file under the given license. If the author did agree to said license, please forward the email to permissions-en@wikimedia.org, but be aware that the file will not be restored until this can be verified.
General edit
- G1: Patent nonsense, meaningless, or incomprehensible – This rationale means that the page consisted entirely of incoherent text or gibberish with no meaningful content or history.
- G2: Test page – This rationale means that the page was a test page.
- G3: Vandalism or G3: Blatant hoax – This rationale means that the page was blatant vandalism or a blatant hoax.
- G4: Recreation of a page that was deleted per a deletion discussion – This rationale means that the page was sufficiently identical and unimproved copy of any page deleted via a deletion discussion.
- G5: Creation by a banned user in violation of ban – This rationale means that the page was created and edited substantially by a banned or blocked user in violation of their ban or block.
- G6: Housekeeping and routine (non-controversial) cleanup – This rationale means that the page was uncontroversially deleted for maintenance purposes.
- G7: One author who has requested deletion or blanked the page – This rationale means that the author and substantial editor blanked the page or requested deletion.
- G8: Page dependent on a deleted or nonexistent page – This rationale means that the page redirected to a deleted or non-existent page, was a corresponding talk page of a deleted page or was a category populated by a deleted or retargeted template.
- G10: Attack page or negative unsourced BLP – This rationale means that the page was only created to attack or disparage the subject.
- G11: Unambiguous advertising or promotion – This rationale means that the page was written exclusively to promotion or advertise an entity.
- G12: Unambiguous copyright infringement – This rationale means the page was a blatant copyright violation.
If the above list did not address your concern, feel free to leave me a note here on my talk page by clicking here.