While flag icons give some color to infoboxes and may be useful for identification purposes, the Manual of Style states that they should only be used there when they convey information in addition to the text; examples of appropriate use include military battles and international sporting competitions. In addition, the documentation for some infoboxes, e.g. Template:Infobox company specifically prohibits the use of flag icons.
What does the bot do? edit
The bot goes through uses of specific infobox templates and removes the flag templates from the parameters of the infobox.
It DOES NOT remove flag templates from anywhere else in the article.
It DOES NOT remove flag templates from any arbitrary infobox.
The infobox templates currently processed include:
- Template:Infobox company – Template talk:Infobox company#Flag icons, WT:MOSFLAG#Flag icons in company and power station infoboxes (2011-09-11)
- Template:Infobox power station – Template talk:Infobox power station#Flag icons, WT:MOSFLAG#Flag icons in company and power station infoboxes (2011-09-11)
- Template:Infobox World Heritage Site – Template talk:Infobox World Heritage Site#Gradual improvements, Template talk:Infobox World Heritage Site#Flags and links (2011-09-11)
- Template:Infobox dam – Template talk:Infobox dam#Flag icons (2011-09-24)
- Template:Infobox language – Wikipedia:Bot requests/Archive 48#Removing flag templates from infoboxes and User talk:Anomie/Archives/2015#Removing flag icons from language info boxes (2015-08-31)
When reviewing the above discussions, keep in mind that unanimity is not required although a clear consensus is. Also remember that specific consensus is required for each template precisely because WP:MOSFLAG is not sufficiently well-supported that it can be implemented by bot across Wikipedia on a general basis, and therefore arguments based on "WP:MOSFLAG is not sufficiently well-supported that it can be implemented by bot across Wikipedia on a general basis" are missing the point and should be discounted.
I disagree that these flag templates should be removed. What should I do? edit
AnomieBOT only considers infoboxes for which consensus specifically indicates that flags should never be used. You can start a discussion on the template talk page and advertise it on the appropriate WikiProject's talk page to determine if consensus has changed.
Please do not post angry messages demanding the bot stop or demanding the bot be blocked, and please don't misuse the shutoff mechanism. Consensus supports the bot's actions, and consensus is needed to stop it.
We have consensus that one particular article is an exception to the general rule. What should I do? edit
If you really have such a consensus, add a parameter |consensus to keep=yes to the flag template invocation. Or even better, |consensus to keep=[[link to the consensus discussion]].
The bot is not removing a flag icon from one of the templates it is supposed to process! What should I do? edit
First, make sure someone hasn't added |consensus to keep= to the flag icon, or substed the flag template, or something odd like that. Then let me know at User talk:AnomieBOT.
I want the bot to remove flag templates from another infobox. What should I do? edit
First, start a discussion to determine whether consensus exists for a bot to do this for the particular template you are interested in; this is probably best held on the template's talk page. Then be sure to advertise it at the relevant WikiProjects' talk pages, and anyplace else that might be relevant. If consensus is found, let me know at User talk:AnomieBOT.
The bot is breaking articles! How do I stop it? edit
Post a message on User:AnomieBOT/shutoff/FlagIconRemover, including an explanation of the breakage and links to diffs.