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Modern Wikia allows for the uploading of images for use on article pages and user pages. To allow for the smooth operation of the site and to ensure that no one is offended, this guideline is in place for the uploading and usage of images and image contents.

Uploading images can be done at the Upload file page. How to do this can be found at the Image help section. However, some images are subject to immediate deletion if they are determined to serve no purpose, are offensive/inappropriate, or are against Modern Wikia's productive spirit.


Requirements[]

Whenever you upload an image, you should meet the following minimal requirements.

  • Always tag your image with one of the image copyright tags. When in doubt, do not upload copyrighted images.
  • Always specify on the description page where the image came from (the source) and information on how this could be verified. Examples include scanning a paper copy, or a URL, or a name/alias and method of contact for the photographer. For screenshots this means what the image is a screenshot of (the more detail the better). Do not put credits in images themselves.

Rules of thumb[]

Below this brief checklist of image use rules is the detailed reasoning behind them.

  1. Use the image description page to describe an image and its copyright status.
  2. Use a clear, detailed title. Note that if any image with the same title has already been uploaded, it will be replaced with your new one.
  3. Upload a high-resolution version of your image whenever possible (unless the image is being used under fair use; see Fair use considerations for details), and use the automatic thumbnailing option of the Wikipedia image markup to scale down the image. MediaWiki accepts images up to 100 MB in size. Do not scale down the image yourself, as scaled-down images may be of limited use in the future.
  4. Crop the image to highlight the relevant subject.
  5. If you create an image that contains text, please upload also a version without any text. It will help Wikipedians translate your image into other languages.
  6. Try not to use color alone to convey information, as it is inaccessible in many situations.
  7. Use JPEG format for photographic images; SVG format for icons, logos, drawings, maps, flags, and such; PNG format for software screenshots and when only a raster image is available; GIF format for inline animations; and Ogg/Theora for video.
  8. Add a good alternative text for images.
  9. In general, there is no need to specify thumbnail size. Users can select their ideal size in preferences.
  10. Shocking or explicit pictures should not be used simply to bring attention to an article.

Editing images[]

Use the Upload file page to replace an image with an edited version. Make sure your file has the same name as the one being replaced.

Converting an image to another file format typically changes the filename, since the format of a file is often determined by its filename extension. Thus, the new image will have an entirely separate image description page.

Note: that the original image, in its original format, is not automatically deleted or replaced in this case, and should be done manually.

Image titles and file names[]

Descriptive file names are also useful. A map of Africa could be called "Africa.png", but quite likely more maps of Africa will be useful in Modern Wikia, so it is good to be more specific, e.g., "Africa political map.yourinitials.png", or "Africa political map with red borders.png". Check whether there are already maps of Africa in Modern Wikia. Then decide whether your map should replace one (in each article that uses it) or be additional. In the first case give it exactly the same name, otherwise a suitable other name. Avoid special characters in filenames or excessively long filenames, though, as that might make it difficult for some users to download the files onto their machines. Note that names are case sensitive, "Africa.PNG" is considered different from "Africa.png". For uniformity, lower case file name extensions are recommended.

You may use the same name in the case of a different image that replaces the old one, and also if you make an improved version of the same image – perhaps a scanned image that you scanned again with a better quality scanner, or you used a better way of reducing the original in scale – then upload it with the same title as the old one. This allows people to easily compare the two images, and avoids the need to delete images or change articles. However, this is not possible if the format is changed, since then at least the extension part of the name has to be changed.

Images that can be Deleted[]

An image uploaded to Modern Wikia can be deleted if it is...

  • Obscene - Modern Wikia is not a censored website, and the target audience is 17 years and above. However, all images that contain obscenities such as pornography, graphic real-world violence, or sexual acts are not permissible on the site, or on userpages. These images also have great potential to offend other users. Repeatedly uploading such images can be grounds for blocking for vandalism as part of Modern Wikia's Blocking Policy.
  • Unused - Modern Wikia is not a repository for images that are unrelated to the modern society and unusable on article pages. Images that are uploaded by users for individual userpages will be added to their userpage. If an image is not related to modern society whatsoever, is then uploaded and not used, it will be deleted. Duplicate- Duplicate images are not to be uploaded. Though Modern Wikia has unlimited space for images and articles, duplicate images create confusion and make organization difficult. Duplicate images that are uploaded will be deleted and redirected to the original image.
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