PBC:What PBC is not

"PBC:NOT" redirects here. For PBC's notability guidelines, see PBC:Notability.

"PBC:!" redirects here. For other uses of ! in PBC jargon, see PBC:Glossary.

The edition of the adopted text by the Administrative Committee, 27 June 2021.

Porn Base Central is a free-access, free-content Internet gay porn encyclopedia, as a means to that end, an online community of individuals interested in building and using a high-quality gay porn encyclopedia in a spirit of mutual respect. Therefore, there are certain things that PBC is not.

Style and format

PBC is not a paper encyclopedia

PBC is not a paper encyclopedia, but a digital gay porn encyclopedia project. There is an important distinction between what can be done, and what should be done, which is covered under § Encyclopedic content below. Consequently, this policy is not a free pass for inclusion: articles must abide by the appropriate content policies.

Keeping articles to a reasonable size is important for PBC's accessibility, especially for dial-up and mobile browser readers, since it directly affects page download time (see PBC:Article size). Splitting long articles and leaving adequate summaries is a natural part of growth for a topic (see PBC:Summary style). Some topics are covered by print encyclopedias only in short, static articles, but PBC can include more information, provide more external links, and update more quickly.

Encyclopedic content

Information should not be included in this encyclopedia solely because it is true or useful. A PBC article should not be a complete exposition of all possible details, but a summary of accepted knowledge regarding its subject. Verifiable and sourced statements should be treated with appropriate weight. Although there are debates about the encyclopedic merits of several classes of entries, consensus is that the following are good examples of what PBC is not. The examples under each section are not intended to be exhaustive.

PBC is not Wikipedia

Despite the fact that PBC and Wikipedia are fully compatible and are part of a common development branch within the Wikimedia foundation, there are fundamental differences between them. PBC has its own philosophy, policies and original content. There is no point in referring to Wikipedia when discussing topics within the PBC community.

PBC is not a porn indexer

PBC is not a porn indexer like IAFD or GEVI. PBC collects and catalogs information in accordance with its own quality policies and relevance criteria.

PBC is not a dictionary

PBC is not a dictionary, or a usage or jargon guide. PBC articles are not:

1. Definitions. Articles should begin with a good definition or description, but articles that contain nothing more than a definition should be expanded with additional encyclopedic content. If they cannot be expanded beyond a definition, PBC is not the place for them. In some cases, the definition of a word may be an encyclopedic subject, such as the definition of sexuality.
2. Dictionary entries. Encyclopedia articles are about a person, or a group, a concept, a place, a thing, an event, etc. In some cases, a word or phrase itself may be an encyclopedic subject. However, articles rarely, if ever, contain more than one distinct definition or usage of the article's title.
3. Usage, slang, or idiom guides. See "PBC is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal" below for more information.

PBC is not a publisher of original thought

PBC is not a place to publish your own thoughts and analyses or to publish new information. Per our policy on original research, please do not use PBC for any of the following:

1. Primary (original) research, such as proposing theories and solutions, original ideas, defining terms, coining new words, etc. If you have completed primary research on a topic, your results should be published in other venues, such as peer-reviewed journals, other printed forms, open research, or respected online publications. PBC can report your work after it is published and becomes part of accepted knowledge; however, citations of reliable sources are needed to demonstrate that material is verifiable, and not merely the editor's opinion.
2. Personal inventions. If you or a friend invented a drinking game, a new type of dance move, or even the word frindle, it is not notable enough to be given an article until multiple, independent, and reliable secondary sources report on it. And PBC is certainly not for things made up one day.
3. Personal essays that state your particular feelings about a topic (rather than the opinions of experts). Although PBC is supposed to compile human knowledge, it is not a vehicle to make personal opinions become part of such knowledge. In the unusual situation where the opinions of an individual are important enough to discuss, it is preferable to let other people write about them. (Personal essays on PBC-related topics are welcome in your user namespace.)
4. Discussion forums. Please try to stay on the task of creating an encyclopedia. You can chat with people about PBC-related topics on their user talk pages, and should resolve problems with articles on the relevant talk pages, but please do not take discussion into articles. In addition, bear in mind that article talk pages exist solely to discuss how to improve articles; they are not for general discussion about the subject of the article, nor are they a help desk for obtaining instructions or technical assistance. Material unsuitable for talk pages may be subject to removal. If you wish to ask a specific question on a topic, PBC has a forum; questions should be asked there rather than on talk pages.

PBC is not a soapbox or means of promotion

PBC is not a soapbox, a battleground, or a vehicle for propaganda, advertising and showcasing. This applies to usernames, articles, draftspace, categories, files, talk page discussions, templates, and user pages. Therefore, content hosted in PBC is not for:

1. Advocacy, propaganda, or recruitment of any kind: commercial, political, scientific, religious, national, sports-related, or otherwise. An article can report objectively about such things, as long as an attempt is made to describe the topic from a neutral point of view. You might wish to start a blog or visit a forum if you want to convince people of the merits of your opinions.
2. Opinion pieces. Although some topics, particularly those concerning current affairs and politics, may stir passions and tempt people to "climb soapboxes", PBC is not the medium for this. Articles must be balanced to put entries, especially for current events, in a reasonable perspective, and represent a neutral point of view. Furthermore, PBC authors should strive to write articles that will not quickly become obsolete.
3. Scandal mongering, promoting things "heard through the grapevine" or gossiping. Articles and content about living people are required to meet an especially high standard.
4. Self-promotion. It can be tempting to write about yourself or projects in which you have a strong personal involvement. However, remember that the standards for encyclopedic articles apply to such pages just like any other. This includes the requirement to maintain a neutral point of view, which can be difficult when writing about yourself or about projects close to you. Creating overly abundant links and references to autobiographical sources, such as your résumé or curriculum vitae, is unacceptable.
5. Advertising, marketing or public relations. Information about companies and products must be written in an objective and unbiased style, free of puffery. All article topics must be verifiable with independent, third-party sources.

PBC is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files

PBC is not a trash can for random images like Tumblr or Twitter. PBC is neither a mirror nor a repository of links, images, or media files. PBC articles are not merely collections of:

1. External links or Internet directories. There is nothing wrong with adding one or more useful content-relevant links to the external links section of an article; however, excessive lists can dwarf articles and detract from the purpose of PBC. On articles about topics with many fansites, for example, including a link to one major fansite may be appropriate. See PBC:External links for some guidelines.
2. Internal links, except for disambiguation pages when an article title is ambiguous, and for lists for browsing or to assist with article organization and navigation; for these, please follow relevant guidance at PBC:Manual of Style/Lists, PBC:Stand-alone lists and PBC:Manual of Style/Embedded lists.
3. Public domain or other source material such as entire books or source code, original historical documents, letters, laws, proclamations, and other source material that are useful only when presented with their original, unmodified wording.
4. Random photographs or media files with no accompanying text. If you are interested in presenting a picture, please provide an encyclopedic context, or consider adding it to PBC Media Repository.

PBC is not a blog, web hosting service, social networking service, or memorial site

Further information: PBC:User pages

PBC is not a social networking service like Facebook or Twitter. You may not host your own website, blog, wiki, résumé, or cloud on PBC. PBC pages, including those in user space, are not:

1. Personal web pages. PBC users have individual user pages, but they should be used primarily to present information relevant to work on the encyclopedia. Limited autobiographical information is allowed, but user pages do not serve as personal webpages, blogs, or repositories for large amounts of material irrelevant to collaborating on PBC. If you want to post your résumé or make a personal webpage, please use one of the many free providers on the Internet or any hosting included with your Internet service provider. The focus of user pages should not be social networking or amusement, but rather providing a foundation for effective collaboration. Humorous pages that refer to PBC in some way may be created in an appropriate namespace. Personal web pages are often speedily deleted. PBC articles use formal English and are not written in Internet posting style.
2. File storage areas. Please upload only files that are used (or will be used) in encyclopedia articles or project pages; anything else will be deleted. If you have extra relevant images, consider uploading them to the PBC Media Repository.
3. Dating services. PBC is not an appropriate place to pursue relationships or sexual encounters. User pages that move beyond broad expressions of sexual orientation are unacceptable. However, you very well may form new friendships as you go about improving the encyclopedia.
4. Memorials. Subjects of encyclopedia articles must satisfy PBC's notability requirements. PBC is not the place to memorialize deceased friends, relatives, acquaintances, or others who do not meet such requirements.
5. Content for projects unrelated to PBC. Do not store material unrelated to PBC, including in userspace. Please see PBC:UPNOT for examples of what may not be included.

If you are interested in using the wiki technology for a collaborative effort on something else, even just a single page, many free and commercial sites provide wiki hosting. You can also install wiki software on your server. See the installation guide at MediaWiki.org for information on doing this.

Your user page is not yours. It is a part of PBC, and exists to make collaboration among PBC users easier, not for self promotion. See PBC:User pages for current consensus guidelines on user pages.

PBC is not a directory

See also: PBC:Manual of Style/Lists, PBC:Stand-alone lists, and PBC:Embedded lists

PBC encompasses many lists of links to articles within PBC that are used for internal organization or to describe a notable subject. In that sense, PBC functions as an index or directory of its own content. However, PBC is not a directory of everything in the universe that exists or has existed. PBC articles are not:

1. Lists or repositories of loosely associated topics such as (but not limited to) quotations, aphorisms, or persons (real or fictional). Of course, there is nothing wrong with having lists if their entries are relevant because they are associated with or significantly contribute to the list topic. PBC also includes reference tables and tabular information for quick reference. Merged groups of small articles based on a core topic are permitted.
2. The white or yellow pages. Contact information such as phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses is not encyclopedic. Likewise, disambiguation pages are not intended to be complete listings of every person named John Smith—just the notable ones.
3. Directories, directory entries, or resources for conducting business. For example, an article on a broadcaster should not list upcoming events, current promotions, current schedules, format clocks, etc., although mention of major events, promotions or historically significant program lists and schedules may be acceptable.
4. Sales catalogues. An article should not include product pricing or availability information unless there is an independent source and a justified reason for the mention. Encyclopedic significance may be indicated if mainstream media sources (not just product reviews) provide commentary on these details instead of just passing mention. Prices and product availability can vary widely from place to place and over time. PBC is not a price comparison service to compare the prices of competing products, or the prices and availability of a single product from different vendors or retailers.
5. Non-encyclopedic cross-categorizations, such as "people from ethnic / cultural / religious group X employed by organization Y" or "restaurants specializing in food type X in city Y". Cross-categories such as these are not considered a sufficient basis for creating an article, unless the intersection of those categories is in some way a culturally significant phenomenon. See also PBC:Overcategorization for this issue in categories.
6. Simple listings without context information. Examples include, but are not limited to: listings of business alliances, clients, competitors, employees (except CEOs, supervisory directors and similar top functionaries), equipment, estates, offices, store locations, products and services, sponsors, subdivisions and tourist attractions. Information about relevant single entries with encyclopedic information should be added as sourced prose. Lists of creative works in a wider context are permitted.

PBC is not a manual, guidebook, textbook, or scientific journal

PBC is an encyclopedic reference, not an instruction manual, guidebook, or textbook. PBC articles should not read like:

1. Instruction manuals. While PBC has descriptions of people, places and things, an article should not read like a "how-to" style owner's manual, cookbook, advice column or suggestion box. This includes tutorials, instruction manuals, game guides, and recipes. Describing to the reader how people or things use or do something is encyclopedic; instructing the reader in the imperative mood about how to use or do something is not.
2. Travel guides. An article on Paris should mention landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, but not the telephone number or street address of the "best" restaurants, nor the current price of a café au lait on the Champs-Élysées. PBC is not the place to recreate content more suited to entries in hotel or culinary guides, travelogues, and the like. Notable locations may meet the inclusion criteria, but the resulting articles need not include every tourist attraction, restaurant, hotel or venue, etc. While travel guides for a city will often mention distant attractions, a PBC article for a city should list only those that are actually in the city.
3. Video game guides. An article about a video game should briefly summarize the story and the main actions the player performs in the game; however, avoid lists of gameplay weapons, items, or concepts, unless these are notable as discussed in secondary sources in their own right in gaming context (such as the BFG9000 from the Doom series). Walk-throughs or detailed coverage of specific point values, achievements, time-limits, levels, types of enemies, character moves, character weight classes, and so on are also considered inappropriate. A concise summary is appropriate if it is essential to understanding the game or its significance in the industry.
4. Internet guides. PBC articles should not exist only to describe the nature, appearance or services a website offers, but should also describe the site in an encyclopedic manner, offering detail on a website's achievements, impact or historical significance, which can be kept significantly more up-to-date than most reference sources, since editors can incorporate new developments and facts as they are made known.
5. FAQs. PBC articles should not list frequently asked questions (FAQs). Instead, format the information as neutral prose within the appropriate article(s).
6. Textbooks and annotated texts. PBC is an encyclopedic reference, not a textbook. The purpose of PBC is to present facts, not to teach subject matter. It is not appropriate to create or edit articles that read as textbooks, with leading questions and systematic problem solutions as examples. Some kinds of examples, specifically those intended to inform rather than to instruct, may be appropriate for inclusion in a PBC article.
7. Scientific journals. A PBC article should not be presented on the assumption that the reader is well-versed in the topic's field. Introductory language in the lead (and sometimes the initial sections) of the article should be written in plain terms and concepts that can be understood by any literate reader of PBC without any knowledge in the given field before advancing to more detailed explanations of the topic. While wikilinks should be provided for advanced terms and concepts in that field, articles should be written on the assumption that the reader will not or cannot follow these links, instead attempting to infer their meaning from the text.
8. Academic language. Texts should be written for everyday readers, not just for academics. Article titles should reflect common usage, not academic terminology, whenever possible. Academic language in the text should be explained in lay terms.

PBC is not a crystal ball

PBC is not a collection of unverifiable speculation or presumptions. PBC does not predict the future. All articles about anticipated events must be verifiable, and the subject matter must be of sufficiently wide interest that it would merit an article if the event had already occurred. It is appropriate to report discussion and arguments about the prospects for success of future proposals and projects or whether some development will occur, if discussion is properly referenced. It is not appropriate for editors to insert their own opinions or analyses. Predictions, speculation, forecasts and theories stated by reliable, expert sources or recognized entities in a field may be included, though editors should be aware of creating undue bias to any specific point-of-view. In forward-looking articles about unreleased products, such as films and games, take special care to avoid advertising and unverified claims. In particular:

1. Individual scheduled or expected future events should be included only if the event is notable and almost certain to take place. Dates are not definite until the event actually takes place, as even notable events can be cancelled or postponed at the last minute by a major incident. If preparation for the event is not already in progress, speculation about it must be well documented. Avoid predicted sports team line-ups, which are inherently unverifiable and speculative. A schedule of future events may be appropriate if it can be verified. As an exception, even highly speculative articles about events that may or may not occur far in the future might be appropriate, where coverage in reliable sources is sufficient.
2. Individual items from a predetermined list or a systematic pattern of names, pre-assigned to future events or discoveries, are not suitable article topics, if only generic information is known about the item.
3. Articles that present original research in the form of extrapolation, speculation, and "future history" are inappropriate. Although scientific and cultural norms continually evolve, we must wait for this evolution to happen, rather than try to predict it. Of course, we do and should have articles about notable artistic works, essays, or credible research that embody predictions.
4. PBC is not a collection of product announcements and rumors. Although PBC includes up-to-date knowledge about newly revealed products, short articles that consist of only product announcement information are not appropriate. Until such time that more encyclopedic knowledge about the product can be verified, product announcements should be merged to a larger topic (such as an article about the creator(s), a series of products, or a previous product) if applicable.

PBC is not a newspaper

Editors are encouraged to include current and up-to-date information within its coverage, and to develop stand-alone articles on significant current events. However, not all verifiable events are suitable for inclusion in PBC. Ensure that PBC articles are not:

1. Original reporting. PBC should not offer first-hand news reports on breaking stories. PBC does not constitute a primary source.
2. News reports. PBC considers the enduring notability of persons and events. While news coverage can be useful source material for encyclopedic topics, most newsworthy events do not qualify for inclusion and PBC is not written in news style. For example, routine news reporting of announcements, sports, or celebrities is not a sufficient basis for inclusion in the encyclopedia. While including information on recent developments is sometimes appropriate, breaking news should not be emphasized or otherwise treated differently from other information.
3. Who's who. Even when an event is notable, individuals involved in it may not be. Unless news coverage of an individual goes beyond the context of a single event, our coverage of that individual should be limited to the article about that event, in proportion to their importance to the overall topic.
4. A diary. Even when an individual is notable, not all events they are involved in are. For example, news reporting about celebrities and sports figures can be very frequent and cover a lot of trivia, but using all these sources would lead to over-detailed articles that look like a diary. Not every match played or goal scored is significant enough to be included in the biography of a person.

PBC is not an indiscriminate collection of information

See also: PBC:Notability and PBC:Manual of Style/Trivia sections

To provide encyclopedic value, data should be put in context with explanations referenced to independent sources. As explained in § Encyclopedic content above, merely being true, or even verifiable, does not automatically make something suitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. PBC articles should not be:

1. Summary-only descriptions of works. PBC treats creative works (including, for example, works of art or fiction, video games, documentaries, research books or papers, and religious texts) in an encyclopedic manner, discussing the development, design, reception, significance, and influence of works in addition to concise summaries of those works.
2. Excessive listings of unexplained statistics. Statistics that lack context or explanation can reduce readability and may be confusing; accordingly, statistics should be placed in tables to enhance readability, and articles with statistics should include explanatory text providing context.

PBC is not a bisexual porn encyclopedia

PBC is not an encyclopedia about bisexual pornography.

1. Writing articles about bisexual male porn performers who have not starred in gay porn scenes, bisexual male porn performers who shoot exclusively bisexual or heterosexual content and solo are prohibited on PBC.
2. PBC does not list bisexual scenes or films.
3. The Notability policy may contain a number of exceptions to this policy, see PBC:Notability.

PBC is not a straight porn encyclopedia

PBC is not an encyclopedia about heterosexual pornography.

1. Writing articles about heterosexual male porn performers who have not starred in gay porn scenes, male performers who shoot exclusively heterosexual content and solo are prohibited on PBC.
2. PBC does not list heterosexual scenes or films, female performers, trans identified females (FTM), heterosexual scenes or films with trans identified females (FTM).
3. The Notability policy may contain a number of exceptions to this policy, see PBC:Notability.

PBC is not a transsexual porn encyclopedia

PBC is not an encyclopedia about transsexual pornography.

1. Writing articles about transsexual porn performers are prohibited on PBC.
2. PBC does not list transsexual scenes or films, trans identified females (FTM) or trans identified males (MTF).

PBC is not censored

Main page: PBC:Content disclaimer

See also: Censorship of PBC

PBC may contain content that some readers consider objectionable or offensive‍—‌even exceedingly so. Attempting to ensure that articles and images will be acceptable to all readers, or will adhere to general social or religious norms, is incompatible with the purposes of an encyclopedia.

Content will be removed if it is judged to violate PBC policies. However, because most edits are displayed immediately, inappropriate material may be visible to readers, for a time, before being detected and removed.

Some articles may include images, text, or links which are relevant to the topic but that some people find objectionable. Discussion of potentially objectionable content should usually focus not on its potential offensiveness but on whether it is an appropriate image, text, or link. Beyond that, "being objectionable" is generally not sufficient grounds for the removal of content.

Some organizations' rules or traditions call for secrecy with regard to certain information about them. Such restrictions do not apply to PBC, because PBC is not a member of those organizations; thus PBC will not remove such information from articles if it is otherwise encyclopedic.

Community

The above policies are about PBC's content. The following relate to PBC's governance and processes.

PBC is not an anarchy or forum for free speech

See also: PBC:User access levels and PBC:Enforcement

Main page: PBC:Administration

PBC is free and open, but restricts both freedom and openness where they interfere with creating a gay porn encyclopedia. Accordingly, PBC is not a forum for unregulated free speech. The fact that PBC is an open, self-governing project does not mean that any part of its purpose is to explore the viability of anarchist and homophobic communities.

PBC is not a democracy

PBC is not an experiment in democracy or any other political system. Its primary (though not exclusive) means of decision making and conflict resolution is editing and discussion leading to consensus—not voting. Straw polls are sometimes used to test for consensus, but polls or surveys can impede, rather than foster, discussion and should be used with caution. Any decision on a particular PBC policy is ultimately made only by the PBC Administrative Committee.

PBC is not a bureaucracy

See also: PBC:Ignore all rules

"PBC:BURO" and "PBC:BUREAU" redirect here. For the "bureaucrat" user access level, see PBC:Bureaucratic Committee.

A procedural error made in a proposal or request is not grounds for rejecting that proposal or request.

A procedural, coding, or grammatical error in a new contribution |is not grounds for reverting it, unless the error cannot easily be fixed.

PBC is not compulsory

PBC is a volunteer community and does not require the PBC users to give any more time and effort than they wish. Focus on improving the encyclopedia itself, rather than demanding more from other PBCns. Editors are free to take a break or leave PBC at any time.

And finally…

PBC is not any of a very long list of terrible ideas. We cannot anticipate every bad idea that someone might have. Almost everything on this page is here because somebody came up with a bad idea that had not been anticipated. In general, "that is a terrible idea" is always sufficient grounds to avoid doing something, provided there is a good reason that the idea is terrible.

When you wonder what to do

When you wonder what should or should not be in an article, ask yourself what a reader would expect to find under the same heading in an encyclopedia.

When you wonder whether the rules given above are being violated, consider:

• Modifying the content of an article (normal editing).
• Turning the page into a redirect, preserving the page history.
• Nominating the page for deletion if it meets grounds for such action under the Deletion policy page. To develop an understanding of what kinds of contributions are in danger of being deleted, you have to regularly follow discussions there.

External links

Similar official policies on sister projects