WoWWiki:NDA policy

From WoWWiki

WoWWiki:Policies
Policy status and phases
Category policy Copyright policy Deletion policy – Speedy deletion – NDA policy DNP Policy Editing policy External links Naming policy – Personal articles – Player character pages	Neutrality policy Stub policy Three revert rule User naming Vandalism policy Voting policy Writing policy – Fan fiction – Guild pages – Items – Lore
See also: guidelines, administrators

This page is an official policy on WoWWiki. This policy has wide acceptance among editors and is considered a standard that all users should follow. Feel free to propose any changes to this policy, but please make sure that changes you make follow the official process and reflect consensus on the discussion page before you put them into practice. Any big changes need to be Adopted or Decreed to be enforced as policy. See WoWWiki:Policies for an overview of WoWWiki policies. See Category:Policies for a list of proposed and adopted policy articles. Shortcut: WW:NDA

WoWWiki has a strong commitment to remain within the appropriate legal boundaries for an official Blizzard Warcraft fansite^[1]. This leads to the ultimate consequence that contributors of WoWWiki are under no circumstance allowed to add information or pictures to the encyclopedia which Blizzard wouldn't like to be out in the public. Usually Blizzard does not mind, but when a game is in alpha production a non-disclosure agreement (abbreviated to NDA) is enforced that all participating which obliges all participating users to abide by strict rules.

From the official website:

“

"You agree that you shall not, under any circumstances, [...] create, reproduce, distribute, display or otherwise make available screen shots or videos depicting the Program or any element thereof without the prior written consent of Blizzard" "The existence of the Alpha Test and all elements thereof (including without limitation this Agreement) is confidential, and you agree to maintain secrecy associated with the Alpha Test until such time that Blizzard releases such information publicly. For purposes of example and not limitation, you agree that you will not disclose the following: General comments about the systems utilized in the Program, including, but not limited to, the races, classes, combat, magic, communication, grouping, questing, and monetary systems. Any general comments regarding the storyline behind the Program, including, but not limited to the story itself, non-player characters, quests, player races, classes, and items, armor, and weapons, of both a magical and non-magical nature."

”

Blizzard has previously shown that it will enforce its NDAs. When World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade was in alpha testing and a few pictures of elekks were uploaded to WoWWiki, Rustak (at that time owner of the website) received an email by the Entertainment Software Association which included a cease-and-desist order.

As a consequence of this, content obtained from alpha testing sessions is removable under the speedy deletion policy, and action may be taken against accounts which persist in posting such information. Please bear in mind that datamined content, obtained by individuals who have not agreed to the NDA is also covered by this policy and will be treated the same way.

• Note that information that has been released publicly by Blizzard is not covered under the terms of the NDA and can be posted on the wiki.

See also

• WoWWiki:Burning Crusade DMCA Takedown Notice
• {{NDA}} warning template

References

1. ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/community/fansites.html