User:Boud/sandbox/draft RfC Reduce advocacy in Find sources Module
Please freely edit the draft RfC below. The suggested categories are policy - although not strictly policy, the question is fundamentally related to our mission, so people interested in policy are likely to be interested in this RfC; and tech - because tech knowledge and editing rights are needed changing both the Module and the Template.
RfC initial statement[edit]
{{rfc|policy|tech}}
The {{Find general sources}} template produces this list of search options: "Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL"
. Should we change the items in the list? If yes, then what changes should be made? ~~~~
Additional comments below first statement and timestamp[edit]
The Find sources module lists search engines that are available for use in the {{Find general sources}} template. The 7 Nov 2021 version of the template is (links omitted) Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · NYT · TWL
. If you answer "Yes", then proposals for changes to the list of links available in the module and/or to the default list of links in the template could help lead to rough consensus decisions.
Changes (additions or removals) to the 21 June 2023 list of links available in the module could include removing some engines or adding other engines from List of search engines or Comparison of web search engines. Changes (additions or removals) to the template could be made to the primary link (currently Google
) or to the more specific links such as books
, news
, scholar
(NYT vs AP is a separate RfC). Reasons for adding or removing might include utility, reduction of bias, and/or privacy, within the constraints of the Wikipedia mission.
Previous suggestions of changes in related discussions include: instead of specific engines link to list of search engines; instead of Google Scholar link to Internet Archive Scholar; add somewhere the source advice WP:RX; instead of Google alone link to "Google or list of search engines#General"; instead of Google News link to Searx news at Openxng.com, Searx.be and/or Priv.au.
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