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.mw-parser-output table.ombox img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .ombox-speedy{background-color:#310402}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .ombox-speedy{background-color:#310402}}</style><table class="plainlinks ombox ombox-notice" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Essay.svg/30px-Essay.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="36" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Essay.svg/45px-Essay.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Essay.svg/60px-Essay.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="35" data-file-height="42"/></span></span></td><td class="mbox-text"><div style="padding-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 5px;"><b>This is an <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Essays" title="Wikipedia:Essays">essay</a> on the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:List_of_policies#Conduct" title="Wikipedia:List of policies">conduct policy</a>.</b><br/><div style="font-size: 90%;">It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Policies_and_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Policies and guidelines">Wikipedia's policies or guidelines</a>, as it has not been <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Consensus#Levels_of_consensus" title="Wikipedia:Consensus">thoroughly vetted by the community</a>. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.</div></div></td><td class="mbox-imageright"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1252059228">.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxplain{float:right;margin:0 0 0 1em;border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);background-color:var(--background-color-base,#fff);padding:0.3em 0.6em 0.2em 0.6em;text-align:center;font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxleft{float:left;margin:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutlist{display:inline-block;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);margin-bottom:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutboxplain ul{font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .module-shortcutanchordiv{position:relative;top:-3em}.mw-parser-output li .module-shortcutanchordiv{float:right}.mw-parser-output .mbox-imageright .module-shortcutboxplain{padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 1em;line-height:1.3;margin:0}</style><div class="module-shortcutanchordiv"><span id="WP:MWD"></span><span id="WP:MUTUAL"></span></div><div class="module-shortcutboxplain noprint" role="note"><div class="module-shortcutlist"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Shortcut" title="Wikipedia:Shortcut">Shortcuts</a></div><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:MWD&redirect=no">WP:MWD</a></span></li><li><span class="plainlinks"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:MUTUAL&redirect=no">WP:MUTUAL</a></span></li></ul></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238436933"><table class="plainlinks ombox ombox-notice nutshell" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/30px-Walnut.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="30" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/45px-Walnut.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Walnut.png/60px-Walnut.png 2x" data-file-width="192" data-file-height="192"/></span></span></td><td class="mbox-text"><b>This page in a nutshell:</b> Two editors can agree on simultaneous removal of their comments.</td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28,_1957,_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero,_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_(cropped).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28%2C_1957%2C_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero%2C_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28%2C_1957%2C_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero%2C_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_%28cropped%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="268" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28%2C_1957%2C_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero%2C_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_%28cropped%29.jpg/330px-BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28%2C_1957%2C_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero%2C_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_%28cropped%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/BOLTZMANN_nuclear_explosion_on_May_28%2C_1957%2C_photographed_11_miles_from_ground_zero%2C_from-_Operation_Plumbbob_-_Boltzmann_%28cropped%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="350" data-file-height="427"/></a><figcaption>What <a href="/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction" title="Mutual assured destruction">mutual assured destruction</a> looks like. Per <i><a href="/wiki/WarGames" title="WarGames">WarGames</a></i>, the only winning move is not to play.</figcaption></figure> <p><b>Mutual withdrawal</b> is a trick for interrupting non-productive lines of discussion by <i>simultaneously</i> removing your own and another editors' comments (with permission) in order to reduce conflict and make discussions more concise and productive. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc"/> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="How_it_works" data-mw-thread-id="h-How_it_works"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-How_it_works"></span>How it works<span data-mw-comment-end="h-How_it_works"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: How it works"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The premise of mutual withdrawal is simply this: </p> <div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;"><div style="display:inline-block;border-style: solid;padding: 3px;border-color: black;border-width: 2px;background-color: white;color: black;margin: 3px;"><b>Two editors agree that one of them may remove their own <i>and</i> the other's comments at the same time.</b></div></div> <p>The proposer must be clear about the first comment to be removed: </p><p><b>Form 1: Starting with <i>your</i> last comment:</b> </p> <dl><dd>Editor A, the proposer, gives editor B permission to remove B's most recent comment <i>and</i> A's reply to it invoking <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:MUTUAL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:MUTUAL">WP:MUTUAL</a>. For example:</dd></dl> <dl><dd><i>"I don't think your comment gets us closer to resolving this issue, and I want to give you a chance to remove it, and this reply, per <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:MUTUAL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:MUTUAL">WP:MUTUAL</a>, so we can get back on track. You're free to ignore this."</i></dd></dl> <p><b>Form 2: Starting with <i>my</i> last comment:</b> </p> <dl><dd>Editor A, the proposer, gives editor B permission to remove A's previous comment, B's reply to it, <i>and</i> A's reply invoking <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:MUTUAL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:MUTUAL">WP:MUTUAL</a>. For example:</dd></dl> <dl><dd><i>"I want to remove my last comment, but I can't because you replied to it. If you approve, per <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:MUTUAL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:MUTUAL">WP:MUTUAL</a>, you may remove my last comment, your reply to it, and this request, so we can get back on track. You're free to ignore this."</i></dd></dl> <p>Editor B can then, if they choose, remove <i>all</i> the comments covered by the proposal (two in the first case, three in the second), and <i>only</i> those comments, preferably citing <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:MUTUAL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:MUTUAL">WP:MUTUAL</a> in their edit summary.<sup id="cite_ref-just_remove_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-just_remove-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>Note 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-more_than_three_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-more_than_three-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>Note 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> If the proposal is accepted and the comments are removed, that's the end of it. Both editors are agreeing not to bring conduct complaints against the other over anything in the removed comments.<sup id="cite_ref-conduct_complaints_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-conduct_complaints-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>Note 3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Reasoning" data-mw-thread-id="h-Reasoning"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Reasoning"></span>Reasoning<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Reasoning"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Reasoning"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Normally,<sup id="cite_ref-exceptions_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-exceptions-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>Note 4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> it is not acceptable to <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:TPO" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:TPO">change or remove another user's comments</a>, or to significantly <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:REDACT" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:REDACT">change or remove your own comments</a> after others have replied. So what often happens is this: </p> <ol><li>Editor A leaves an unproductive comment: maybe it's <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:CIVIL" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:CIVIL">incivil</a>, maybe it's in error, or maybe it's counterproductive in <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:BEYOND" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:BEYOND">some other way</a>.</li> <li>Editor B leaves a reply criticizing Editor A's comment, while possibly being <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:KETTLE" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:KETTLE">incivil or counterproductive as well</a>.</li> <li>Editor A, after some time to reflect (or with insight gained from Editor B's comment), regrets their comment. However, there is already a reply, so Editor A <i>can't</i> remove their comment. They can only 1) let the criticism stand, or <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Apology" title="Wikipedia:Apology">publicly admit error</a> (which can be hard to do), or 2) keep arguing, with both editors trying to save face in a pointless volley that only irritates them and everyone else, and maybe even leads to a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Dispute_resolution" title="Wikipedia:Dispute resolution">formal dispute</a> – i.e., <a href="/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction" title="Mutual assured destruction">mutual assured destruction</a>.</li></ol> <p>By agreeing to a simultaneous removal of the comments, neither editor has to "make the first move" of removing only their own comment, relying on faith that the other editor will then do the same. This lowers the bar of trust necessary to remove a counterproductive exchange. Everyone then gets to pretend it never happened, and in the end, the discussion is shorter, more polite, and more useful to all. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Caveats" data-mw-thread-id="h-Caveats"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Caveats"></span>Caveats<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Caveats"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Caveats"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="When_MUTUAL_can_be_used" data-mw-thread-id="h-When_MUTUAL_can_be_used-Caveats"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-When_MUTUAL_can_be_used-Caveats"></span>When MUTUAL can be used<span data-mw-comment-end="h-When_MUTUAL_can_be_used-Caveats"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: When MUTUAL can be used"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>1. Mutual withdrawal involves exactly two editors. If there are any other replies to any of the covered comments from other editors, mutual withdrawal cannot be used and <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:REDACT" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:REDACT">WP:REDACT</a> applies. </p><p>2. If anyone else involved in the discussion objects to the removal, then the original comments should remain, unless they are removable on <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:RPA" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:RPA">other grounds</a>. </p><p>3. Mutual withdrawal should not be invoked when any of the covered comments have been in place for an extended period, usually two days or more. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Once_MUTUAL_has_been_invoked" data-mw-thread-id="h-Once_MUTUAL_has_been_invoked-Caveats"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Once_MUTUAL_has_been_invoked-Caveats"></span>Once MUTUAL has been invoked<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Once_MUTUAL_has_been_invoked-Caveats"></span></h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Once MUTUAL has been invoked"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>4. No one is obligated to accept or respond to a proposal of mutual withdrawal. If an editor chooses <i>not</i> to remove the comments, they are discouraged from leaving a comment to that effect. </p><p>5. Once the comments are removed, agreement to mutual withdrawal cannot be revoked by either participant. </p><p>6. Following mutual withdrawal, either editor can leave a new comment if they wish, but <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:AGF" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:AGF">good faith</a> entails that the new comment should not address the point of contention discussed in the removed comments, or the removal itself. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="Notes" data-mw-thread-id="h-Notes"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-Notes"></span>Notes<span data-mw-comment-end="h-Notes"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-just_remove-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-just_remove_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">If editor B accepts the proposal, their response should be to simply remove the covered comments, with an edit summary, <i>not</i> to add another comment granting editor A permission to do so, which draws things out unnecessarily.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-more_than_three-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-more_than_three_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In rare circumstances, mutual withdrawal can be used to remove more than two or three comments, but the involved editors <i>must</i> agree on the earliest comment to be removed, all subsequent comments must be removed, and all caveats in this essay must be observed.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-conduct_complaints-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-conduct_complaints_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">And any such complaints should be summarily dismissed.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-exceptions-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-exceptions_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">with certain <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:RPA" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:RPA">exceptions</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 ext-discussiontools-init-section"><h2 id="See_also" data-mw-thread-id="h-See_also"><span data-mw-comment-start="" id="h-See_also"></span>See also<span data-mw-comment-end="h-See_also"></span></h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Mutual_withdrawal&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines" title="Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines">Wikipedia:Talk page guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Apology" title="Wikipedia:Apology">Wikipedia:Apology</a></li></ul>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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