Wikipedia:Criticism

This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.

Shortcuts WP:CRIT WP:NOCRIT

This page in a nutshell: Articles should include significant criticisms of the subject while avoiding undue weight and POV forking.

All encyclopedic content on Wikipedia must adhere to neutral point of view (NPOV). This means representing all significant views in reliable sources fairly, proportionately, and without editorial bias. If these include criticism of the article's subject, they should be incorporated into the article content in an appropriate and neutral way. Articles should present the prevailing viewpoints from reliable sources, whether positive or negative.

In most cases, editors should avoid devoting a section to criticisms or controversies, as this violates neutral point of view. These sections call undue attention to negative viewpoints by giving them their own header; are not balanced, because they exclude positive information about the topic; create the appearance of a controversy, even if there isn't one; and often devolve into "laundry lists" of complaints, without regard for their notability or validity.

Wikipedia's policy on biographies of living persons requires special care in presenting negative viewpoints about living persons.