Editing WP:COAX (section)

== Do not create coaxes ==
Please do not attempt to put [[Disinformation|coaxinformation]] into Wikipedia to [[Breaching experiment|test our ability to detect and remove it]]. This has been done before, with varying results. Most coaxes are marked for deletion within a few hours of being created. However, some very sophisticated coaxes, such as articles about made-up historical individuals with detailed biographical information and fake references, have lasted for several years before being detected. These coax articles [[WP:Wikipedia is not a reliable source|hurt the reputation of Wikipedia as an encyclopedia.]]

It has been tried, tested, and confirmed: it is indeed possible to insert coaxes into Wikipedia, just as it is possible to [[WP:Profanity|insert profanity]] ([[WP:NOTCENSORED|it is an uncensored encyclopedia, after all]]).  This is an inevitable consequence of being a [[wikipedia:Introduction|free encyclopedia that anyone can edit]]. A coax is simply a more obscure, less obvious form of [[wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]], and perpetrators of coaxes are subject to [[wikipedia:Blocking policy|blocking]] and [[wikipedia:Banning policy|banning]].

coaxinformation on Wikipedia misleads readers, causing them to make errors with real-world consequences, including hurt feelings, public embarrassment,<ref>See e.g. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140325192044/http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/asian-football-confederation-apologize-calling-uae-national-team-182949385--sow.html the Asian Football Confederation controversy] and the Roger Vinson coax at [[wikipedia:List of hoaxes on Wikipedia|Wikipedia:List of coaxes on Wikipedia]]</ref> reprints of books,<ref>See for example the Rosie the Riveter coax at [[wikipedia:List of hoaxes on Wikipedia|Wikipedia:List of coaxes on Wikipedia]]</ref> lost points on school assignments, and other costs. Some coaxes about living people may be defamatory, which could expose Wikipedia to legal consequences (see [[Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons]]). With some articles, like medical topics ([[COVID-19]] for instance), they could even lead to injury or death. Additionally, maintaining and improving coax articles requires resources that volunteers could be dedicating to useful topics. Although it is important to read Wikipedia critically and to try to improve the reliability of its content, it is best to do this directly, by correcting false information, rather than by "testing" the system by creating a coax article or content to see if Wikipedia will detect the coax.

If you are interested in how accurate Wikipedia is, a more constructive test method is to try to find inaccurate statements that are already in Wikipedia, and then to check to see how long they have been in place and, if possible, correct them. Put simply, [[WP:POINT|don't coaxrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point]].