WikiQueer:Controlling search engine indexing

There are a variety of ways in which WikiQueer attempts to control search engine indexing, commonly termed "noindexing" on WikiQueer, as the default position is that pages are indexed. All of the methods rely on using the noindex HTML meta tag, which tells search engines not to index certain pages. Respecting the tag, especially in terms of removing already indexed content, is up to the individual search engine, and in theory the tag may be ignored entirely.

The control methods are:
 * 1) Controlling an entire namespace, via MediaWiki software settings
 * 2) Controlling classes of pages, via MediaWiki:Robots.txt (WikiQueer's Robots.txt file)
 * 3) Controlling individual pages by adding the  __NOINDEX__  magic word into them, either directly or using the NOINDEX template.
 * 4) Controlling pages by adding the  __NOINDEX__  magic word into standard templates used in certain situations.

Namespace control
On English WikiQueer the entire  namespace is automatically noindexed via a software setting.

At the same time,  __NOINDEX__  is disabled in article space and consequently has no effect there.

Robots.txt noindexing
MediaWiki:Robots.txt noindexes sensitive or potentially sensitive types of page, primarily in the WikiQueer namespace - for example deletion debates.

Individual pages
Individual pages can be noindexed by adding the  __NOINDEX__  magic word into that page, either directly or using the NOINDEX template. However,  __NOINDEX__  is disabled in article space and consequently has no effect there. Therefore [ this list] of articles containing NOINDEX should be empty (although it does little harm if it is not). Pages with the keyword are listed in Category:Noindexed pages.

Standard template noindexing
Some standard templates include the  __NOINDEX__  keyword, thereby noindexing pages to which the templates are applied. Such templates should be listed in Category:WikiQueer templates which apply NOINDEX.

Biographies of Living Persons talkpage noindexing
The templates BLP and BLP others include the NOINDEX parameter. The BLP template is added automatically by the WikiProject Biography talkpage template, if given the parameter ; see the documentation of that template for more details. Pages using these templates are automatically categorised in Category:Biography articles of living people.

Other templates
These templates include NOINDEX together with a relevant message: See also Category:WikiQueer templates which apply NOINDEX.
 * User sandbox, Userspace draft
 * Sockpuppet, Sockpuppeteer, IPsock, Banned user, Blocked user and others
 * Db-meta and hence the various speedy deletion templates built on it


 * Uw-userspacenoindex provides a user warning message for inappropriate use of userspace which required noindexing.

Individual pages
Individual pages can override namespace noindexing by adding the  __INDEX__  magic word into that page, either directly or using the INDEX template. Such pages appear in Category:Indexed pages. However, INDEX does not override noindexing via MediaWiki:Robots.txt.