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Maniphest T421315

Update the default wording shown at the top of all new WM-etherpads to explain the auto-deletion
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Description

The default text included at the top of every new WM-etherpad should be updated to explain the new auto-deletion process.

Current default wording:

Welcome to the WMF Etherpad installation. Please do NOT use this Etherpad for personal use. Your Etherpad may get deleted at any time without warning if its content is not related to Wikimedia.
Please keep in mind all current as well as past content in any pad is public. Removing content from a pad does not mean it is deleted. Keep in mind as well that there is no guarantee that a pad's contents will always be available. A pad may be corrupted, deleted or similar. Please keep a copy of important data somewhere else as well.

Note that Wikimedia Code of Conduct (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Code_of_Conduct) applies in this Etherpad instance as well

Proposed new default wording (amend as needed):

Welcome to the WMF Etherpad installation. Please do NOT use this Etherpad for personal use.
All Etherpads are automatically-deleted 90 days after creation.
Any contents that you want to permanently keep should always be copied to a more permanent location, such as on-wiki.

Your Etherpad may get deleted at any time without warning if its content is not related to Wikimedia.
Please keep in mind all current as well as past content in any pad is public. Removing content from a pad does not mean it is deleted. Keep in mind as well that there is no guarantee that a pad's contents will always be available. A pad may be corrupted, deleted or similar. Please keep a copy of important data somewhere else as well.

Note that Wikimedia Code of Conduct (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Code_of_Conduct) applies in this Etherpad instance as well

Details

Due Date
Mon, Jun 1, 4:00 AM
Related Changes in Gerrit:
SubjectRepoBranchLines +/-
etherpad: add 90 day deletion warning to default pad messageoperations/puppetproduction+1 -1
Customize query in gerrit

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Event Timeline

Quiddity created this task.Mar 25 2026, 9:49 PM
Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald TranscriptMar 25 2026, 9:49 PM
Pppery subscribed.Mar 26 2026, 1:29 AM

Cross-ref T420793 which added a warning about the upcoming April 30 deletion of the entire instance.

And I would delete this sentence, which is now redundant: "Keep in mind as well that there is no guarantee that a pad's contents will always be available. A pad may be corrupted, deleted or similar. Please keep a copy of important data somewhere else as well."

Ladsgroup added a project: collaboration-services.Mar 30 2026, 11:53 AM
ABran-WMF added parent tasks: T420793: Warn Etherpad users of upcoming purge, T415237: etherpad table size is 233GB / plan to delete all etherpads in May 2026.Mar 30 2026, 12:29 PM
Johannnes89 subscribed.Mar 30 2026, 1:13 PM
Marostegui subscribed.Mar 31 2026, 10:11 AM
Pppery changed the task status from Open to Stalled.Fri, Apr 17, 8:24 PM
Pppery set Due Date to Mon, Jun 1, 4:00 AM.
Dzahn added subscribers: LSobanski, Dzahn.Fri, Apr 17, 8:36 PM

@LSobanski Is "All Etherpads are automatically-deleted 90 days after creation." (still) accurate? I changed the phrasing to "may" be automatically deleted after 90 days.

@Quiddity The message includes "The Wikimedia Etherpad instance will be reset at the end of May 2026 per https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415237." by now. I am still adding your suggested change.

@Pppery Done and deleted the "Please keep a copy of important data somewhere else as well." after adding the " Any contents that you want to permanently keep should always be copied to a more permanent location, such as on-wiki.".

gerritbot added a comment.Fri, Apr 17, 8:37 PM

Change #1273991 had a related patch set uploaded (by Dzahn; author: Dzahn):

[operations/puppet@production] etherpad: add 90 day deletion warning to default pad message

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1273991

gerritbot added a project: Patch-For-Review.Fri, Apr 17, 8:38 PM

Change #1273991 merged by Dzahn:

[operations/puppet@production] etherpad: add 90 day deletion warning to default pad message

https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1273991

Dzahn closed this task as Resolved.Fri, Apr 17, 8:41 PM
Dzahn claimed this task.

https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/5n9aWS76oEshjyB5j7Pq

Maintenance_bot removed a project: Patch-For-Review.Fri, Apr 17, 9:31 PM
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