Wikipedia:Unbundling administrators' powers

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WP:UNBUNDLE

There have been many discussions about "unbundling" the powers of Wikipedia administrators – into an either a range of "sub-administrator" user classes, or permitting them for all editors in good standing. Only a few of these discussions have achieved the consensus necessary to unbundle any of these abilities.

Successful proposals

Several such efforts – narrowly focused ones – have been successful, resulting in the following:

Non-admin closure of consensus discussions (covered with regard to XfDs at Wikipedia:Deletion process#Non-administrators closing discussions, and the Wikipedia:Non-admin closure essay; also widely applied to WP:Requests for comments and various other non-XfD discussions, including particular rules for the WP:Requested moves process)
Wikipedia:Rollback: passed January 2008
Wikipedia:Template editor: failed May 2012, passed Sept 2013
Wikipedia:File mover: passed Feb 2011
Wikipedia:Page mover: passed April 2016
Wikipedia:Account creator
Wikipedia:Event coordinator
Wikipedia:Autopatrolled: passed December 2021 (Note: this was not 'unbundling' in the traditional sense. Autopatrolled was already available as a discrete user-right, this proposal was around removing it from the sysop group.)

Failed proposals

Parts of this Wikipedia page (those related to section) need to be updated. Please help update this Wikipedia page to reflect recent events or newly available information.
Last update: Probably a majority of unbundling proposals after 2012.

Most such proposals fail, however. In particular, a generalized "unbundle everything" idea has been classified as a perennially unsuccessful proposal that should not be re-proposed. Here are some of the discussions that did not result in changes.

BD2412's proposal at Talk:Requests for adminship, September 2005
Wikipedia:Limited administrators, January 2006
Vandal fighters (at talk page and WT:RFA), August 2010
New Userrights Proposal at Village pump (proposals), October 2010
Unbundle the Block button at Talk:Requests for adminship, October 2010
Proposal by Jc37/1 at Talk:Village pump (technical), June 2012
Proposal by Jc37/2 at Talk:Village pump (technical), June 2012
Proposal by Jc37/3 at Village pump (technical), June 2012
Proposal by TomStar81 at RfA reform 2012, June 2012
Unbundling delete and undelete at Talk:Village pump (technical), June 2012
Un-bundling of the block tool at Village pump (policy), September 2012
New user right proposal at Village pump (proposals), October 2012
Unbundling the tools at Talk:Requests for adminship, October 2012
Moderators, January 2013
Vandal fighters again, January 2015
Moderators again, July 2016
User-right that allows non-admins to Semi-protect pages, July 2018
Unbundling blocks of IPs and new accounts at RfA reform 2024, Feb 2024

Pending proposals

Wikipedia talk:Requests for comment/Responder role

v t e Wikipedia accounts and governance
Unregistered (IP) users	Why create an account? Create an account Request an account IPs are human too IP addresses are not people IP hopper
Registered users	New account Logging in Reset passwords Username policy Changing username Usernames for administrator attention Unified login or SUL Alternate account
Account security	Password strength requirements User account security Personal security practices Two-factor authentication 2FA for AWB Committed identity On privacy, confidentiality and discretion Compromised accounts How to not get outed
Blocks, bans, sanctions, global actions	Blocking policy FAQ Admin's guide Tools Autoblock Appealing a block Guide to appealing blocks UTRS Unblock Ticket Request System Blocking IP addresses Range blocks IPv6 Open proxies Banning policy ArbCom appeals Sanctions Personal sanctions General sanctions Contentious topics and Log Essay Indef ≠ infinite Long-term abuse Standard offer Global actions
Related to accounts	Sockpuppetry Single-purpose account Sleeper account Vandalism-only account Wikibreak Enforcer Retiring Courtesy vanishing Clean start Quiet return
User groups and global user groups	Requests for permissions Admin instructions Admin guide Account creator PERM (Auto) confirmed PERM Autopatrolled PERM AutoWikiBrowser PERM Bot Request Edit filter helper Request Event coordinator PERM Extended confirmed PERM File mover PERM IP block exempt Request Mass message sender PERM New page reviewer PERM Page mover PERM Pending changes reviewer PERM Rollback PERM Template editor PERM Global rights policy Volunteer Response Team
Advanced user groups	Administrator RfA Bureaucrat RfB CheckUser and Oversight Request Edit filter manager Request Interface administrator Request Founder Importer Researcher
Committees and related	Arbitration Committee Bot approvals group Functionaries Clerks SPI clerks ArbCom clerks
Governance	Administration FAQ Formal organization Editorial oversight and control Quality control Wikimedia Foundation Board Founder's seat Meta-Wiki Proposals WikiProjects Elections Policies and guidelines Petitions Noticeboards Consensus Dispute resolution Reforms

Categories:

Successful proposals

Failed proposals

Pending proposals

See also