Can You Request a Wikipedia Page for Yourself? (What Wikipedia Really Allows)

One of the most common questions people ask is: “Can I request a Wikipedia page for myself?”

The short answer is yes — but the long answer is yes, with strict limitations. And misunderstanding those limitations is one of the main reasons Wikipedia pages get rejected or deleted.

Wikipedia is not a self-promotion platform. It is a public encyclopedia governed by community rules, neutrality, and verifiability. This article explains what you are allowed to do, what you should avoid, and the safest way to approach Wikipedia without risking rejection.

1. Yes, You Can Request a Wikipedia Page — But Not the Way Most People Think

Wikipedia does allow individuals to request the creation of a page about themselves.

However, it strongly discourages people from writing or publishing their own biography directly.

Why? Because of something called Conflict of Interest (COI).

If you are the subject of the article, Wikipedia assumes you cannot be fully neutral. Editors are trained to look for promotional tone, selective achievements, and biased language—even when unintentional.

So while requesting is allowed, direct self-publishing is risky.

2. Understanding Conflict of Interest (COI)

A conflict of interest exists when:

• you write about yourself

• you write about your company

• you write about your employer

• you write about a client

• you are paid to promote the subject

Wikipedia does not ban COI editors outright, but it scrutinizes their contributions heavily.

Pages written by the subject themselves are far more likely to be:

• declined during review

• tagged for neutrality issues

• nominated for deletion

• reverted by editors

• 
  

This is why many self-written pages disappear within days.

3. The Correct Way to Request a Wikipedia Page for Yourself

If you believe you qualify, the safest route is to use Wikipedia’s Articles for Creation (AfC) process.

Here’s how it works in principle:

• You submit a draft instead of publishing live

• Independent editors review it

• Editors decide whether it meets notability and sourcing rules

  
  

This process exists specifically to reduce low-quality or promotional articles.

However, even through AfC, notability still matters more than effort.

4. Notability Comes Before Permission

Before asking how to request a page, you must ask whether you qualify.

Wikipedia editors evaluate notability based on:

• significant coverage

• reliable sources

• independence

• depth

  
  

You generally need:

• multiple in-depth articles

• from reputable publications

• written independently

• spread over time

  
  

What does not count:

• press releases

• sponsored articles

• personal websites

• social media

• company blogs

  
  

If this coverage doesn’t exist, requesting a page—no matter how carefully—will likely fail.

5. Why Self-Written Pages Get Rejected So Often

Even notable people get rejected when they write their own pages. Common reasons include:

A. Promotional Language

Words like “leading,” “renowned,” or “highly respected” raise immediate red flags.

B. Selective Achievements

Self-written pages often highlight positives and omit criticism or context, which violates neutrality.

C. Weak or Paid Sources

Editors quickly identify PR-driven content and press-release rewrites.

D. Improper Structure

Wikipedia articles must follow encyclopedic formatting, not resume or biography style.

6. What Wikipedia Recommends Instead

Wikipedia itself recommends that subjects:

• disclose conflicts of interest

• avoid publishing directly

• suggest edits on talk pages

• let neutral editors handle writing

  
  

In practice, this means:

• gathering strong sources

• ensuring neutral tone

• allowing independent review

  
  

The goal is transparency and objectivity—not speed.

7. Can You Hire Someone to Create the Page for You?

Yes, but with caution.

Paid editing is allowed only if it is transparent and policy-compliant. The editor must:

• disclose paid involvement

• follow neutrality rules

• use only independent sources

• avoid promotional language

Unethical practices—such as undisclosed paid editing or fake sources—often lead to permanent deletion.

8. When You Should Not Request a Wikipedia Page Yet

You should wait if:

• your media coverage is very recent

• most articles are sponsored

• you only have press releases

• coverage lacks depth

• your career is still emerging

  
  

In these cases, the smarter move is to build notability first, then request later.

Conclusion: You Can Request — But You Can’t Control

So, can you request a Wikipedia page for yourself?\

Yes. But you cannot control:

• what gets included

• how it’s written

• whether it’s approved

• how editors interpret sources

• 
  

Wikipedia rewards evidence, neutrality, and patience. Trying to shortcut the process usually backfires.

The safest approach is:

✔ confirm notability

✔ gather strong independent sources

✔ avoid promotional tone

✔ follow Wikipedia’s review process

✔ let neutrality guide everything