Template:Fringe theories
 | This article may present fringe theories, without giving appropriate weight to the mainstream view and explaining the responses to the fringe theories. (May 2025) |
 | Template usage notes
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When to use
Place this template on an article when you have identified a serious issue of balance and the lack of a neutral point of view that make a fringe theory appear to be the main scholarly point of view, despite it being rejected by the mainstream view or scientific consensus, and you wish to attract editors with different viewpoints on the mainstream or scientific view to the article. Please also explain on the article's talk page why you are adding this tag, identifying specific issues that are actionable within Wikipedia's content policies.
An unbalanced or non-neutral article is one that does not fairly represent the balance of perspectives of high-quality, reliable secondary sources. A balanced article presents mainstream views as being mainstream, and minority views as being minority views. The personal views of Wikipedia editors or the public are irrelevant.
When to remove
This template is not meant to be a permanent resident on any article. Remove this template whenever:
- There is consensus on the talkpage or the NPOV Noticeboard that the issue has been resolved
- It is not clear what the neutrality issue is, and no satisfactory explanation has been given
- In the absence of any discussion, or if the discussion has become dormant.
When not to use
This template is not for use on articles which discuss actual fringe theories appropriately, in line with what secondary sources say about them. For example, the template should not be placed on articles like Flat Earth, Perpetual motion, or Cold fusion.
How to use
Place {{Fringe theories|date=May 2025}} at the top of the disputed article, then explain your reasons on the article's talk page. To specify the section of the talk page, use {{Fringe theories|date=May 2025|talk=talk page section name}}. If the date is not included it will probably be added later by a WP:BOT.
This template will categorize tagged articles in Category:Articles needing more viewpoints or a dated subcategory thereof.
This template should only be used in the main (article) namespace. Do not place this template on talk pages, user pages, policies and guidelines, or other pages.
- This template is a self-reference.
- Please do not subst: this template.
Alternatives
If the dispute involves only a section of an article, use {{Fringe section}}.
If the dispute involves non-neutral presentation of viewpoints, but not actually fringe theories, use {{POV}} or {{POV section}}. See below for a list of other similar templates.
See Wikipedia:NPOV dispute for more info.
For issues relating to article balance due to insufficient coverage of the subject rather than editorial bias, use {{Cleanup weighted}}
{{Wikipedia:Resolving Disputes/Templates}}