Don't publish hearsay: it's bad news!
American Girl is an active business with constant new items. There are regular releases, re-releases, new items, new characters, new books, and/or new details. This means that leaks happen often, especially when people obtain items early or off online auctions from secondhand sources.
However, the American Girl Wiki has made it our policy to not allow any information on any topic from any non-legitimate sources. The only information we accept are from sources that can be verified. Verified sources include:
- American Girl itself, through its own outlets (e.g. American Girl posts a leak image of a new character on their Instagram account)
- Confirmed sales locations, such as images that can be verified as sold through stores (e.g a Costco bundle when it is on the shelf)
- Legitimate books sellers (e.g. A listing of a new book on Amazon.com along with publication dates)
- News outlets who have received press releases or early product (e.g. a display of Melody prior to release through CBS)
We don't allow rumors, leaks, hearsay, or third-party and unverified sources. Some examples of third party, unverifiable sources:
- A person purchases an unreleased piece of clothing that is factory second from China, and posts images of the outfit online.
- A fan page and/or social media account shows unreleased images of the packaging of an unverified product.
- Images appear of stock images through searches across the internet if AG has not released the images yet. Until AG themselves release the images, they are not verified. Even if they are direct stock images.
- A person says they have an "inside" leak from an American Girl employee or store clerk, citing which Truly Me dolls will be retired next.
- A search for registered trademarks online, which may reveal early names or trademarks applied to through American Girl. While there is a possibility of being legitimate, many companies make trademarks on items that may go nowhere.
So, for example, if the new Girl of the Year has leaked via images of the back of a package on a fan-run account? That's not legitimate. If American Girl does, however, on Facebook Live? That counts.
We as a wiki won't put up anything about anything--not even a starter article--until we have something more official than hearsay. This is not only to protect us as a fan site, but to protect you from unfounded rumor and misinformation.
Just be patient. Better to wait and be right than jump and have to retract. We don't care about being first. We care about being right.
And if you post leaks, we'll ban you for six months. Because we're not playing. That should give us enough time to get real news instead of something off a teen-run Instagram account, and you to learn your lesson.
--Nethilia, admin