How we document memes
Memefile is a small, independent archive and creation tool. A useful entry explains the joke, shows how the format works, and makes its historical claims traceable. A viral repost is evidence of circulation; it is not automatically the original.
What a complete entry should answer
- What does the meme mean, and what changes between versions?
- What is the earliest example we can document, and what remains uncertain?
- How did the format spread beyond that example?
- How can a reader recognize or adapt it, with an original explanatory example?
We prefer original uploads, creator statements, interviews, archived posts, and contemporary reporting. A meme database is a useful starting point. It should not be the sole basis for a claim of first creation when the underlying evidence is unavailable. We distinguish an earliest documented example from a claim to have found the very first use.
The archive's current limits
The existing collection is undergoing a source and media-credit review. Many entries currently rely on a single secondary source. A list of references is not a verification badge. Short entries under review remain readable, but are excluded from search indexing. Page notices identify those limitations; they do not imply that every other page has completed a manual fact check.
Publication dates describe when an entry appeared on Memefile. An updated date should reflect a meaningful editorial change. A scheduled build or an updated popularity score is not a new discovery.
Community edits
Sign in through Discord to propose a section edit, attach supporting evidence, save entries, or follow changes. Use the page's Edit control for a concrete correction. New entries go through the submission form. Accounts do not publish directly to the public archive.
A reviewer checks relevance, sourcing, originality, personal information, and image permissions. Approval accepts the contribution for publication checks. If the page changed in the meantime, the change must be reconciled against the current version. Images stay private while awaiting review. An approval is not a guarantee of immediate publication.
Automation and AI
Automation maintains search indexes, image sizes, internal links, activity-based rankings, and release checks. It can collect research leads and prepare drafts. It must not invent citations, copy competitors' articles, fabricate popularity, or turn unverified claims into a published history. A quiet period should produce no artificial news.
AI-assisted prose requires the same source and originality review as a human submission. Our practical goal is less repetitive maintenance, while keeping responsibility for historical claims and publication decisions explicit.
Images and rights
An image's appearance in a meme does not establish permission to republish it. We are reviewing credits and the basis for displaying archive media. Downloadable templates and user uploads do not carry a blanket commercial-use license. Use your own work or material you have permission to adapt. Rights holders can use our copyright contact process to identify material and request review.
Advertising
The media review queue lists missing evidence. A recorded credit is separate from a rights decision. Before media can appear on an ad-eligible page, its record must identify a rights holder, a documented basis, the evidence location, the reviewer and date, and permission for the intended commercial use. This applies to article images, covers, templates, and recommendation thumbnails. Unreviewed video embeds also keep an article ineligible.
Ads are labeled and separated from article content. Editing controls, account pages, moderation queues, search results, and sensitive entries do not carry display ads. An article must have an explicit source and rights review before it becomes eligible. Network approval and consent configuration are separate requirements. Advertising never changes the acceptance criteria for a correction.
Corrections and accountability
Send the disputed sentence, a suggested replacement, and a source that supports it. The change log records published revisions. Our style guide explains formatting, and the source review queue helps contributors find useful work. For private concerns, use Contact.