daniwo59(a)aol.com wrote:
Let's face it: BLPs pose a problem. I want to
suggest a few ideas that could
resolve some of the issues we face.
1. BLPs should be of sufficiently notable people that they appear in at
least one external encyclopedic source, preferably print. This would include
other encyclopedias, "Who's Who," or other biographical indices.
The problem with these sources is that they are slow to react.
2. In the event that the person attained fame because
of sudden
circumstances, they must be covered in at least three distinct newspapers that can be
cited.
This can lead to big city bias. A large city can very well have three
newspapers all of which will send a reporter. This is not the case with
a one newspaper town. Also city newspapers are likely to give greater
coverage to what happens in the city itself than to similar events in
the suburbs.
...
5. All BLP articles will contain information,
prominently displayed on the
Talk Page (or perhaps even on the article itself), of how the person or her
representatives might express formal reservations to the WMF about the content.
This will be in the form of a banner with a link to a special OTRS email
address created specifically for these types of problems.
6. All complainants will be encouraged to list their problems and suggest
means of correcting them.
Yes. I think that when the subject of an article differs about the
contents, he needs to have a place to publicly put his side of the story
without needing external sources. It would be perfectly clear that the
comments are from him. He should still be prevented from saying
anything that would disparage others. He would be able to say "I didn't
do it." He would not be able to say, "George did it." A lot of the
people who complain about their articles might not complain as much if
they could vent their side of the story in public.
These are just some ideas. Feel free to consider some
or all of them, as you
see fit. Yes, BLPs are a problem, but there are ways that they can be
handled effectively and to the satisfaction of everyone. The first step is to back
away from posturing and show a willingness to compromise. It will not solve
all the problems, but it will show our goodwill.
Sure.
Ec