"Newyorkbrad (Wikipedia)" wrote
Given the visibility of Wikipedia results on Google
and other searches, and
consistent with the overall intent of [[WP:BLP]] on En-Wiki (and what I hope
is its equivalent on other projects), we have a serious responsibility to
ensure that the overall effect of Wikipedia content is a responsible one.
This is problematic - I mean highlighting Google. They deliberately conceal details of
PageRank, preventing us using any technical tuning that isn't simply ad hoc. I
don't think it is helpful to make us responsible for how Google ranks our pages.
This includes eliminating the likelihood that the
first hit on the Google
search for a living person is not (for example) a deletion discussion on how
insignificant and non-notable that individual is, or a page discussing the
ban of that individual (who might be a minor, for example) who chose to edit
Wikipedia under his or her real name and made some mistakes in doing so and
was criticized or even banned as a result.
Admin blanking works for that.
There has been discussion from time to time about implementing a technical
modification such that only mainspace pages (or such other pages as the
community might consciously choose) would be visible to searches. In view
of the number of concerns raised about the current situation where
everything is searchable, it seems to me that the necessary changes should
be developed and implemented quickly.
Well, maybe we should discuss the downside first. Not having project pages on Google would
certainly impede my work. You know, some of us still develop articles, and so on.
The main argument in opposition to this change that I
have seen is that the
internal Wikipedia search capability is not as strong as the external search
engines, so that it is desirable that the ability to conduct a complete
external search be maintained. I know that I have sometimes found it useful
to be able to search all spaces within the site in, for example, looking for
precedent cases while drafting EnWiki arbitration decisions. It therefore
would probably be desirable to upgrade our internal search capability.
However, in view of the number of third parties affected by the current
practice, I do not believe that implementation of the non-search capability
should await this development.
Ah, but I do. Isn't it a better solution to blank some AfDs, than to say "the
mission has to come second"? After all, really negative material should be off the
site, not just harder to find.
Charles
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