On 13/08/07, K P kpbotany@gmail.com wrote:
So, we have users given immense power to violate the personal space of other users, and we have no control over their use and abuse of that power.
Indeed. Checkuser evolved from the en:wp arbcom nagging the devs on IP matches, eventually leading to Tim hacking together an interface for me to look up IPs without needing full database access and having to handcraft SQL. So I suggest you solve it at the technical level: how to stop people having to access the database for any reason. I look forward to your work.
And, you don't even have to personally abuse your own checkuser power, as shown by the recent e-mail where a user offered up his check user results to others who e-mailed him, so they wouldn't personally have to sully themselves by snooping--unbelievable.
What the whuh? Link?
So, are there privacy issues on Wikipedia? Damn straight, when huge powers to invade others' privacy are given without restraints.
Indeed, much as every man is a potential fabulous drag queen. That is, theoretically.
- d.