Re: [Wikimedia-l] Blocks which appear to demonstrate prejudice against minorities

-- https://telegram.me/wmlgbt - a safe calm space to discuss these events and others :-) faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae On Mon, 7 Jan 2019 at 12:14, Kalliope Tsouroupidou ktsouroupidou@wikimedia.org wrote: > > Hello from the Trust and Safety Team at the Wikimedia Foundation, > > First of all, we want to thank the community members alerting us of the > situation through several private notes on the matter that have reached us > over the past few days. Special thanks also go out to Pine and Risker for > their efforts in analysing the situation in this thread. > > The situation outlined here appears to be both complex with several years > of history and concerning, and is certainly one that Trust & Safety is > looking at in exploring appropriate actions on our side. As always, please > do keep in mind that we are not a team mandated for fast reaction (except > for situations involving threats of harm, which are handled under a > different protocol, as many of you probably know already). For that reason, > we are inclined to review this thoroughly and act correctly, rather than > quickly. Please understand that while our team is already working on > understanding the intricacies of the situation itself while supporting the > affected individual, we will not be able to publicly share information > about the progress or outcome of our review for privacy reasons. Meanwhile, > our review and any potential outcome deriving from it, should not prevent > the community from continuing to take actions as they see fit and in > accordance to project policies, of course. > > Also, bear in mind that we do not systematically monitor the Wikimedia > mailing lists, and may miss information shared about this on such moving > forward. If anyone feels they are in possession of pertinent information > that is worth considering in our review of this case, they are encouraged > to reach out to us directly at our established team inbox: ca@wikimedia.org. > > Once again, thank you all for being vigilant. > > Warm regards and best wishes for 2019, > > K. > > On Mon, Jan 7, 2019 at 1:04 PM Vi to vituzzu.wiki@gmail.com wrote: > > > The lobby of high voltage warning signs disagrees. > > > > Vito > > > > Il giorno lun 7 gen 2019 alle ore 11:37 Yaroslav Blanter <ymbalt@gmail.com > > > > > ha scritto: > > > > > Well, in 2019 people should already have come to the notion that blocking > > > locally an acting steward is not really a good idea. > > > > > > Cheers > > > Yaroslav > > > > > > On Mon, Jan 7, 2019 at 11:21 AM Vi to vituzzu.wiki@gmail.com wrote: > > > > > > > Because of a truly great idea > > > > < > > > > > > > > > https://am.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E1%88%8D%E1%8B%A9:Log/block&... > > > > > > > > > the involved user's admin/bureaucrat access was revoked > > > > < > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Log?type=rights&user=&page=C... > > > > > > > > > by Marco Aurelio. > > > > > > > > Vito > > > > > > > > Il giorno lun 7 gen 2019 alle ore 11:02 Amir Sarabadani < > > > > ladsgroup@gmail.com> > > > > ha scritto: > > > > > > > > > Given the response on the talk page [1] I think it's clear violation > > of > > > > > nondiscrimination policy [2] > > > > > > > > > > [1] "promotion of homosexuality will not be tolerated here nor will > > it > > > be > > > > > forced down our throats to suit anyone's international political > > agenda > > > > if > > > > > you expect Ethiopians to take part." > > > > > [2] > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Nondiscrimination > > > > > > > > > > Best > > > > > On Wed, Jan 2, 2019, 23:09 Risker risker.wp@gmail.com wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > I note that we are talking about the block of one single user on > > one > > > > > > single project; this particular account has thousands of edits over > > > > > about a > > > > > > dozen projects, but is "attached" to hundreds of Wikimedia > > projects. > > > > The > > > > > > majority of these "attached" accounts are likely because the editor > > > > > > "visited" the various projects while logged in, activating the > > > > automatic > > > > > > account creation algorithm. The account was created 8 years ago, > > and > > > > has > > > > > > actively edited a wide variety of projects, including several > > > > > wikipedias, > > > > > > Commons, Wikidata, and Meta. While English Wikipedia is the > > account's > > > > > > "home" wiki, about 55% of the account's global edits have been made > > > on > > > > > > Marathi Wikipedia. The Amharic Wikipedia account does not appear to > > > > have > > > > > > edited, which suggests that it was automatically created when the > > > > editor > > > > > > was "looking at" the project on 9 February 2018. The block for > > > > account > > > > > > name was made on 22 October 2018. I note that accounts were > > created > > > on > > > > > > over a hundred projects over the course of a few days in February > > > 2018. > > > > > > > > > > > > The point being raised in this thread is that it appears this > > editor > > > > was > > > > > > blocked on one of the 381 wikis on which they have an account, > > > > explicitly > > > > > > because of the perception that their username calls attention to > > the > > > > > sexual > > > > > > behaviour of the editor. What we do not know is (a) whether that is > > > in > > > > > fact > > > > > > a legitimate username block reason on Amharic Wikipedia, or (b) if > > it > > > > is > > > > > a > > > > > > legitimate username block reason, *why* it would be a username > > block > > > > > > reason. We don't know why this block was applied so long after the > > > > > account > > > > > > was created. We don't know the username policy on Amharic > > Wikipedia, > > > > nor > > > > > do > > > > > > we know how it is applied; for example, we don't know if a username > > > > like > > > > > > "StraightGuy101" would be blocked. We do know that there are only > > 4 > > > > > > administrators on Amharic Wikipedia, and that there are fewer than > > 50 > > > > > > active users working on the project, which may be part of the > > reason > > > > for > > > > > > the delay between automatic account creation and the account block. > > > > > > > > > > > > We also know that one of the challenges of single user login for > > all > > > > > > Wikimedia projects has highlighted the fact that certain usernames > > > that > > > > > are > > > > > > acceptable on some projects are blocked on other projects; we've > > > known > > > > > that > > > > > > for years. We know that each project establishes its own policies > > > when > > > > it > > > > > > comes to usernames. There are legitimate reasons why a username > > that > > > is > > > > > > acceptable in one language is not acceptable in another language, > > > even > > > > in > > > > > > cases where the editor had no knowledge that the chosen username > > > would > > > > > be a > > > > > > problem in another language. We do know that there have been lots > > of > > > > > cases > > > > > > where usernames have been blocked for "username policy violation" > > on > > > > all > > > > > > kinds of projects, despite the account operating productively on > > > other > > > > > > projects. > > > > > > > > > > > > I also note that there is nothing in this thread that confirms the > > > > editor > > > > > > themself has raised any concerns about this block, and I am always > > > wary > > > > > of > > > > > > turning an editor into a "martyr for a cause" without their direct > > > > > > agreement, as that can be as abusive as the original action. So the > > > > first > > > > > > step in this situation would be to confirm with the individual > > editor > > > > > > whether or not they want their "case" to be examined. > > > > > > > > > > > > Should the editor be agreeable, I suggest that the next step is for > > > > > someone > > > > > > who has the ability to converse in Amharic to contact the Amharic > > > > > Wikipedia > > > > > > and find out why the block has been issued, how it is consistent > > with > > > > the > > > > > > username policy on Amharic Wikipedia, whether that policy is driven > > > in > > > > > part > > > > > > by external considerations (e.g., does the project risk heavy > > > > > governmental > > > > > > scrutiny if it appears to "promote" locally unacceptable > > > activities). I > > > > > am > > > > > > personally curious as to why it took over six months to identify > > that > > > > > this > > > > > > account did not meet the local username policy, and whether there > > was > > > > > > internal or external discussion about the username. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is not clear to me what the desired outcome is in this case - at > > > > least > > > > > > in part because we have no idea of the opinion of the editor > > > > involved. I > > > > > > am hard-pressed to say that a project should be required to allow > > > > > usernames > > > > > > that it has a long history of considering unacceptable, especially > > if > > > > it > > > > > is > > > > > > applied evenly to all accounts; in this case, if it disallows > > > usernames > > > > > > that imply sexual preference regardless of what that preference is. > > > > > > > > > > > > It seems to me that the WMF Trust & Safety group would probably be > > > the > > > > > > right group to examine this. > > > > > > > > > > > > Risker/Anne > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, 2 Jan 2019 at 09:42, Ariel Glenn WMF ariel@wikimedia.org > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Additional notes: > > > > > > > The user's regular page can be viewed on en wikipedia: > > > > > > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:QueerEcofeminist > > > > > > > Queer may have to do with gender identity as opposed to being an > > > > > > indicator > > > > > > > of 'sexual behavior', so the blockers didn't even get that right. > > > > > > Example: > > > > > > > I am gender-nonconforming as to my gender identity and > > expression; > > > > this > > > > > > is > > > > > > > the primary reason I use the label 'queer'. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I believe this should be reported... somewhere. But I don't know > > > > where. > > > > > > The > > > > > > > WMF CoC only covers technical spaces. A little help here? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ariel > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 4:26 PM Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Do we have cross project policies to govern or limit local > > > policies > > > > > > > > for the use of sysop tools? I would like to pass on policy > > > advice, > > > > > and > > > > > > > > any past cases folks here would like to highlight that set a > > > > > > > > precedent. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The case below is illustrative, though based on my recall of > > > > several > > > > > > > > complaints which went nowhere over the years, on email lists, > > and > > > > > > > > Jimmy's talk page, about apparently arbitrary blocks on > > different > > > > > > > > non-English Wikipedias, it seems reasonable to believe those > > > > > > > > complaints are the tip of the iceberg, and there are likely to > > be > > > > > many > > > > > > > > historical cases of blocks that could have been appealed... had > > > the > > > > > > > > user been confident to complain in English, and have the energy > > > to > > > > > > > > pursue generic WMF policies on terms of use, or > > > > > > > > harassment/discrimination, to establish a meta-level case. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > # Example case > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > An account block on the Amharic Wikipedia (am.wp) was flagged > > up > > > > > > > > yesterday on the WM LGBT+ Telegram discussion group.[3] The > > > > rationale > > > > > > > > for blocking the account was because the account name includes > > > the > > > > > > > > word "Queer"[1]. The incident raises questions about process > > and > > > > > > > > accountability, particularly as the block gives the impression > > > that > > > > > > > > this is the norm or an agreed interpretation of policy for > > sysops > > > > on > > > > > > > > am.wp, and because the user is well established using this > > > account > > > > > > > > name across Wikimedia projects and has never edited am.wp so > > the > > > > > block > > > > > > > > cannot be based on any prior action or dispute. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > In this example there is no obvious process for appeal, if > > sysops > > > > on > > > > > > > > that project think that blocking any LGBT+ related account name > > > > > > > > represents local consensus. After off-wiki discussion, the WMF > > > > Trust > > > > > > > > and Safety team has been approached for advice,[2] as the > > > rationale > > > > > > > > for the action appears hostile to any openly LGBT+ volunteers > > who > > > > > > > > might want to include something queer looking in their account > > > name > > > > > > > > (such as my account name, should anyone want to read it as > > > > > transgender > > > > > > > > related). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > # Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 1. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > https://am.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%88%8D%E1%8B%A9:Contributions/QueerEcofemin... > > > > > > > > ; > > > > > > > > the block log states "Names calling attention to your sexual > > > > behavior > > > > > > > > have never been allowed here in 15 years and aren't suddenly > > > > allowed > > > > > > > > in 2018" > > > > > > > > 2. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Trust_and_Safety > > > > > > > > 3. https://telegram.me/wmlgbt > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks > > > > > > > > Fae > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_LGBT+ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > > > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org > > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > > Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe > > > > -- > Kalliope Tsouroupidou > Senior Trust & Safety Specialist > Wikimedia Foundation