On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 3:17 AM, Sue Gardner <sgardner(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
It seems obvious to me from the conversation on this thread that part of
the
reason the German Wikipedia seems better able to manage its BLPs (assuming
that is true - but it seems true) is because there is a smaller number of
them. Presumably a smaller number of BLPs = fewer to maintain and
problem-solve = a higher quality level overall. (And possibly also, OTRS
volunteers who are less stressed out, resulting in a higher level of
patience and kindness when complaints do get made.)
Assuming that's true, allowing BLP subjects to opt-out seems like it would
have a direct positive increase on the quality of remaining BLPs, in
addition to eliminating some BLPs entirely. Clearly, there would still be
a
notability threshold above which people would never be allowed to opt out -
there will always be articles about people such as Hillary Clinton and J.K.
Rowling and Penelope Cruz. But a decision to significantly raise that
threshold, as well as default to deletion upon request, seems like it would
have a positive effect on quality.
Can I ask: does anyone reading this thread 1) think raising the notability
threshold is a bad idea, 2) believe defaulting to deletion upon request is
a
bad idea, or 3) disagree with the notion that other Wikipedias should shift
closer to the German Wikipedia's generally-less-permissive policies and
practices, particularly WRT BLPs?
I think raising the notability threshold would certainly help, and would be
okay with allowing deletion upon request. I have by far experienced the
most problems with BLPs for those of lesser notability. Right now, BLPs on
those with lesser notability have more limited sources to build a proper
biography, and often the sources that do exist tend to emphasize controversy
about the person and thus the Wikipedia bio skews that way.
-Aude
_______________________________________________
foundation-l mailing list
foundation-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Unsubscribe:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
--
Aude