[Foundation-l] Letter to the community on Controversial Content - Commons searches

[MZMcBride]

Andreas Kolbe wrote:
> If I search Commons for "electric toothbrushes", the second search result is
> an image of a woman masturbating with an electric toothbrush:
> 
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&search=electric+
> toothbrushes&fulltext=Search&redirs=1&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns9=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&
> ns106=1
> 
> 
> If I search Commons for "pearl necklace", the first search result is an image
> of a woman with sperm on her throat:
> 
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=pearl+n
> ecklace&fulltext=Search
> 
> 
> If I search Commons for "cucumber", the first page of search results shows a
> woman with a cucumber up her vagina:
> 
> http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special%3ASearch&search=cucumbe
> r&fulltext=Search
> 
> 
> Please accept that people who are looking for images of electric toothbrushes,
> cucumbers and pearl necklaces in Commons may be somewhat taken aback by this.
> Surely your vision of neutrality does not include that we have to force people
> interested in personal hygiene, vegetables and fashion to look at graphic sex
> images? There is theory and practice. Philosophically, I agree with you. But
> looking at the results of trying to find an image of a cucumber or pearl
> necklace in Commons is a pragmatic question. Users should be able to tailor
> their user experience to their needs.

Brainstorming for a workable solution, now ongoing:
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Controversial_content/Brainstorming>.

MZMcBride