[WikiEN-l] Opt Out for Not So Notable Biographies

[Jeff Raymond]

Slim Virgin wrote:

> You seem to be saying we should have a biography on every single
> person who has ever been in the news.

I wouldn't argue against it, no.

> Well, another way of looking at it is that it's because we're worse
> than everyone else, and that we don't listen to our subjects'
> reasonable requests.

It's unreasonable to expect someone to remove a legitimate biography on 
a notable figure.

> There's a perception that we're not reliable, and that we don't take
> sufficient editorial responsibility for the material produced by our
> thousands of anonymous editors. If we were to announce that we
> recognize biographical material on living persons is an area where the
> open-editing model can be inappropriate, and that therefore we're
> going to allow certain types of subjects to opt out, we'd be seen as
> responsible and self-regulating.

No we wouldn't.  Internally, we'd be cowardly and stupid.  Externally, 
no one would give a shit - it does nothing to solve the problems ("Okay, 
so some people can have their biographies removed.  Too bad the articles 
are still inaccurate.")

> It's the goodwill of the public that's financing us.

Yup.  And that doesn't seem to be changing, and it doesn't look like we 
need a misguided policy to increase it further.

-Jeff

-- 
Name: Jeff Raymond
E-mail: jeff.raymond at internationalhouseofbacon.com
WWW: http://www.internationalhouseofbacon.com
IM: badlydrawnjeff
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