[WikiEN-l] "Suicide methods" article

[Slim Virgin]

On 4/16/07, Tim Starling <tstarling at wikimedia.org> wrote:
> Jeff Raymond wrote:
> > Newyorkbrad (Wikipedia) wrote:
> >
> >> I consider myself a rather conventional and non-rouge type of editor and
> >> administrator but it is requiring a supreme effort of willpower not to
> >> perform an immediate IAR speedy deletion of this article on the ground
> >> that
> >> it represents an imminent threat to human life and safety whose
> >> existence tends to place the project in disrepute.  I have no desire to
> >> create drama, but I am gravely troubled and would welcome comments from
> >> other Wikipedians.
> >
> > I hate to be a broken record, but not censored is not censored.  It's not
> > u pto us to make a distinction on what may end up being "dangerous."
> >
> > I mean, are you going to go after [[Self-immolation]]?  [[Erotic
> > aspyxiation]]?  Where do we draw the line?
>
> Draw the line where good judgement dictates that it should be drawn. Don't
> defend a policy on the basis that there exists no better policy that a
> robot could understand -- we are not robots. Wikipedia is not a platform
> for free speech, the lack of censorship does not mean we should publish
> everything that can possibly be published. We need to select our material
> based on more nuanced criteria.
>
I agree. Wikipedia is not a free-speech zone. It's a project to create
an encyclopedia, one that needs a sense of responsibility commensurate
with its popularity.

Sarah