[WikiEN-l] drama and incivility

[Monahon, Peter B.]

>> Earlier post: 
>> ... Power corrupts.
>> Absolute power (to ban) corrupts absolutely ...

> Earlier response:
> ... We're talking about moderating a mailing list here. Let's cut the
hyperbole ...


Peter Blaise responds:

	Actually, I'm talking about wiki or list admin powers to ban.  

	Wikipedia is becoming significantly influential. 

	The admin banning power draws people who would use that power
for non-wiki, non-list purposes: governments, business, religions,
politics, lobbyists, and others, have a reason to sneak their agents
into a position of trust as an admin so they can start to control
information and influence.  They're not stupid, and they're not going to
do it blatantly, nor tell you what they are doing.

	Wikiscanner allows us some overview of *contributors*:

	http://mashable.com/2007/08/14/wikiscanner/

	http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/

	Who's watching the *admins*?

	By removing their power to ban, we remove ulterior reasons for
becoming an admin.

	Hyperbole?  Look, this is not "just" another of a thousand "I
like Chevy/Elvis/et-cetera"-style chat groups; this is the word-wide
influential Wikipedia and it's support wikis and mailing lists.  There's
incredible power of greed marketing at stake for people who see
Wikipedia as a way to get their own agenda served surreptitiously.  They
want to be admins because admins have power.  So, I propose that the
power for an admin to ban at any level be removed, and alternative
measures be brought to bear on spammers, vandals, and especially not
banning people who just differ in their contribution styles from one or
more admins or other contributors.

-- Peter Blaise