[WikiEN-l] Coordination on Secret/private lists

[Risker]

On Dec 8, 2007 9:15 AM, Jimmy Wales <jwales at wikia.com> wrote:

> I am glad to see Alec laying his cards on the table here.
>
> Alec Conroy wrote:
> > On 12/5/07, jayjg <jayjg99 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> <snip>
>


>
> > "We just wanted a private place to share our feelings" isn't going to
> > assauge the community's fear that the list was used to coordinate
> > something, somewhere, somehow.
>
> I think it makes sense to the community that some people have been badly
> hurt, to the point that the police have had to be called.  That may mean
> nothing to you, but you do not speak for the entire community here.
>
> --Jimbo
>


>  Jimmy, I hope you can see that this was quite possibly the least
> effective and most Orwellian way to try to address harassment and stalking
> on Wikipedia.  I think everyone can concede that this aberrant behaviour
> exists to some degree; however, right now it is managed on an ad hoc basis
> by people whose definition of "stalking" can include things as simple as
> unwanted messages on their talk pages.
>

In spite of some remaining uncertainty on my part, I will give the benefit
of the doubt to those involved in the cyberstalking mailing list that its
intentions were to provide support and brainstorm ideas about how to address
harassment and real-life stalking that originates from Wikipedia
interactions.  So - instead of identifying and discussing a Wikipedia
problem *on* Wikipedia, it was sequestered off the project. There was not
even an indication that such a forum of discussion existed.  Meanwhile,
actual victims of stalking and harassment would have had no idea where to
turn, other than perhaps to show up at ANI and hope that someone who was
around would have the knowledge and ability to assist them in dealing with
potentially very serious issues. The mailing list was not of use to them;
first they would have had to find out about it, then request an invitation,
then be approved...and only then would their case have been discussed.  The
decision to involve police in such incidents needs to be made very promptly,
it cannot wait until perhaps a few days later when the list owner happens to
get around to it.

Jimbo, serious harassment and stalking has been an issue since before I
started here three years ago.  It is part of the reason why my Wikipedia
username and email are sequestered from all the rest of my online and
real-life activity. It's time to take this seriously, and for the
development of an on-wiki, skilled and knowledgeable group of admins who are
willing to operate using their real names (for the purpose of police
interaction) to genuinely provide assistance to users on this very serious
subject.  Consider this the Wikipedia equivalent of spousal abuse - the most
effective action is to bring it out into the light and address it head on.

Risker

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