[Foundation-l] New privacy policy

[Brad Patrick]

On 6/22/06, Jimmy Wales <jwales at wikia.com> wrote:
>
> Nathan Reed wrote:
> > "It is the policy of Wikimedia that personally identifiable data
> collected
> > in the server logs, or through records in the database via the CheckUser
> > feature, may be released by the system administrators or users with
> > CheckUser access, in the following situations:"
> >
> > Does this mean that personally identifiable information may be released
> by
> > users with CheckUser permissions? For example, is it permissible for me
> to
> > release the actual IP address of a vandal to the general public? I'm not
> > sure, but this may not be a good thing.
> >
> > I can understand using the information for IP blocks, but perhaps the
> > release of the information should not be so broad in these cases. Or,
> maybe
> > I'm tired, have failed to comprehend the policy completely, and have
> missed
> > something.. :D
>
> Notice that the privacy policy is what we tell the public that we *may*
> do.  We can and should, in practice, be as privacy conscious as we can
> be, and so checkusers who have any doubt about to whom they should
> release information, and when, and why, should check carefully with
> Angela, Anthere, me, brad, other checkusers, relevant arbcoms, etc.
>
> Even if our privacy policy leaves us room to do something if we need to
> do it, we may choose not to do it in most cases.
>
> --Jimbo
>
>
To second Jimbo, part of what is really important about this is the notion
of "flexible response" especially when dealing with sensitive issues, i.e.
law enforcement (it happens) and emergency situations.  We absolutely are
committed to a minimalist policy and will endeavor to release as little as
possible, whenever possible.  However, we are also ensuring that if a
situation arises that calls for us to do something, we can do so within the
parameters of our own policy.  I think it is a natural evolution and a good
policy.


-- 
Brad Patrick
General Counsel & Interim Executive Director
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
bradp.wmf at gmail.com
727-231-0101