[Foundation-l] Changes to the identification policies and procedures

[Steven Walling]

Risker,

I'm not arguing here about the merits of the change itself. All I said is
that demanding answers about a very sensitive discussion on a private
mailing list is inappropriate right now, and that there's no reason to
panic, since the standard operating procedure is to make a public
announcement about something when a project is ready.

Demanding answers on Foundation-l is a lot different than the news about an
upcoming change trickling out into the community prior to an official
announcement. The latter does no harm. The former can derail a productive
discussion about a delicate issue before it's ready for public comment.

On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 7:39 PM, Risker <risker.wp at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 3 February 2011 22:27, Steven Walling <steven.walling at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The discussion has only been going on at the OTRS list sine February 1st.
> I
> > know a public announcement is coming because it's standard operating
> > procedure at the Foundation. Please be patient.
> >
> >
> Steven, I recognize you're in a difficult spot here, and so are some other
> staff members who I know are genuinely working in good faith here. However,
> thinking that one could send out an instruction like that to hundreds of
> volunteers throughout all of these different projects, and not having it
> surface, is just a little bit naive.
>
> Further, there are some serious concerns being expressed in various places,
> which go all the way down to whether or not the resolution on which the
> instruction is based actually has the effect that is intended.  Simply put,
> identifying to the WMF does not, in law, make a person accountable, if it
> cannot be proven that they know what they're accountable for, or to whom
> they are accountable. Unverified identification provides even less
> protection.  Methods of securing the data have not been addressed fully
> addressed, nor has the issue of whether this applies to *every*
> identification made to the WMF as of now, or if it applies only to OTRS
> agents identifying.  We have a pile of people about to run in the steward
> elections, will it affect them?
>
> I support the notion of individuals with advanced permissions and access to
> nonpublic information being accountable to the WMF for the use of this
> information. But sending in an unverified document isn't going to do that,
> and it never was.
>
> Risker/Anne
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