[Foundation-l] Genisis of WMF Identification policy?

[dex2000 at pc.dk]

> From: Pedro Sanchez <pdsanchez at gmail.com>
> To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
> <foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> >> Expanding the identification policy without a thorough grounding
> risks
> >> it turning into worse security theatre - a completely lost
> purpose.[1]
> >
> >
> > [1] http://lesswrong.com/lw/le/lost_purposes/ - a great blog
> recently
> > recommended by Sue.
> >
> >
> > - d.
> 
> You talking about the fast and loose approach to the gendergap survey
> interpretation? ;)

I appreciate your humorous comment, but still want to point out that we
should not treat identification and privacy issues too lightly. The risk
of getting sued by the Foundation seems not to be worth mentioning
compared to the fact that regimes and societies exist - or could show up
- where free information is not appreciated by some holder of power and
where certain contributions to our projects could cost you your job, your
freedom, or even your life in case you were identified.

Even consider that it is possible for secret services and overt
organizations to get their staff elected/appointed to our positions of
trust with access to said private data.

There are very legitimate and valid concerns regarding privacy and
responsible conduct for both the Foundation and the community, and I
always welcome a further inquiry into the needs, requirements, and
possible shortcomings of the idenfication and privacy issues and
processes.

Rgds,
Sir48 - Thyge
(da:user:Sir48 and presently a member of the ombudsman commision)