[Foundation-l] [Wiki-research-l] Motivations to Contribute to Wikipedia

[James Salsman]

Lane,

Thanks for your message:

> James: I made the edit stating the research should get approval,
> and I did that by jumping into the game and just making the edit
> based on what I read in discussion boards. I did not consider it
> to be a new requirement....

For the benefit of those who haven't clicked on the link, you edited
[[meta:Research:Subject recruitment]] to read, at the top:

"If you are doing research which involves contacting Wikimedia project
editors or users then you must first notify the Wikimedia Research
Committee by describing your project. After your project gets approval
then you may begin."

How could that not be seen as a requirement?  Do you think there is a
way to phrase it so that it would not be seen as a requirement?

Certainly this is not your fault.  As you read, Dario Taraborelli
stated on February 15, "this is a policy that we're enforcing ...
approval is required"
http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Research_talk%3AFAQ&diff=3441309&oldid=3440848

And after you made that edit, Dario thanked you for it, saying, "I
appreciate the documentation on the review procedure" -- even though
the Research Committee had explicitly rejected an approval policy
requirement in September 2010, has not discussed it since, and neither
the community or the Foundation has ever endorsed any of the earlier
policy proposals.

I would not be so upset about this if I hadn't been repeatedly accused
of misconduct in failing to obtain RCom approval.

Given the ease and lack of remorse with which Dr. Taraborelli, Mr.
Walling, and Mr. Beaudette have all repeatedly lied about me while
accusing me of misconduct, I have lost all confidence in the ability
of Foundation staff to adhere to basic ethics. I intend to continue to
raise this issue until it is addressed sufficiently.

Sincerely,
James Salsman