[Wikipedia-l] Require confirmed email address to upload images?

[Erik Moeller]

On 6/28/06, Kat Walsh <mindspillage at gmail.com> wrote:
> One of the big problems with checking and tagging images is that we
> often cannot contact the uploaders -- they register an account, maybe
> only to upload, and then they never log in again, never check their
> talk page, didn't provide an email address, and you have no way to
> contact them.

I would support this measure for wikis which permit fair use (such as
en.wp), and oppose it for Commons. As [[en:Wikipedia:Fair use]]
explains, tracking down the sources of fair use uploads is good
practice -- it strengthens our own position, and makes it easier for
third parties to decide whether fair use applies to them. Having
e-mail addresses on file would help with that.

Given that there's currently not central user database, having to
confirm an e-mail address again for Commons strikes me as an
unnecessary barrier to entry, particularly since our practice is
generally to simply delete files without a clear source. On Commons,
I'd rather wish for special processes to educate new users about the
meaning of "free content" (see the discussion on commons-l about a
licensing tutorial as a mandatory sign-up step).

Erik