Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2005-10-24/Checkuser controversy
Checkuser proposal causes controversy
A controversial proposal to allow users to apply for Checkuser abilities, similar to adminship, was implemented last week, then quickly removed.
After a straw poll on whether to start a new "Requests for Checkuser" process ended with just over 80% of voters in favor of the proposal, Fvw and Andrevan applied for Checkuser rights. After a series of support votes for both users, many started to weigh in on the legal and moral ramifications of allowing such users to view other users' IP addresses. Some reiterated they only supported the initial proposal assuming further policy was going to be created before implementation. Others questioned the timing of the requests, just hours after the 7-day poll lapsed.
Seeing these worries, Raul654 removed both requests within a few hours of their posting, requesting that users take it to the talk page. Raul654 said, "Checkuser access is governed by the foundation privacy policy, the application of which has still not been decided. It is inappropriate to be holding votes on it (checkuser access) before Jimbo and/or the board have made any decisions regarding access." He also noted that Anthere was working on a proposal to allow Arbitration Committee members on different wikis to appoint one or more of their group as a designated party to use the checkuser rights. On the mailing list, Kelly Martin said "The notion that consensus *alone* can determine who is entitled to checkuser rights is laughable."
Discuss this story
CheckUser is a vexed issue at the moment. We want more people to have it, but the Foundation board have the willies about the privacy policy. We are now at the stage of dredging our way through non-profit organisation politics. (I don't quite have words to express just how much fun this is.)
Those wondering what on earth CheckUser actually does should look at m:Help:CheckUser - David Gerard 21:07, 29 October 2005 (UTC)[reply]