Policy talk:Universal Code of Conduct

This page is for discussions related to the page.

Please remember to:

Sign posts using the four tildes (~~~~)
Remain civil and polite during discussions.
Place new comments below in existing sections or start a new section.

Discussion navigation:

Main Universal Code of Conduct discussion page: Policy talk:Universal Code of Conduct
For a list of all discussions: Universal Code of Conduct/Discussions

Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Template:Autoarchive resolved section

Archives of this page

2019
2020
2021

Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 1

Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 1, June 2021Read the full newsletter

Welcome to the first issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code, and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.

Please note, this is the first issue of UCoC Newsletter which is delivered to all subscribers and projects as an announcement of the initiative. If you want the future issues delivered to your talk page, village pumps, or any specific pages you find appropriate, you need to subscribe here.

You can help us by translating the newsletter issues in your languages to spread the news and create awareness of the new conduct to keep our beloved community safe for all of us. Please add your name here if you want to be informed of the draft issue to translate beforehand. Your participation is valued and appreciated.

Affiliate consultations – Wikimedia affiliates of all sizes and types were invited to participate in the UCoC affiliate consultation throughout March and April 2021. (continue reading)
2021 key consultations – The Wikimedia Foundation held enforcement key questions consultations in April and May 2021 to request input about UCoC enforcement from the broader Wikimedia community. (continue reading)
Roundtable discussions – The UCoC facilitation team hosted two 90-minute-long public roundtable discussions in May 2021 to discuss UCoC key enforcement questions. More conversations are scheduled. (continue reading)
Phase 2 drafting committee – The drafting committee for the phase 2 of the UCoC started their work on 12 May 2021. Read more about their work. (continue reading)
Diff blogs – The UCoC facilitators wrote several blog posts based on interesting findings and insights from each community during local project consultation that took place in the 1st quarter of 2021. (continue reading)

Wording of UCoC on doxing

The current wording surrounding doxing in section 3.1 (Harassment) runs as follows: Disclosure of personal data (Doxing): sharing other contributors' private information, such as name, place of employment, physical or email address without their explicit consent either on the Wikimedia projects or elsewhere, or sharing information concerning their Wikimedia activity outside the projects. As worded, this prohibits users from revealing private information - but it assumes that the person doing it knows that information, and is revealing what they know to be true. Has consideration been given to whether this should explicitly extend to making assertions about someone's private information, whether accurate or not? Could/should it be rephrased to make it clear that insinuating stuff about someone's private information, or speculating about someone's real life identity, is also prohibited? I'm sure the intent is not to require a user to confirm that any doxing is accurate before action can be taken about it, but I'm a bit concerned that that might be how some people interpret it. (See this thread on Commons for some of the background to my concerns.) Girth Summit _(blether) 12:29, 20 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]

If a Wikimedian is harrassed or libelled and the procedures in place in Wikimedia fail to adequately address the matter, the agrieved person might well see fit to take the matter to court. In order for him to do so, he has to disclose the other party's to the court. I suggest therefore that the wording be modified to recognise that Wikipedians must operate under the law. Martinvl (talk) 21:58, 2 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

KISS --> 2 – Expected behaviour

I have the impression the good old KISS got lost.

"Every Wikimedian, whether they are a new or experienced editor, a community functionary, an affiliate or Wikimedia Foundation board member or employee, is responsible for their own behaviour." - really? You don't say ... if you don't mention it what does it really change?

"In all Wikimedia projects, ..." - yeah. Its said already under "1 – Introduction". - why again? Just to make really really sure? It makes the text longer without added value

"...This applies to all contributors and participants..." - again. See "1 – Introduction"

"without expectations based on age, mental or physical disabilities," - yeah. So all which is covered under "1 – Introduction" - skip it so its not changing. all means all

Thats just what I found under 2 – Expected behaviour on a quick view and I'm pretty sure there is more if one goes to the other points. ...Sicherlich ^Post 19:42, 14 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Too many "Universal Code of Conduct" headings

Can we remove the h1 heading and let the blue-boxed heading do its job? I really don't get what the heading is for: we don't need a heading, and we don't need the link either because it's in the ombox. --125.59.232.45 06:44, 19 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 4

Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 4, October 2021Read the full newsletter

Welcome to the fourth issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.

If you haven’t already, please remember to subscribe here if you would like to be notified about future editions of the newsletter, and also leave your username here if you’d like to be contacted to help with translations in the future.

Enforcement Draft Guidelines Review Wrap-up - The Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement Draft Guidelines Review will come to a close on 17 October 2021, after more than two months of extensive consultations. (continue reading)
Roundtable Discussions and Conversation Hours - Another successful roundtable session happened on September 18, 2021 to discuss the EDGR. One last conversation hour will be happening on October 15th, 2021. (continue reading)
Movement Charter Drafting Committee Elections - The Movement Charter Drafting Committee selection process has kicked off and will be open until October 25, 2021. Contributors to Wikimedia projects can elect their favorite candidates on to the committee. (continue reading)
New Direction for the Newsletter - As we round-up the consultation processes for the Universal Code of Conduct, the facilitation team is currently envisioning new directions for the newsletter. (continue reading)
Diff Blogs - Check out the most recent publications about the UCoC on Wikimedia Diff. (continue reading)

MNadzikiewicz (WMF) (talk) 20:27, 14 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Harassment

The following is said to be unacceptable harassment:

Disclosure of personal data (Doxing): sharing other contributors' private information, such as name, place of employment, physical or email address without their explicit consent either on the Wikimedia projects or elsewhere, or sharing information concerning their Wikimedia activity outside the projects.

1. As written, this actually forbids any discussion of another contributor's Wikimedia activity outside the projects, regardless of whether any private information is revealed or not, unless they give their explicit permission. If you parse the sentence, you arrive at this: The following is said to be unacceptable harassment: [(1) ... or (2)] sharing information concerning [other contributors'] Wikimedia activity outside the projects. Could this be remedied?

2. As for "place of employment", how will this affect Wikimedians' ability to discuss cases like the following, either on Wikimedia projects or elsewhere? Is it the drafters' view that any of the editors involved in these cases were victims of harassment as a result of their activities being discussed on-wiki or elsewhere?

3. What about cases like the ones listed below? Is it the drafters' view that any of the editors involved ("David r from Meth Productions", "Wifione", "Qworty") were victims of harassment as a result of their activities being discussed on-wiki or elsewhere?

Thanks, --Andreas JN 466 18:26, 16 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Good points. I'm reminded of the problems that certain religions have got into for having rules against telling the Police about paedophiles. It would be good to have an exemption in the UCOC that allowed for reporting criminals to the Police. In a less extreme instance, I can see a problem with explaining CC-BY-SA to an end user who wants to know who to attribute a photo to if you are not allowed to say "that photograph was uploaded by User:Voldemort - please attribute the photo to them. WereSpielChequers (talk) 12:49, 25 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@WereSpielChequers: It would be good to have an exemption in the UCOC that allowed for reporting criminals to the Police. No. And judging from the Foundation's actions on zh.wp by banning editors/admins who threatened some editors who have a different POV that they would be reported to the Chinese national security police, I think there shouldn't be exemption clauses because it's a slippery slope and just a step shy of legal threats. OhanaUnited^{Talk page} 16:13, 25 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Ohana, I agree that we don't want people reporting other editors to the Police in dictatorships, nor do I want us protecting paedophiles. I don't see that as a slippery slope, but I agree that it is complex. WereSpielChequers (talk) 16:43, 25 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It's complex and I argue that it's slippery slope because political situations can change and even democratic countries can elect quasi-dictator (see Hong Kong prior to 2020 and Trump from 2017 to 2021). Certainly US is not a dictatorship country while Trump was the president. But if an US editor threatens to report another editor's immigration status to ICE, where do you draw the line? OhanaUnited^{Talk page} 23:10, 3 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@WereSpielChequers: I have asked about these cases on the Wikimedia-l mailing list: [1] --Andreas JN 466 16:51, 26 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Is deletionism exempt?

Re: "The repeated arbitrary or unmotivated removal of any content without appropriate discussion or providing explanation" I think this reads that if your motive is deletionism you don't need to provide an explanation. I hope that wasn't what was intended. I'm not 100% sure that this was meant to be taken literally. But the word unmotivated could cause some issues here. WereSpielChequers (talk) 12:49, 25 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]