Wikipedia:Arbitration Committee Elections December 2018/Candidates/DGG/Statement

DGG


I've been at Wikipedia for the last eleven years as editor and administrator. Over those years I've worked with new articles and drafts, trying to keep improvable ones from being deleted--and removing the others, while trying to give realistic advice to new editors and dealing with questions about reliable sources.

I've been a member of Arb Com for the last four years My most  accomplishment was helping persuade the committee to accept their part of the responsibility for dealing with  violations of the terms of use,  particularly about undeclared paid editors; when I suggested this at the beginning of my first term, no one else supported it; by now, almost all the committee does, and procedures are about to be announced. I have helped influence our being a little more willing to judge by the merits rather than the technicalities of procedures -- both in appeals and in decisions; towards our taking a slightly more serious attitude towards gross impoliteness, towards devising more effective remedies;  and even perhaps making some progress towards rationalizing arbitration enforcement. It seems reasonable to want to follow these up. I try to be a voice for editors interested in the quality of the encyclopedia; their efforts can sometimes be lost in the bureaucracy--in this respect I may be a little different than some of the other returning candidates.

My real name and my background are on my user page; I am identified to the foundation, I've signed the necessary agreements. and alternate accounts have been previously disclosed.