Wikipedia talk:Wikipedia Signpost/2011-12-12/News and notes


 * "as participants were not aware that they were sharing their usernames, edit counts, and user privileges with the study team." Wait...what? O_o I don't remember the survey saying that anywhere. Now I feel uncomfortable about having took it. I assumed it was going to be anonymous, as that would be the point of such a survey in the first place. That's also why I had the money be donated to the Red Cross, so that there wouldn't be any break in the anonymity with an actual Paypal account being required. Silver  seren C 18:29, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
 * The information gathered needs to be thrown out and the people who wrote the survey interface need to have their asses dragged before the human testing board and have some basic concepts explained to them. I am fully aware that all of those things are publicly accessible, however if personal information is going to be connected with responses, it damn well better fucking say that. As for the WMF not insuring that something that they were endorsing on Wikipedia had adequate protection for Wikipedia users, well it's not like I had any confidence in them before this, but now I have one more egregious error to put on the list.  S ven M anguard   Wha?  19:52, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Huh, I wouldn't go as far as to scorn the researchers, but I agree that not being explicit about sharing usernames AND the responses is, in my view, a privacy violation. I would not mind if the researchers were allowed to link each questionnaire with some basic statistical data (edit count, Wikipedia privileges, etc.), but linking it to username definitely goes too far. This makes this research non-anonymous to wide extent, basically (for more experienced editors). Pundit | utter  00:24, 16 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Is it possible to take this survey? It sounds interesting. BTW, ads like this on our wiki are outrageous Bulwersator (talk) 18:34, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
 * It's not altogether clear that calling this an "ad" is reasonable, although I do share the concerns voiced by others, I think it better to call this "a mistake" (or several mistakes) rather than "outrageous". Rich Farmbrough, 21:22, 13 December 2011 (UTC).


 * I'm an admin; but until I read this report, I was unaware that there was any such thing as "CentralNotice", much less a "CentralNotice/Calendar". I still am unclear as to what they are and what their purpose might be (though I will look into it). What deluded anybody into thinking that posting a demolition notice on Alpha Centauri would constitute sufficient warning to the residents of Earth that we were about to be demolished to build a galactic bypass? -- Orange Mike &#x007C;  Talk  19:40, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
 * "Oh, for heaven’s sake, mankind, it’s only four light years away, you know. I’m sorry, but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in local affairs, that’s your own lookout." Protonk (talk) 23:03, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
 * "Energize the demolition beam. I don't know, apathetic bloody planet, I've no sympathy at all." SD (talk contribs) 00:32, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Dunno about those of you with the issues of sharing Usernames, edit counts and privileges details, but considering I was getting paid for it, I don't give a rats. As long as they didn't get my real name, address, phone number or my SSN/NiNo, I don't care :) I'm not turning my nose up at someone giving me free money for filling out some forms, blow that for a lark!  BarkingFish  01:51, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Well, I donated all of the money, so... Silver  seren C 01:59, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * I wouldn't have a problem with the information shared, as long as they were clear about that, up-front. It's a mistake, and it's been picked up, so all is good now... I hope. (Btw, love the Hitchhiker's segue above.) --Chriswaterguy talk 03:20, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * I like to think of it as the one time Wikipedia's physically payed us back for our work ;) Res Mar 03:12, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Can someone point where the survey (or the FAQ on meta) state the username, edit count, and user access level is shared with the researchers? Was it there but I missed it? OhanaUnitedTalk page 13:40, 14 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Is it possible to take this survey? -- Orange Mike &#x007C;  Talk  15:05, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
 * I have recently come across a different issue with a piece of research advertised with a banner ad. See Village pump (miscellaneous).  Yaris678 (talk) 11:44, 15 December 2011 (UTC)