Image hiding feature on hold ..., Subject to a revote, but no date set ... Options

[HRIP7]

The image filter, part of the WMF board's 2011 Controversial Content Resolution, and designed to bring Wikimedia's handling of adult and other controversial content in line with other top websites, seems to be indefinitely on hold. WMF secretary Phoebe Ayers has advised that

Project development was put on hold over the winter in favor of more pressing priorities, with the agreement of the Board. There is currently an open proposal on the table for the Board to vote on whether to continue with our original request for an image hiding feature; and the ED will take direction from the Board on the matter. We have put that vote off however due to the more time-sensitive and generally all-consuming financial discussions of the past couple of months. ... It seems clear however that regardless, there is both much technical and social work that needs to be done around controversial content that has nothing to do with image hiding, e.g. to improve Commons search, rigorously get model releases, etc. etc.; and also that for any particular technical proposal around image hiding there would be many, many (perhaps insuperable) issues and details to work out.

The question is whether this apparent back-pedalling means that the Foundation should now give up any pretense that it is capable of guiding and directing content development in Wikimedia projects.

This post has been edited by HRIP7:

[Larry Sanger]

My commentary: http://larrysanger.org/2012/03/wikipedias-...and-a-proposal/

[TungstenCarbide]

My commentary: http://larrysanger.org/2012/03/wikipedias-...and-a-proposal/

Thanks Dr. Sanger. Very interesting to see board members back-peddling in one of the links you have there.

Good post by Larry. I've asked the WMF board members and the Executive Director for an official statement on the bestiality video:

The board has starting to whimper and snivel (see Dr. Sanger's editorial for links), and the lovely David Gerard has contributed this fiercely intelligent response. Usually he invokes references to the evil of 'Merican gun toting Republican religious right prudes' (or Disenyland) to glorify porn by contrast - but not this time! Maybe he reads the WR.

<edit>
"Damn, I want to get re-elected"

Phoebe's getting roasted on a spit. It's a shame, I always liked her.

This post has been edited by TungstenCarbide:

[HRIP7]

"Damn, I want to get re-elected"

Phoebe's getting roasted on a spit. It's a shame, I always liked her.

Agree. I always liked her too. And she always answered promptly and graciously when I asked her about the status of the image filter discussions. But she's putting her head in the sand here, hoping that that will make her look more electable.