Grants:IdeaLab/Add ignore functionality

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Add ignore functionality

I would like the wiki to have a function to ignore messages from certain people whom I find abusive.

contact emailGryllida

idea creator• Gryllida

created on00:44, Wednesday, June 1, 2016 (UTC)

Project idea

What is the problem you're trying to solve?

The problem is that some people are annoying from my personal point of view and I would like to not see their messages. But there is no functionality which does this.

What is your solution?

Talk ignore (ignoring talk is a part of an existing web browser extension.)

• A button to ignore a user dynamically.
• A button to unignore afterwards
• Ability to then read through all missed messages.
• Items of interest to ignore could include:
  • user's messages on my talk page (this should have a huge warning not to do this)
  • user's messages on other talk pages, main talk or project talk

Edits ignore

• Ability to ignore a user's edits?

E-mail ignore

• Ability to ignore a user's e-mails sent via Special:EmailUser?

Notifications ignore

• Ability to disable receipt of Notifications from certain contributors. (as suggested below)
  • linked here

... and some general notes ...

• Availability of this functionality should be particularly indifferent to whether the contributor is registered or not. Unregistered contributors should be able to use this functionality.
• Another question is whether I, if being ignored by you, should get a warning when trying to post to your talk page. That I don't know.
• Project administrators should also be ignore-able (and when they try to leave me a message whilst being ignored, they should definitely be warned, and be encouraged to have another sysop to leave me a message).
• This would be obviously prone to abuse.
• Blocked users should be unable to ignore (?). Or they're unable to add new ignore list entries.
  • Sysops can edit blocked users' ignore lists?

Project goals

Request technical implementation of ignore functionality in Flow or whatever talk page platform we are using.

Get involved

If you would like to write Flow to do this then you are free to do so. It is free software so you can hack it on your own computer.

Endorsements

• Oh yes, PLEASE bring back the "kill file" from ancient news groups. Let's call it ignore, that's nicer, but it made the whole world nicer to ignore the trolls. It would be nice to also fold out the comments that respond to a troll. --WiseWoman (talk) 09:59, 2 June 2016 (UTC)
• Seems like more people would have a good time editing with this functionality. NMaia (talk) 03:41, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Yes please. It's a well known fact that not everyone gets along with everyone :) CoolCanuck (talk) 03:59, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• It would encourage more contributors, who are now leaving because of trolling or harrasment, to continue editing Wikipedia. Ionutzmovie (talk - Romanian Wikipedia Adminsitrator) 04:00, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• I really miss this feature. I can't believe that trolls and bothersome people can left messages to my Talk page. Dianakc (talk) 04:51, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• The ability to ignore seems to be an excellent idea. Not to respond is often the best way to go. ^v^ FreeBird ^v^ (talk) 05:30, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Totally with you on this. Ekvastra (talk) 06:26, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• I'm for this. Frankly, blocking people solves 99% of problems like this - harassers will usually get bored if they're blocked, and if it is two users fighting (as, let's face it, 90%+ of "internet harassment" is "two people who keep needling at each other and both see themselves as the victims"). It also is just a general quality of life improvement - sometimes people just drive each other crazy. Titanium Dragon (talk) 08:06, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Great idea Kostic31 (talk) 08:36, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Ignore button combined with only allowing people to contribute or comment when when registered, would be simple and effective. Molar999 (talk) 09:08, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Simple, effective idea. Rubbish computer (HALP!: I dropped the bass?) 11:03, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• yes improvement in not using talk whatsoever, and collaborating off wiki. Slowking4 (talk) 14:39, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
  • Slowking4 Do you mean IRC or what? The point this far has been transparency of everything including collaboration. Gryllida 00:43, 5 June 2016 (UTC)
    • i mean that talk (for that matter IRC) is so dysfunctional, and toxic no one uses it. meetups get organized on facebook, and real-time chat is on twitter, or etherpad, maybe some control of one's feeds would restore some functioning. Slowking4 (talk) 01:03, 5 June 2016 (UTC)
      • This means a separate account, finding an appropriate non-proprietary platform, etc. Are you suggesting that, or you're suggesting to still use talk pages, just improved? Gryllida 01:59, 5 June 2016 (UTC)
        • yep, i'm going to continue to go off-wiki, but if you want to get more collaboration on wiki, you will have to make it a more friendly place, and ignore could be a part of that. is your suggestion for a talk ignore or notifications ignore? Slowking4 (talk) 01:58, 6 June 2016 (UTC)
          • Both features are proposed. Each project would be able to configure it, i.e. whether to allow users to ignore these things. Users then can choose what to ignore. Ignoring talk is a part of an existing web browser extension. Gryllida 04:41, 6 June 2016 (UTC)
• Very much supported! I need a "well-feel" atmosphere to create input into WP projects. Just seeing others harassing, much more harassing me, demotivates me. At later times, I might even read rude responses, but not during creative or research phases. --Haraldmmueller (talk) 16:58, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• Would support something as simple as ability to disable receipt of Notifications from certain contributors. Doing en-mass creates a Filter Bubble echo chamber problem so is best not to have wholesale filtering/blocking. We've enough issues with problematic contributors ignoring suggestions as is; no need to institutionalise it. --dsprc (talk) 01:21, 5 June 2016 (UTC)
  • Hi dsprc, added ignoring of notifications to the list of suggested functionality at the top. Which parts would you discourage? Gryllida 01:58, 5 June 2016 (UTC)

• Gryllida, Everything else besides that one Notifications thing. ;-) en:WP:ICANTHEARYOU is already a problem which shouldn't be further reinforced. In this case, one would literally not receive the message. --dsprc (talk) 02:27, 5 June 2016 (UTC)

• Wikipedia should add a function that enables users to block other users that they find abusive. Wellers22 17:29, Friday, June 3, 2016 (UTC)
• this is an excellent idea. you'd be able to see their edits of course, but they wouldn't be able to comment on any of your pages and be dicks to you. Gatemansgc (talk) 18:16, 3 June 2016 (UTC)
• I could endorse a mute for notifications triggered by specific users, but not blocking the same users from posting on the talk page. — Jeblad 11:14, 6 June 2016 (UTC)
• I'm not sure how this would be implemented, but hiding a small list of no more than half a dozen editors would greatly improve my Wikipedia experience. Craig Franklin (talk) 10:44, 7 June 2016 (UTC).
  • Craig Franklin: ignore talk or ignore notifications? There is a full list of ignore targets above. Please clarify. Thanks. --Gryllida 11:47, 7 June 2016 (UTC)
•  Support. If we're not going to block trolls, then productive editors should be able to ignore them and leave the drama board circlejerk to deal with them. Gamaliel (talk) 02:05, 21 June 2016 (UTC)

Oppositions

• How nice. So I just go block all admins and do whatever I want. Yes, you might say that we can exclude admins from being affected. But. Sometimes it is non-admins who try to explain some user why he is wrong. Legitimately doing so, user indeed is wrong. But with this thing implemented the user would be able to just disable "annoying comments" from his field of vision and continue doing wrong stuff until admins interfere. Does not seem right. --Base (talk) 15:59, 4 June 2016 (UTC)

Hm. If it's a vandal we just block them, I think. Gryllida 22:55, 5 June 2016 (UTC)

and vandals ignore all template notices already. cannot force editors to read talk page. forcing unread messages down throat is not a good way to communicate. maybe a reform of messaging might make them more acted upon by editors. Slowking4 (talk) 22:46, 7 June 2016 (UTC)

• Strong oppose Ignoring has never been a solution. Messerjokke79 (talk) 14:37, 6 July 2016 (UTC)

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