Talk:Ombuds commission/Archives/2008

G'Day Ombuds.....

I see this isn't the most actively watched page on meta! - However, I thought it might be useful for me to re-iterate a question that I've put to you ombudsfolk via email, not being particularly private....

I was wondering if the ombudsman commission has any opinion as to the propriety of an individual checkuser telling an editor (me!) when they have been checked, by whom, and for what rationale.

I have understood that the commission is not minded to instruct the release of such information, but I'm wondering if that implies a general restriction or not....

thanks in advance!

Privatemusings 00:58, 31 January 2008 (UTC)

• My understanding of the policy is that such disclosure is at the discretion of the individual checkusers. If you were to ask me, "How many times have I been checked, and by whom?" I would decline to answer, but if you gave me a brief note to whom it may concern, asking to discuss such checks, I would forward it to those checkusers who show up in the log next to your name (if any, of course). Thatcher 01:04, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

thanks for your answer, Thatcher - I think you're spot on, and Mackensen responded in much the same vein. To reiterate my response from that page - "it is my understanding therefore that if an individual checkuser wishes to inform an editor about any checks run on an account, including details of rationales given, the identity of the checkuser, and the date / time of the check, then that would not be prohibited by the privacy policy - but a strong reason would be required to overcome the expectation that all checkuser information be kept as private as possible." - the discussion as to the merits of allowing such information to be released is one for a future conversation, I'd say..... If I may, I might drop a note to you over at en/wiki at some point... cheers, Privatemusings 07:45, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. There is no violation of the privacy policy in telling User:John Smith that he was checked and what the results were, since that is John Smith's information. And in fact some wikis require all checks (or at least most) to be publicly logged (but not with the results, of course), so open logging is obviously not a Foundation issue but a choice made by individual wiki communities. For me, the reason why I would not tell you who (if anyone) had checked you is mostly as a courtesy to the other checkusers. The only reason I could give would be the comment in left in the log, if there is one, while the CU who actually ran the check could give a much more informed answer about what was going on that prompted his concern and actually have a conversation with you about it. Thatcher 11:22, 16 April 2008 (UTC)