Talk:Ombuds commission/Archives/2023

For those who care

If you applied and did not get an email today, you've probably passed. Leaderboard (talk) 18:07, 24 January 2023 (UTC)

@Leaderboard: I was looking forward about how to apply and what are the prerequisites for this but couldn't find anything on the base page. ─ The Aafī ^(talk) 06:00, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

@TheAafi: see the archives. The application deadline was about a month and a half ago. Leaderboard (talk) 06:58, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

@Leaderboard Thanks. "Better luck next time" - me to myself. ─ The Aafī ^(talk) 07:02, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

A call for volunteers is issued each year in early October on the Wikimedia-L mailing list and on the talk page of this policy, as well as other project forums as appropriate. --Ameisenigel (talk) 08:37, 11 February 2023 (UTC)

Announcing the 2023 Ombuds Commission

Hello, everyone.

I'm writing with information about the Ombuds Commission (OC), the small group of volunteers who investigate complaints about violations of the privacy policy, and in particular concerning the use of CheckUser and Oversight tools, on any Wikimedia project for the Board of Trustees. I apologize for the length of the announcement. :)

The application period for new commissioners for 2023 recently closed. The Wikimedia Foundation is extremely grateful to the many experienced and insightful volunteers who offered to assist with this work.

This year’s OC will consist of ten members, with a one-member advisory team who will guide the new commission and also, if necessary, fill in in the event that the OC is unable to act due to incapacity or recusal.

I am pleased to announce the composition of the 2023 OC:

Regular members

• AGK

AGK has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2008. He is primarily active on English Wikipedia, where he has been an administrator, Checkuser, and Oversighter and has served as an Arbitrator. AGK served on the Ombuds Commission in 2020 and 2021. AGK has been appointed for a 2-year term on the Ombuds Commission.

• Ameisenigel

Ameisenigel has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2015. He is primarily active on German Wikipedia, where he served as an Arbitrator from 2020 to 2022, and on Wikidata, where he is an administrator. He is also active as a translation admin in several projects. Ameisenigel speaks German and English. He has been on the Ombuds Commission since 2021 and has been appointed for a 1-year term this year.

• Bennylin

Bennylin has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2004. He's primarily active on Indonesian and Javanese Wikiprojects, where he's sysop in 6 of them, Checkuser in Indonesian Wikipedia, bureaucrat in Indonesian Wiktionary, and also active in Commons, Meta, Wikidata, and MediaWiki. He has previously served as a global Steward. He speaks Indonesian, English, Javanese, Chinese and some Spanish. This is Bennylin's first year on the Ombuds Commission and he has been appointed for a 2-year term.

• Daniuu

Daniuu has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2019. They are primarily active on Dutch Wikipedia, where they are a sysop and member of the Arbitration Committee. They are also a global sysop and focus on counter-vandalism work. Daniuu speaks Dutch and English. This is Daniuu's first year on the Ombuds Commission and they have been appointed for a 2-year term.

• Emufarmers

Emufarmers has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2005. He is a Metapedian who primarily edits the English Wikipedia; he is also a bureaucrat and sysop on MediaWiki.org, and has provided software support to many third-party, non-Wikimedia wikis over the years. He has served as a VRTS administrator since 2015. He served on the Ombuds Commission from 2019-2021. He has been appointed for a one-year term on the Ombuds Commission.

• Faendalimas

Scott Thomson, user:Faendalimas, has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2006. Based in Brazil, he is a taxonomist and evolutionary biologist and his main editing interest is reptiles and amphibians. He is most active on WikiSpecies, where he is a bureaucrat, Checkuser, and administrator. Faendalimas speaks Portuguese and English. He has served on the Ombuds Commission since 2021 and has been appointed for a one-year term this year.

• JJMC89

JJMC89 has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2015. He is primarily active on the English Wikipedia, where he has more than 300,000 edits and is an administrator and bot operator, and Commons. He also serves as a tool administrator on UTRS. He speaks English. He has been on the Ombuds Commission since 2021 and has been appointed for a 1-year term this year.

• MdsShakil

MdsShakil has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2019. He is active on Bengali Wikipedia, Bengali Wikibooks, Wikidata and Commons. He is an administrator on Bengali Wikibooks and serves as a global renamer and global rollbacker. He speaks Bengali and English. This is MdsShakil's first year on the Ombuds Commission and he has been appointed for a 2-year term.

• Minorax

Minorax has been active on Wikimedia projects since 2019. They are a Metapedian who is active on a large number of projects, including Commons, where they have over 400,000 edits, English Wikipedia, and Meta, where they are a Checkuser. They are also a global sysop. Minorax speaks English and Chinese. This is Minorax's first year on the Ombuds Commission and they have been appointed for a 2-year term.

• Renvoy

Renvoy has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2014. He is primarily active on Ukrainian Wikipedia and Wikidata. He is an administrator on Ukrainian Wikibooks and serves as a global rollbacker. Renvoy speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English, and Polish. This is Renvoy's first year on the Ombuds Commission and he has been appointed for a 1-year term.

Advisory member

• Zabe

Zabe has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2018. They primarily edit Wikidata and Mediawiki, where they are an administrator. In addition, Zabe works on the Mediawiki software. Zabe speaks German and English. Zabe has been on the Ombuds Commission since 2022. The advisory member term length is one year.

Steward-Observer

New in 2023, we are appointing a Steward-Observer to serve as a liaison between the Ombuds Commission and the Stewards. The Steward-Observer is a non-voting, advisory role. The Steward-Observer was nominated by the Stewards and is appointed by the Wikimedia Foundation to a one-year term. This year's Steward-Observer is…

• Vermont

Vermont (they/them) has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2016. They have been a steward since February 2022, and previously a global sysop and rollbacker. Vermont is an administrator and checkuser on Meta-Wiki and the Simple English Wikipedia, and formerly volunteered on the UCoC Phase 2 and Revisions drafting committees.

Departing members

Please join me in thanking the following volunteers who are leaving OC, who have given substantially of their time to serve the commission:

• Érico

Érico has been editing Wikimedia projects since 2010. He edits primarily on Portuguese Wikipedia, where he is a bureaucrat, checkuser, and administrator, and Commons, where he is an administrator. He has, in the past, also served as an oversighter and a global sysop. He has created about 1,700 new articles and has made over 270,000 edits in several projects. Érico can communicate in Portuguese and English. 2022 was Érico's first year on the Ombuds Commission.

• Galahad

Carlos, currently editing as user:Galahad, has been contributing to Wikimedia Projects since 2009. He is a member of Wikimedia Venezuela and a founding member of Wikimedia Small Projects User Group. He primarily contributes to Spanish-language projects including Spanish Wikipedia and Spanish Wikivoyage. He has been an administrator and bureaucrat of Spanish Wikivoyage since 2013. He speaks Spanish and English. He has served on the Ombuds Commission since 2019.

• Infinite0694

Infinite0694 has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2011. She edits primarily on Japanese Wikipedia, where she is a bureaucrat, administrator, Oversighter, and Checkuser, as well as on Meta, where she is an administrator. Infinite0694 speaks Japanese, English, and German. 2022 was Infinite0694's first year on the Ombuds Commission.

• Mykola7

Mykola7 has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2018. He is primarily active on Ukranian Wikipedia, where he is an administrator and Checkuser. He speaks Ukranian, Russian, and English. 2022 was Mykola7's first year on the Ombuds Commission.

• Olugold

Olugold has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2020. She is a librarian and a member of the Igbo Wikimedia User Group. She edits primarily on English Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Igbo Wikipedia. She speaks English, Hausa, Igbo, and Nigerian Pidgin English. 2022 was Olugold's first year on the Ombuds Commission.

• Udehb

Udehb has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2018. He edits primarily on Wikidata and is also active in the movement, including organizing Wikidata Justice Nigeria. He is a member of the Igbo Wikimedians User Group and serves as the IG-WIKIDATA-HUB coordinator, of which he is the founder. Udehb speaks Igbo and English. 2022 was Udehb's first year on the Ombuds Commission. Kbrown (WMF) (talk) 14:52, 13 February 2023 (UTC)

Statement by the Commission (case 2022/199)

This is crossposted from Commons Admin Noticeboard (permalink).

The Commission has approved this explanatory statement of its decision in Case 2022/199.

Background to the Case

Policy prohibits checkusers from publicly confirming a user's IP address. Concerns were referred to the Commission about two occasions on which Fitindia (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA) publicly confirmed an IP address. While investigating, additional concerns emerged about the general accuracy of Fitindia's checks.

Decision

Fitindia's access to non-public personal data was removed globally for 1 year. Fitindia's Commons checkuser permission was removed. Access can be regained at any time by the usual procedure, following the expiry of the data access removal period. This decision was approved by 7 votes to 1.

Reasons for Decision

Linkage

Connecting users to their IP address may have severe consequences. Financial, social or personal risks may be taken when publishing information to a Wikimedia website, or even when engaging in misuse of the website.

Whilst the Privacy, Access to nonpublic personal data and Global CheckUser Policies permit confirmation of the connection between a user and IP addresses, this should only be done in the exceptional circumstances provided under the policies. The required practice was summarised in our November 2022 statement to checkusers: IP addresses are to be blocked without specifying the sock-master.

Accuracy

Checkusers must at all times meet a high standard of accuracy. Even occasional errors will require intervention by the Commission, if these suggest a checkuser lacks the necessary skill in using the interface. In straightforward cases of concern about accuracy, the Commission is likely to employ measures short of removal of permissions, such as suspension of access pending further training.

Culpability

The Commission consulted Fitindia during its investigation and took into account Fitindia's apology. Fitindia was, at the time of the infractions, an inexperienced checkuser. Checkusers can receive training from peers, but training is not mandatory. Checkusers in practice are afforded a high degree of independence. These factors can combine to mean that inaccurate practice goes uncorrected or unjustified confirmation of a user's IP address goes unnoticed.

The Commission recommends a review of the onboarding protocol for checkusers.

The Commission notes Fitindia's full cooperation with our investigation and long record of service. The decision to remove non-public data access should be seen as a temporary measure, intended (inter alia) to ensure that Fitindia refamiliarises themselves with the privacy policies. The decision to revoke checkuser access should be seen as requiring Fitindia to resubmit themselves to community scrutiny. Neither decision is intended to be punitive, nor to indicate that Fitindia will never again be suitable to volunteer for this or other roles. It can be appropriate in a community of volunteers to show compassion for mistakes.

Faendalimas (talk) 23:14, 8 May 2023 (UTC) Chair Ombuds Commission

Thank you for proactively providing a public statement on this. Legoktm (talk) 01:08, 10 May 2023 (UTC)

e-mail confirmation

Dear OC, I've sent a request at 29 September 2023. Can you confirm that it has been received? --Krd 12:18, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

You should have received a reply today. Sorry for the delay. --Ameisenigel (talk) 21:10, 26 October 2023 (UTC)