I understand that candidates should disclose their usernames if they want to refer to their on-wiki experience. However, I don't think it's necessary to do so on a public wiki. I believe all candidates are fine with disclosing the link between their online and offline identities to members of the chapter, but some may not feel comfortable disclosing to the whole world.
Deryck
On 6 April 2011 13:16, Andrew West
<andrewcwest@gmail.com> wrote:
> I remember back in 2008 when Wikimedia UK was relaunched there was a
> debate about whether people involved in the chapter should have to
> disclose their online identities. In the end most people did but the
> conclusion was that it shouldn't be mandatory.
>
> There are quite a few people on Wikipedia who are quite protective of
> their pseudonymity - particularly people who are admins involved in
> contentous issues - and I think we should respect that.
>
> Having said that, I agree with Mike that a question on the wiki would
> be a good place to ask that question.
Thanks for adding the question at
I understand why it is not compulsory for candidates to disclose their
wiki-identity, but it is difficult to evaluate candidates who talk
about their wiki-experience in their statements without providing
their user name. It is an odd situation that using your real name
confers anonymity in these elections, where on-wiki the user name
provides the anonymity, but if candidates want to refer to their
wikimedia experience then I think that they must reveal their user
name(s) even if they have previously fought hard to preserve the
anonymity of their user name. At any rate, I will not be voting for
any candidate who does not reveal their wiki-identity, even if I know
who they are.
Andrew (BabelStone)