[WikiEN-l] Policing vs. judging (was: The Block Log)

Wed Feb 18 14:42:13 UTC 2004

As a compromise between unregulated vigilantism and the established
committee procedure, how about this?

Any admin has the right to temp-ban a user, BUT:

* Must report this ban to the mailing list of the encyclopedia from
which the user is banned
* The Arbitration Committee will immediately review the temp-ban

This is like letting any cop arrest a suspect, but requiring a judge to
decide that very same day whether to put him in jail pending trial or
release him on his own recognizance.

We are working in Internet time. So perhaps the full Arbitration
Committee needn't meet to discuss the validity of a temp ban. Maybe only
one A.C. member would be enough.

They could say, "Okay, Raul acted in good faith but we think user:Nutso
isn't an "emergent threat" so we're overturning the temp ban. Please go
through channels on this one."

Or they might say, "Yeah, what a pest! Temp ban sustained pending
committee consideration."

Ed Poor, aka Uncle Ed