[Foundation-l] should not web server logs (of requests) be published?

Sun Nov 28 20:46:33 UTC 2010

On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 3:41 PM, dinar qorbanof <qdinar at gmail.com> wrote:

> :) ok then. thank you. i should ask first whether wikipedia collects logs.
>
> 2010/11/28 aude <aude.wiki at gmail.com>:
> > On Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 2:30 PM, <WJhonson at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I'm afraid our Tatar is correct in some senses and others in this thread
> >> are in a failing  or failed mode.
> >>
> >> Each web server, of which the WMF has a few, collects details on the
> >> behaviour of IPs, in logs.  Those logs can be and probably have been
> >> requested by
> >> certain government officials, most likely for the purpose of tracking
> down
> >> who is behind a certain "Bad" posting to a BLP.
> >>
> >>
> > CheckUser data (IPs of editors) are kept for 3 months.
> >
> >
> http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/trunk/extensions/CheckUser/CheckUser.php?view=markup
> >
> > WMF does not keep apache logs which would track what pages people are
> > reading.''
> >
> > http://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/httpd.conf (see CustomLog which is
> commented
> > out, meaning that access logs are not kept)
> >
> > There are some logs for the squid servers which are used to generate page
> > view stats, but those take a 1/1000 sample and there are full squid logs
> for
> > click throughs on the fundraising banners.
> >
> > http://wikitech.wikimedia.org/view/Squid_logging
> >
> > So, we do not have readership logs except for the sampled squid logs.
>  For
> > performance reasons, it's not desirable to collect more detailed logs,
> nor
> > would we really want them.
> >
> > -Katie (@aude)
> >
> >
> >> In addition, courts can make such orders in order to determine an
> otherwise
> >> "John Doe" named in a suit, such as for libel, etc.  It's happened it
> will
> >> continue to happen, the WMF does keep such logs.
> >>
> >> Knowing the IP, it can then be tracked back to that user's ISP and a log
> >> again requested to determine the exact person, or at least business or
> >> household, who used the IP at that exact time.  So playing with words,
> >> doesn't let
> >> us get around that point.
> >>
> >> I'm still not clear why we would want to know the IP exactly for
> analytical
> >> purposes.  Some intrepid programmer could write a program which would
> >> simply collect detailed analysis of a person's in-world behaviour and
> call
> >> them
> >> "Bob992" instead of 13.42.204.192 or whatever.  Making the information
> >> packets anonymous.  That would still allow any sort of analysis the
> Tatars
> >> want to
> >> make, and not reveal any private information.
> >
> >
> >> W
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> >>
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>
>
>
> and i write again, do not you or somebody know why my messages are not
> published in the official mail archive? i do not format my message
> correctly?
>
>
I don't know. :/

-Katie (aude)

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