[WikiEN-l] Who's Watching My Watchlist?

Tue Oct 21 04:39:20 UTC 2003

At 08:51 PM 10/20/2003, The Cunctator wrote:
>Actually, it's a good idea. In no way is it a invasion of privacy. Anyone
>who wants to get some idea of a contributor's interests can look at his edit
>record. There's no good reason not to have watchlists be public.
>
>If you don't want people to know what your watchlist is, then don't have
>one.
>
>Wikipedia benefits the more open the actions and behavior of its
>participants are to each other and to the outside world.
>
>Qui custodiet custodies? Omnia mundi in Wikipediam.
>
>Don't confuse this with actual invasions of privacy.

Well, I wouldn't go quite as far as to say that it's in no way an invasion 
of privacy, but I think that as long as the default is to private there's 
no reason we can't give people an OPTION to make their watchlists public.

I am opposed, in principle, to any decision that limits peoples' options 
with no good cause. Just because YOU (editorial you) don't want your 
watchlist public is no reason to keep others from making theirs' public.

Also, the "who watches the watchers" comment raises the old point that 
sunshine is, in general, a good cure for many ills.. but still, there ought 
to be a certain amount of privacy for things that are, in fairness, private.

P.S. Will there also be a feature "Which Users Have Viewed My Watchlist"? ;)

-----
Dante Alighieri
dalighieri at digitalgrapefruit.com

"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their 
neutrality in times of great moral crisis."
    -Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321