[WikiEN-l] Human dignity

Mon Jul 17 20:51:24 UTC 2006

On 7/17/06, Steve Bennett <stevagewp at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 7/17/06, Anthony <wikilegal at inbox.org> wrote:
> > That said, I do think there is a personal privacy consideration.  I
> > don't think Wikipedia should have articles about just anyone.  In the
> > case of Peppers I think the privacy argument is overcome because he
> > voluntarily committed an act which put himself into the public
> > spotlight.
>
> Casting all criminals as "people who voluntarily commited acts which
> put themselves into the public spotlight" is not the way we want to be
> going.

And it's not the way that I went.  I don't think any crime is
sufficient to overcome one's right to privacy, at least to some
extent.  I do think the crime Peppers is convicted of is sufficient,
though.

> We should primarily care about what makes the encyclopaedia
> better, but in doing as little harm as possible in the process.
>
Sure, and I think providing information about Brian Peppers does make
the encyclopedia better.  But at the same time I think we have to
consider personal privacy issues.  Both have to be present.  Articles
have to make the encyclopedia better, but they also have to refrain
from violating the privacy rights of the subject.

Anthony