> Re Fred's comments about giving VIPs VIP treatment. > > We can't simply assume that everyone we encounter on the Internet is who > they claim to be. Doing that would be a recipe for abuse of a lot of VIPs > and just as worryingly lots of other people as well. > > We should treat everyone with courtesy, and treat every serious complaint > seriously. > > But no we should not give preferential treatment to "VIPs" over others. > If > anyone is entitled to preferential treatment it is the people we have > seriously maligned, that includes VIPs like Siegenthaler and some very > ordinary people as well. By contrast no-one is arguing that Mr Roth's > complaint is about something similarly damaging to him or to others. If > anything by giving him a quick and fairly easy way to correct a meme that > was widely circulated beyond Wikipedia we have given him better service > than the print media. > > If we were a commercial outfit selling high end products to those who > could > afford them then I would understand and expect a strategy of giving VIPs > better treatment than others. But we are volunteers helping a charity > with > a mission to make the world's knowledge freely available to everyone. If > our clients are "everyone" why would we want to give a differential > service > level by status rather than seriousness? > > > WSC
Assuming on a provisional basis that someone who claims to be a VIP or an agent of one is all that is proposed. Such claims need to be verified to avoid spoofing. For example, suggesting to Roth that he give an interview to someone about the issues he raised is verified when he does so and an article appears in The New Yorker. Obviously we were dealing with Roth's agent in this case. As noted, everybody should be treated courteously and taken seriously. While ass kissing is inappropriate, wealthy and powerful people are a source of funds and political support to a non-profit corporation, and of potential public relations damage. Careful handling is appropriate. So is firmness regarding our policies, but diplomatically expressed. Fred _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
