Two conversations interesting conversations happening on Commons right now. One is about the deletion of an apparently embarrassing image uploaded by Ash/Fæ and deleted at his request. The other is a deletion request by an editor of the Hebrew-language WP who was photographed in proximity to another editor that they consider to be a troll.
The first conversation deals with an image being deleted at the uploader's request. I can recall seeing requests from editors to have their own uploads deleted being denied on the basis that they were "encyclopedic" and in use. No such argument was raised in this case - in fact they were not subject to a deletion discussion at all. Some editors are more equal than others, it seems.
Commons also deleted images uploaded by David Shankbone (those ones taken on the set of a Michael Lucas gay porn movie shoot that caused WP to be blocked by some filtering systems). It is unclear to me if images can be deleted at the whim of the uploader (assuming the images are in use and otherwise "encyclopedic"). Obviously, they can be deleted, but how does this align with the stated rules of submitting images to Commons and the licensing used? If I were using that image on my website, would linking back to the original Commons image satisfy the terms of the license? If that original image is deleted, am I no longer satisfying the license? Without getting into too much detail, what are the effects of deleting an image on Commons that is being used elsewhere?
The other discussion is more nuanced. The editor requesting deletion apparently asked the uploader not to upload images that included her and the other person. There is clearly some bad blood here. The complainant is shown in the background of the image and her face is not visible. Is this an issue of "personality rights"? The image is largely useless outside of WP, and is possibly being used to taunt an overly sensitive individual, but I have to ask myself "what would Derek Coetzee do"?
Full Version: Commons criteria for deletion of images
QUOTE(carbuncle @ Wed 30th November 2011, 9:14am) 
...a deletion request by an editor of the Hebrew-language WP who was photographed in proximity to another editor that they consider to be a troll.
I wonder how many photos taken at Wikimania 2012 will include the Kohs troll, and then how many discussions will follow from Wikipedians who don't wish to appear in the same photo?
These two discussions are both very amusing to me. It seems that few people understand personality rights and irrevocable free licenses.
QUOTE(carbuncle @ Wed 30th November 2011, 3:14pm)
The first conversation deals with an image being deleted at the uploader's request. I can recall seeing requests from editors to have their own uploads deleted being denied on the basis that they were "encyclopedic" and in use. No such argument was raised in this case - in fact they were not subject to a deletion discussion at all. Some editors are more equal than others, it seems.
On Commons, only copyright problems can justify the deletion of images that are in use on a wikipedia, so what Blurpeace did was a big no-no. A regular DR would not have stood a chance. One could make an undeletion request. But that can take forever: admins do not like to undo measures by other admins. See http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:...urrent_requests
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