Commons:Bots/Requests/Krdbot 5
Operator: Krd (talk · contributions · Statistics · Recent activity · block log · User rights log · uploads · Global account information)
Bot's tasks for which permission is being sought: I have been approached by a user (see here) how it can be achieved to upload files into [[Category:Undelete in xxxx]] which are currently copyrighted, for later undeletion. As the files are copyrighted, they have to be deleted as soon as possible, i.e. putting a normal speedy deletion request into them perhaps will make them visible for a too long time. The suggestion is to setup an admin bot that will delete such files with Undelete_in category which were uploaded by a user who opted in before.
The code has not been written and there is nothing to test yet, but this should be achievable shortly if there idea is supported. Also "Krdbot 5" is mostly a placeholder, the task should be done by a new, separate account, but the account name has not been determined yet. All comment welcome.
Automatic or manually assisted: Automatic
Edit type (e.g. Continuous, daily, one time run): Continuous
Maximum edit rate (e.g. edits per minute): maxlag
Bot flag requested: (Y/N): Y (admin bot)
Programming language(s): Perl
Krd 05:56, 28 April 2020 (UTC)
- Discussion
- There are very different cases here which could apply. Some uploads would not not be copyvios, they would simply not conform to COM:L. Take COM:FOP France, for example, where a publication would be permitted but it would be restricted to non-commercial use. Such cases do not have to be deleted by a quick bot. Likewise cases where COM:FAIRUSE could apply. Or exceptions according to § 60 UrhG, § 60a UrhG etc. – all restricted to non-commercial usage and possibly other restrictions. On the other hand, we have cases where we have no such exceptions. Assume, an author dies and shortly afterwards someone uploads an entire book to this service, just to be undeleted 70+ years later. We should not support this, as the group of admins is far too large a group to be in a safe legal ground in these cases. Yes, we have deleted tons of copyvios. But it matters if we solicite such uploads or if we fight against them. Most people outside of Commons are not aware of the option of a later undeletion and do not consider how many admins have access to it. But we are possibly drawing unwanted attention to this once we are offering this as a supported service. In summary: We should explicitly support speedy delete cases with a scheduled undeletion where we have no legal risk. And I do not think that we should go into the direction where a bot like this is required. --AFBorchert (talk) 07:16, 28 April 2020 (UTC)
- Someone else had come to me with a similar idea, and I wasn't really a fan of it then, and I'm not really a fan of this now. Wikimedia Commons is a free media repository, not an archive for currently non-free works. The usual justification for such a process is that the works are at risk of not being available by the time they fall out of copyright. For works that are going to become PD in the next 5 years or so, I don't think it's likely that they'll magically up and disappear as soon as they're about to enter the public domain. For longer-term works, the bet is that deleted files on Commons will last longer than other copies. There is no guarantee that deleted images will remain undeletable over the long term, both for technical and policy reasons. The WMF could decide to purge deleted copyvios, or ($deity forbid) we could end up with another copyright term extension. I think such a program would be better suited for a project like archive.org that is designed with long-term archival in mind. --AntiCompositeNumber (talk) 17:08, 28 April 2020 (UTC)
Thank you both for the feedback, that was very helpful. I withdraw the request and report to the user accordingly. --Krd 17:59, 28 April 2020 (UTC)