O4 mirror: https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-16871340/discussion-changes-to-anonymization-of-metadata
Hello everybody
Recently admins discussed potential use and misuse of the anonymization and de-anonymization of metadata.
One concern raised is that currently a user could flipflop between requesting anonymization and re-attributing of their articles which could become an excessive ask for staff, but currently we don't have any real stance to tell an author no.
Sometimes anonymization is done with a significant amount of forethought behind it and left as is, and that's more than okay. There have however been instances where this was decided in the heat of the moment, and shortly thereafter regretted at which point staff was asked to fix matters.
I'm putting this up to discuss some potential solutions to this issue.
One that we would like to implement is a mandatory, unskippable waiting period of a week between requesting the anonymization of metadata, and the metadata actually being anonymized.
(This applies to works which were previously attributed to their respective authors, rather than works submitted anonymously through the Curation Team)
The user could then retract their request at any time during this week long period.
Another solution that we would like to implement is to no longer allow users to have their anonymous works re-attributed.
This would apply for ALL works attributed as anonymous.
(Users can of course publically reveal they wrote the work, but the metadata will not be changed)
With both of these added stipulations, we expect that anonymization will only occur when a user is absolutely certain they wish to do so, which would be better for users, and better for staff.
Leaving this discussion open for a week.