I've now served on the Arbitration Committee for nearly five years—from January 2007 until July 2009, and from January 2010 onward. The focus of my attention has generally been drafting case decisions (I've written more than sixty) and managing the organizational and procedural aspects of the Committee's day-to-day work (I was the coordinating arbitrator from February 2009 to July 2009, and have been the deputy coordinating arbitrator since February 2010); but, over the years, I've had the opportunity to participate in just about every possible aspect of an arbitrator's role.
I stand before you on the depth and breadth of my experience with the arbitration process, and on my proven track record as an arbitrator. I will not claim to be perfect—no arbitrator is—nor to have pleased everyone with my decisions; but I have always sought to act in the best interests of the project, and I believe that I've been a voice of reason and a driving force for efficiency, transparency, and professionalism among the arbitrators.
With the reduction in the size of the Committee and the transition to fewer overlapping tranches and shorter term lengths, the need for experienced arbitrators is greater than ever before. As the longest-serving of the current arbitrators—indeed, as the longest-serving arbitrator in the history of the Committee—I believe that I have a unique level of experience to offer. I've learned much about being an arbitrator over the years; and I would like to continue serving the community in that role, if the community will have me.
Mandatory statements and disclosures: As a sitting arbitrator, I am already identified to the Foundation and otherwise comply with the criteria for access to non-public data. I have not edited Wikipedia with any account other than User:Kirill Lokshin. ( proof of identification)
![]() | Arbitration Committee Election 2011 candidate:
Kirill Lokshin
|
Candidates are advised to answer each of these questions completely but concisely. Candidates may refuse to answer any questions that they do not wish to, with the understanding, however, that not answering a question may be perceived negatively by the community.
Note that disclosure of your account history, pursuant to the ArbCom selection and appointment policy, must be made in your opening statement, and is not an optional question.
Please ask your individual questions here. While there is no limit on the number of questions that may be asked, please try to keep questions relevant. Try to be as clear and concise as possible, and avoid duplicating questions that have already been asked.
Add your questions below the line using the following markup:
#Question:
#:A:
I use the answers to these questions to write my election guide; thus, not answering specific questions will affect my recommendation. Also, I may be asking about specific things outside the scope of ArbCom; your answers would be appreciated regardless.
The questions are similar to those I asked in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010; if you've already answered them, feel free to borrow from those. Please note that question 3 has drastically changed from what it was in past years, though.
The first 9 questions are short answer questions. The last question is a bit open-ended.
Thank you. Rs chen 7754 23:59, 11 November 2011 (UTC)
Restraining aggrieved parties in emotionally charged scenarios is central to the Committee’s role, and arbitrators are in principle exposed to legal action by those parties in a real-world jurisdiction. It matters little whether an action is launched or merely threatened, and whether it is quite unreasonable: the costs for an individual arb to forestall a default judgment in a foreign court would be considerable (and I believe it’s not hard to transfer an order to the courts in one’s local jurisdiction). The risk is greater because as volunteers we can’t be expected to provide professional mediation as an intermediary between wiki and real-world judicial processes—mediation that might head off litigation in the first place.
Given the WMF's annual income of some $20M, what is your view on whether the Foundation should:
Answer:
Looking over ArbCom cases from the past few years, it is clear to me that many times, editors involved in the dispute being heard in a particular case use the Workshop page as a platform to continue their disputes. These Workshop posts tend to take the form of 'finding of facts that the people on the other side of the dispute have committed heinous acts, heavy sanctions for the people on the other side of the dispute, and people on my side of the dispute get off without even a warning' (it's usually less transparent than that, but barely).
There is a still open RfC at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Clarification#Request_for_clarification:_Arbcom-unblocked_editors. As evidenced at this request, there are numerous admins and editors who have serious doubts over the Committee's unblocking of what is suspected, with a high level of good faith and WP:DUCK evidence, to be a banned disruptive sockpuppet. Do you think it is appropriate that after nearly a month and a half:
The last question is especially important as there are numerous uninvolved admins and admins who have previously dealt with the user in question, who are too "afraid" of going over the Committee's head, even in the face of evidence; if one assumes ownership of a problem as the current Committee has, then surely the current Committee must also assume ownership of their actual ownership of the problem possibly being part of said problem. If one looks at the answers thus far given at the request from arbiters closely, one can see that there seems to be a theme amongst arbs to suggest that the Community block the editor for other current issues; all the while the Committee avoids answering Community concerns at the actual clarification request. However, the other issues have only strengthened the opinion of sockpuppetry amongst other members of the Community.
As an arbiter who is seeking re-election, I would also request a response to the following:
I would like to apologize for the late questions, I've only just gotten the time to write them. If you see a question that you've already answered or one that is similar, please proceed to answer it, you may think of a new way to explain your idea/answer. Please answer all of these questions, they will weigh in heavily when I vote.
Thank you, JoeGazz ♂ 22:06, 26 November 2011 (UTC)
Have you ever, as a sitting arb, had private communication (IRC, email, etc) with a potential or actual litigant in an Arb case advising them as to what action to take to strengthen their case, construed broadly?
If an editor creates multiple accounts to edit articles in different subject areas, not realising that this is in breach of WP:SOCK, how should he or she be dealt with? Thanks. Martinevans123 ( talk) 20:25, 9 December 2011 (UTC)
I've now served on the Arbitration Committee for nearly five years—from January 2007 until July 2009, and from January 2010 onward. The focus of my attention has generally been drafting case decisions (I've written more than sixty) and managing the organizational and procedural aspects of the Committee's day-to-day work (I was the coordinating arbitrator from February 2009 to July 2009, and have been the deputy coordinating arbitrator since February 2010); but, over the years, I've had the opportunity to participate in just about every possible aspect of an arbitrator's role.
I stand before you on the depth and breadth of my experience with the arbitration process, and on my proven track record as an arbitrator. I will not claim to be perfect—no arbitrator is—nor to have pleased everyone with my decisions; but I have always sought to act in the best interests of the project, and I believe that I've been a voice of reason and a driving force for efficiency, transparency, and professionalism among the arbitrators.
With the reduction in the size of the Committee and the transition to fewer overlapping tranches and shorter term lengths, the need for experienced arbitrators is greater than ever before. As the longest-serving of the current arbitrators—indeed, as the longest-serving arbitrator in the history of the Committee—I believe that I have a unique level of experience to offer. I've learned much about being an arbitrator over the years; and I would like to continue serving the community in that role, if the community will have me.
Mandatory statements and disclosures: As a sitting arbitrator, I am already identified to the Foundation and otherwise comply with the criteria for access to non-public data. I have not edited Wikipedia with any account other than User:Kirill Lokshin. ( proof of identification)
![]() | Arbitration Committee Election 2011 candidate:
Kirill Lokshin
|
Candidates are advised to answer each of these questions completely but concisely. Candidates may refuse to answer any questions that they do not wish to, with the understanding, however, that not answering a question may be perceived negatively by the community.
Note that disclosure of your account history, pursuant to the ArbCom selection and appointment policy, must be made in your opening statement, and is not an optional question.
Please ask your individual questions here. While there is no limit on the number of questions that may be asked, please try to keep questions relevant. Try to be as clear and concise as possible, and avoid duplicating questions that have already been asked.
Add your questions below the line using the following markup:
#Question:
#:A:
I use the answers to these questions to write my election guide; thus, not answering specific questions will affect my recommendation. Also, I may be asking about specific things outside the scope of ArbCom; your answers would be appreciated regardless.
The questions are similar to those I asked in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010; if you've already answered them, feel free to borrow from those. Please note that question 3 has drastically changed from what it was in past years, though.
The first 9 questions are short answer questions. The last question is a bit open-ended.
Thank you. Rs chen 7754 23:59, 11 November 2011 (UTC)
Restraining aggrieved parties in emotionally charged scenarios is central to the Committee’s role, and arbitrators are in principle exposed to legal action by those parties in a real-world jurisdiction. It matters little whether an action is launched or merely threatened, and whether it is quite unreasonable: the costs for an individual arb to forestall a default judgment in a foreign court would be considerable (and I believe it’s not hard to transfer an order to the courts in one’s local jurisdiction). The risk is greater because as volunteers we can’t be expected to provide professional mediation as an intermediary between wiki and real-world judicial processes—mediation that might head off litigation in the first place.
Given the WMF's annual income of some $20M, what is your view on whether the Foundation should:
Answer:
Looking over ArbCom cases from the past few years, it is clear to me that many times, editors involved in the dispute being heard in a particular case use the Workshop page as a platform to continue their disputes. These Workshop posts tend to take the form of 'finding of facts that the people on the other side of the dispute have committed heinous acts, heavy sanctions for the people on the other side of the dispute, and people on my side of the dispute get off without even a warning' (it's usually less transparent than that, but barely).
There is a still open RfC at Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests/Clarification#Request_for_clarification:_Arbcom-unblocked_editors. As evidenced at this request, there are numerous admins and editors who have serious doubts over the Committee's unblocking of what is suspected, with a high level of good faith and WP:DUCK evidence, to be a banned disruptive sockpuppet. Do you think it is appropriate that after nearly a month and a half:
The last question is especially important as there are numerous uninvolved admins and admins who have previously dealt with the user in question, who are too "afraid" of going over the Committee's head, even in the face of evidence; if one assumes ownership of a problem as the current Committee has, then surely the current Committee must also assume ownership of their actual ownership of the problem possibly being part of said problem. If one looks at the answers thus far given at the request from arbiters closely, one can see that there seems to be a theme amongst arbs to suggest that the Community block the editor for other current issues; all the while the Committee avoids answering Community concerns at the actual clarification request. However, the other issues have only strengthened the opinion of sockpuppetry amongst other members of the Community.
As an arbiter who is seeking re-election, I would also request a response to the following:
I would like to apologize for the late questions, I've only just gotten the time to write them. If you see a question that you've already answered or one that is similar, please proceed to answer it, you may think of a new way to explain your idea/answer. Please answer all of these questions, they will weigh in heavily when I vote.
Thank you, JoeGazz ♂ 22:06, 26 November 2011 (UTC)
Have you ever, as a sitting arb, had private communication (IRC, email, etc) with a potential or actual litigant in an Arb case advising them as to what action to take to strengthen their case, construed broadly?
If an editor creates multiple accounts to edit articles in different subject areas, not realising that this is in breach of WP:SOCK, how should he or she be dealt with? Thanks. Martinevans123 ( talk) 20:25, 9 December 2011 (UTC)