Disgraceful
Disclaimer: for the purpose of this text, "you" refers to Fandom the company, not you specifically.
Your decision to interfere in internal Wookieepedia decision-making here is completely unacceptable. For 16 years, the editors and administrators of Wookieepedia have built the ultimate Star Wars resource for your company to monetize, completely for free. Our policies and procedure have been carefully crafted by the community over the years and this process has always worked. We take great pride in our decision-making protocols and for you to completely undermine that process in such an egregious way must be assumed to be in bad faith.
This particular Consensus track thread has been particularly controversial due to its topic and the fact that it was blasted on Twitter by some misguided people. The vote was due to be closed in nine hours from now, with a clear consensus in support of the amendment, which would have been a desirable outcome for both the Twitter mob and Fandom the company. Instead you have decided to intervene in an attempt to appease a crowd that cannot be appeased, overruling and humiliating the administration working hard to protect the integrity of the democratic process of Wookieepedia. Furthermore, this decision by Fandom came completely unexpected and there was no attempt at communication beforehand. You even have two current Wookieepedia administrators employed by Fandom right now. The fact that this intervention was not communicated beforehand to the administration is disgraceful. We have worked alongside you—while not always in agreement—for over a decade and this is the respect you show us. Spineless.
Furthermore, you have overridden multiple blocks handed out by a veteran Wookieepedia administrator and bureaucrat. No attempt at communication was made beforehand. These blocks, while controversial from a PR perspective, are in line with Wookieepedia policy approved by the community years ago. Hiding behind your new Global blocking policy does not work because it is not April 1 and these blocks were made completely in line with established local policy. You have managed to, in a single action, overturn 16 years of precedent that local blocks are final and Fandom staff will not get involved. In the process, you've managed to set a new precedent where any block will be overturned if the Twitter mob gets angry enough. Good job.
In summary, you have managed to not only make a terrible decision, but also deliver it in the worst possible way, showing absolutely zero good faith toward the community. I have edited Fandom since 2009 and there have always been actions that I have disagreed with, but even with those in mind, I was not expecting this kind of shameless action to even be on the map. Any good will I held for Fandom is gone. This is truly a shame because our wiki representatives have been fantastic and incredibly helpful during the UCP transition. However, with the recent turn of events, I am no longer sure if I want to be complicit in this trainwreck and will seriously be considering resigning as Wookieepedia administrator after nine years.
Finally, the fact that you explicitly state that "[you] will not be participating in a debate here or elsewhere right now" is so laughable that you might as well spit us in the face. Words are not enough to describe how utterly disappointed I am in those who took this decision.
Regards,
1358 (Talk) 19:54, 29 March 2021 (UTC)
Wookieepedia administrator since 2011