Data Working Group/DWG 2023-12-14 Resolution banning accounts related to beautifulplaces et al

From OpenStreetMap Foundation

Summary

The OSMF Data Working Group has decided to (where possible) block all OSM accounts related to the person behind the "Beautifulplaces" account (userid 7581226). This user has been intimidating members of especially the Austrian community for many years.

History

Since at least 2018 (see e.g. https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-at/2018-February/009114.html and https://community.openstreetmap.org/t/quantitat-vor-qualitat/84369 ), the Austrian community (among others) have had problems with edits by this user. These were made using many different OSM accounts (including "beautifulplaces" and derivative spellings, "geocodec", "wikithemap", "addresshistory*org" etc.) These accounts were frequently renamed and many are now deleted. Estimates of the total number have suggested over 100 in total.

A sample of problematic edits and problematic comments on other edits (just from one small time period) includes https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/55333453 , https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/90779898 , https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/95568537 , https://www.openstreetmap.org/changeset/89113969 .

Attempts to help them

The community and the DWG have made considerable effort to try and resolve these issues amicably, and help this user to overcome their difficulties. Offers of help have been both public and private. See e.g. https://www.openstreetmap.org/user_blocks/5130 and https://www.openstreetmap.org/user_blocks/4634l and links from there for one set of public attempts; for reference Ticket#2021062010000054 was a private attempt by the DWG to help.

Current Situation

Unfortunately, this has been all to no avail. A vote was therefore held within the DWG with the result that this person should be banned from the project. In addition to this text, the fact that a long-term block has been imposed will be announced in the Austrian forum, and in the moderator's area of the forum.

Most of the accounts created by this user have been self-deleted. If any obvious ones remain, block messages will be updated to link to the block announcement on the Austrian forum. Should any new accounts be created that appear to be the work of this user, we will block those accounts and ask that the user discusses their edits with the DWG (per https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Ban_Policy#Blocks_until_a_particular_action_has_been_taken ). If such a block was in error, it will be revoked.

The OSMF board of directors are aware of this decision.

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