DWG Activity Report for Jan-Jun 2013

From OpenStreetMap Foundation

In the first half year of 2013, DWG handled approximately 110 cases (see attached list). Some cases are quickly identified as non-issues, but many require detailed investigation and communication, the blocking of users and/or the reverting of edits.

In addition to that everyday work, we had an IRC meeting where we decided on a work plan (DWG Plan 2013.pdf), and in the course of deciding on the first indefinite block issued for an active user (the NE2 case) we wrote a document that outlines the process of blocking users and the means of appeal. This document is currently being considered by the OSMF management team and will be published shortly. We have also done preliminary work on a policy that describes the general expectations regarding good behaviour in the project, but that will have to be consolidated with other efforts in the same direction and will require broader discussion on OSMF-talk.

The first half of 2013 was also when we received and handled the first ever DMCA takedown notice for OSM. We have given some input to LWG who set up a general policy on dealing with DMCA takedown notices; that policy will be published after it has been cross-checked by the OSMF board.

We are always looking for people to help us shoulder the work we have; ideally, we're looking for people with a long experience in OSM, with the technical know-how to investigate and revert edits, and who have a good standing in their local OSM community.

Following is a list of cases in which DWG was involved during the first half of 2013. This list is not necessarily complete, but almost. (In the case of territorial disputes the country listed is either the country Nominatim reports the activity was in or the country the user believes the area belongs to and does not represent a DWG decision on the dispute.)

Month Country Topic
Jan 2013 Estonia house number “import” from cadastral data
Jan 2013 Norway use of incompatible source
Jan 2013 China incorrect mapping by new user
Jan 2013 Canada mass deletion/recreation of power lines
Jan 2013 Ireland serial vandalism
Jan 2013 China suspicious import
Jan 2013 Chile use of incompatible source
Jan 2013 France anti redaction bot activity
Jan 2013 Germany user being overly protective of his edits
Jan 2013 Ecuador bad import
Jan 2013 Bolivia use of incompatible source
Jan 2013 Spain vandalism
Jan 2013 UAE bad editing
Jan 2013 USA DMCA takedown request
Jan 2013 Brazil bad editing
Jan 2013 Germany user being overly protective of his edits
Jan 2013 Austria bad import
Jan 2013 Philippines use of incompatible source
Jan 2013 France bad import
Jan 2012 Spain bad import
Jan 2013 Algeria bad import
Jan 2013 France bad import
Jan 2013 Japan bad import
Jan 2013 Canada undiscussed import
Jan 2013 France bad import
Jan 2013 France bad import
Feb 2013 Azerbaijan vandalism
Feb 2013 Australia use of incompatible source
Feb 2013 USA personality issue
Feb 2013 Kenya conflict; user impersonating OSMF official
Feb 2013 Haiti fictional data
Feb 2013 USA use of incompatible source
Feb 2013 USA fictional data
Feb 2013 UK conflict; user impersonating OSMF official
Feb 2013 Russia vandalism
Feb 2013 UK undiscussed import
Feb 2013 Latvia undiscussed import
Feb 2013 France bad import
Feb 2013 France bad import
Feb 2013 Sweden undiscussed import
Feb 2013 Japan bad import
Mar 2013 -- editor fault corrupting data
Mar 2013 Germany vandalism
Mar 2013 Germany vandalism
Mar 2013 Germany suspicious edits
Mar 2013 USA use of incompatible source
Mar 2013 Korea territorial dispute
Mar 2013 USA fictional data
Mar 2013 Japan bad import
Mar 2013 France bad import
Mar 2013 Albania undiscussed import
Mar 2013 Italy bad import
Mar 2013 France bad import
Apr 2013 UK use of incompatible source
Apr 2013 Turkey use of incompatible source
Apr 2013 USA bad import
Apr 2013 China territorial dispute
Apr 2013 Canada vandalism
Apr 2013 Mexico new user making mistakes
Apr 2013 UK un-discussed mass edits
Apr 2013 USA use of incompatible source
Apr 2013 Korea territorial dispute
Apr 2013 Korea territorial dispute
Apr 2013 Korea territorial dispute
Apr 2013 Korea territorial dispute
Apr 2013 Turkey use of incompatible source
Apr 2013 USA undiscussed import
Apr 2013 Canada bad import
Apr 2013 USA use of incompatible source
Apr 2013 Poland undiscussed import
Apr 2013 Cameroon undiscussed import
Apr 2013 France bad import
Apr 2013 France bad import
Apr 2013 France bad import
Apr 2013 Australia undiscussed import
Apr 2013 USA bad import
May 2013 Cambodia use of incompatible source
May 2013 Germany vandalism
May 2013 South Africa duplicated place IDs
May 2013 Ukraine dispute
May 2013 Cyprus government communication
May 2013 Germany request for removal of person's name
May 2013 worldwide mass retagging for OpenSeaMap
May 2013 Japan territorial dispute
May 2013 France use of incompatible source
May 2013 Sweden undiscussed mass edit
May 2013 USA undiscussed import
May 2013 Germany undiscussed mass edit
May 2013 worldwide vandalism
May 2013 Poland undiscussed mass edit
May 2013 France bad import
May 2013 USA test uploads to main API
May 2013 Korea territorial dispute
May 2013 UK undiscussed import
May 2013 Italy undiscussed import
May 2013 Denmark undiscussed import
Jun 2013 Romania conflict; autocratic user
Jun 2013 Russia conflict; unresponsive new user damaging data
Jun 2013 Turkey bad edits
Jun 2013 Albania use of incompatible source
Jun 2013 Ethiopia GPX trace vandalism
Jun 2013 Poland dispute about names
Jun 2013 Brazil undiscussed import
Jun 2013 France bad import
Jun 2013 Denmark undiscussed import
Jun 2013 Australia undiscussed import
Jun 2013 France bad import
Jun 2013 China use of incompatible source
Jun 2013 Italy undiscussed import