A new minor image upload restriction?

[Antvasima]

Hello.

As you probably know, the images featured in most of our profiles are unprotected from regular members uploading new versions of the images, and now it seems like the trolls have begun with a new type of vandalism by replacing them with pornography and Nazi imagery.

This likely wouldn't be a big problem if we could immediately notice this by monitoring the recent changes pages, but I don't think that we can, as I don't remember noticing image replacements in my daily monitoring of the wiki, which can potentially create major problems for us.

As such, I wonder if you think that it is acceptable to ask Fandom to impose a small new image upload restriction by not allowing non-staff members to replace already existing images with new ones that are named the exact same way.

This is just a tiny inconvenience, as they would still be free to upload all images that are named something else.

As a side benefit, it would also mostly get rid of the risk of accidentally replacing profile images with common file names with something unrelated.

I would appreciate if we can keep this discussion calm and respectful, without accusations. Thank you.

NOTE: STAFF ONLY

 

[Kaltias]

It is actually possible to keep an eye on the uploads using this

https://vsbattles.fandom.com/wiki/Special:ListFiles?useskin=oasis

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

Question: if the bell can link to fourm threads like this one, why not just use it to highlight threads directly?

 

[Antvasima]

Yes, but that would take considerable extra time that I do not have available, and I am not sure to what extent other staff members regularly monitor new changes.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

I'd be okay with the change but am ultimately neutral. I think it could be observed using extra manpower, but I'd also tend to believe that said extra manpower could be better spent elsewhere and it's a minor issue since (at least for me) a regular user rarely needs to actually change an image. Plus they could just get a staff member to change the image for them if such a thing arises.

 

[Antvasima]

Yes, I also think that this would be a very small inconvenience, and that it would save us a lot of work time.

 

[First_Witch]

Neutral. I dont like the though of upping up limitations for normal users because of trolls but there are naturally good points too.

 

[Antvasima]

Question: if the bell can link to fourm threads like this one, why not just use it to highlight threads directly?

We can currently only highlight one thread at once, but I have told Fandom that the new system is not working out well, and they have told their technical team about my and other wikis' complaints.

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

OK.

 

[1997KD]

Agree with op,otherwise trolls only going to increase our work

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

I don't mind.

 

[Skalt711]

I accept this change. If we don't apply it, it means that staff would have more intensively monitor file additions/changes as an extra work. If we apply it, it means that the work will be a bit lessened. Profit!

 

[Sir_Ovens]

I'm for this. Won't change much in the realm of updating profile pictuses anyway.

 

[Monarch_Laciel]

I'm for this. If a legit user wants to upload a replacement image, doesn't take much to get to an admin's message wall and ask them to do so.

 

[Antvasima]

Yes. Agreed.

 

[The_real_cal_howard]

It doesn't look like non-staff can't upload an image with this. Just that they can't replace the name of a pic with something that already exists. Which isn't really a restriction st all and only stops trolls. I don't think I've ever once used that function, for example.

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

I've only used it three times, and two of those were on FC/OC.

 

[Antvasima]

@Cal

That is correct, yes. It would be a very minor restriction that will only truly inconvenience trolls.

 

[Antvasima]

The Fandom staff has told me that they have now made this minor tweak to the image upload settings.

 

[The_King_of_Prudence]

It's working.

 

[AKM sama]

I agree with this. It's really very easy for trolls to override the images in our profiles with something else and we already have many haters, they'll just increase our workload.

Plus, it isn't like users necessarily have to override old images when they can just upload another one. And, in the very sparse extreme cases, they can just ask a staff member.

All in all, this change would affect next to nothing for our regular users but at the same time increase our security and reduce our workload.

 

[Wokistan]

Yeah, this seems fine. People accidentally override images occasionally as well, which is stopped by this, and not being able to do this isn't really a big hindrance to reg users since they can just upload a new pic.

 

[DarkDragonMedeus]

I'm leaning towards accepting to OP's suggestion; if people want to update images, they could give it a different name rather than replacing the already existing name. Plus, it might be a lot of work to make much of the images used on locked and/or popular characters Admin protected, but that could be the alternative.

 

[Bobsican]

I also agree.

Man, I still remember when I replaced some pictures with the exact same ones only because I didn´t knew how to search for the picture, and I just uploaded it again after downloading the original one.

 

[Mand21]

Yeah, this is pretty agreeable, I like it. Maybe a tiny pornography filter for the most extreme of cases, if that even exists, but if it doesn't, then that restriction would suffice to lessen the workload a little.

 

[Uselessnoob245]

Overwrite is only used by trolls when they try to overwrite images of the character that are locked/Admin Protected, otherwise, they would be editing the page or try to overwrite the image that the user has uploaded for the blame.