Last modified: 2013-06-05 13:51:43 UTC
If I'm logged in and go to create an account via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:UserLogin/signup I am able to create a secondary account without providing a reason as to why I'm creating a new account. This problem occurs on both the old and new versions of the account creation forms. I think you should have to explain why you are creating a new account (whilst you're already logged in to your own account), so please can we make this compulsory for this form which is only shown to logged in users?
I think this is reasonable, but I'd recommend having some kind of quick on-wiki discussion with account creators on English Wikipedia about this.
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Being one of the original account creators myself (I was there when it was still on a wiki page!), I don't think they'll have any objections as you should always provide a reason when you create an account, and the ACC tool on the Toolserver automatically includes a reason when you click on the "Create" link. However I'm happy to ask on-wiki for support if you still think it's needed?
Hmmm. I don't see a good reason to require a reason be filled in to create an account any more than I do to make an edit, delete a page, move a page, create a page, upload a file, etc. The CheckUser extension provides some precedent for requiring a reason field be filled in, but that seems tenuous. For what it's worth, requiring (or rather, reminding users about) the use of an edit summary is a perennial proposal on the English Wikipedia: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REQCOM>. Making this field mandatory would also be considered a breaking change in the MediaWiki API, I believe. It's unclear how much effect this would have.
(In reply to comment #4) > Hmmm. I don't see a good reason to require a reason be filled in to create an > account any more than I do to make an edit, delete a page, move a page, > create > a page, upload a file, etc. The CheckUser extension provides some precedent > for > requiring a reason field be filled in, but that seems tenuous. > > For what it's worth, requiring (or rather, reminding users about) the use of > an > edit summary is a perennial proposal on the English Wikipedia: > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REQCOM>. > > Making this field mandatory would also be considered a breaking change in the > MediaWiki API, I believe. It's unclear how much effect this would have. Note that Thehelpfulone only specified requiring the reason field when you're already logged in, meaning you're creating a secondary account or an account on behalf of someone else.
(In reply to comment #5) > Note that Thehelpfulone only specified requiring the reason field when you're > already logged in, meaning you're creating a secondary account or an account > on behalf of someone else. Right, I understand that. :-) And I even considered that you could have an automatic edit summary (which is what page creations and page deletions have/had(?)), but then I remembered that all the important info (who is creating the account and when) is already logged.
