Anonymous edits: Difference between revisions

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m (Disabling anonymous edits moved to Anonymous edits: No longer 'Disabling' it is disabled (has been for a long time) and will soon be abolished altogether)
(rewrite stressing "tiny minority" and update about April 2009 changes)
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OpenStreetMap originally permitted '''anonymous edits''', meaning edits with no form of attribution identifying a user.
⚫
OpenStreetMap allows anyone to create an account and edit the map. You can choose any username you like - let's say "Mapper32". No-one need find out who you really are!


⚫
OpenStreetMap still allows complete anonymity in so far as anyone can create an account and edit the map. You can choose any username you like - let's say "Mapper32". No-one need find out who you really are!
⚫
Originally, you could edit completely anonymously. In other words, your changes would not even be attributed as "Mapper32".

⚫
Originally though, you could edit without even having the edits attributed to "Mapper32".


Unfortunately, this meant that anonymous mappers - usually accidentally - could delete other people's hard work, and it was impossible for anyone to contact them. If experienced OpenStreetMap users had the chance to contact such users, via the site's own message system, then they could help them to avoid such mistakes, reducing the chances of work being deleted.
Unfortunately, this meant that anonymous mappers - usually accidentally - could delete other people's hard work, and it was impossible for anyone to contact them. If experienced OpenStreetMap users had the chance to contact such users, via the site's own message system, then they could help them to avoid such mistakes, reducing the chances of work being deleted.


== Anonymous editing phased out ==
'''As of November 2007, this has changed. You are no longer permitted to use the online editor anonymously.''' Before using it, you have to have clicked "Make my edits public" (on the user settings page).

In 2007 we changed it so that any newly registering users would not be able to put their account into this mode. We also disallowed use of anonymous editing accounts via the online editor ([[Potlatch]]). The result of this, is that a very small minority of users are still making edits in anonymous mode today.

As of April 2009 these users will be forced to leave anonymous editing mode if they wish to make further edits using any editor. See the [http://www.nabble.com/Anonymous-Editing-td21815515.html mailing list announcement]
__NOTOC__
== I am in anonymous mode. How can I carry on editing? ==

Firstly this only affects the tiny minority of people who joined OSM before 2007 and are still in anonymous editing mode. If you are not one of these people, you can stop reading now!

⚫
Log into the main site as usual, then click on your username at the top right of the screen. Click "my settings". click the button "Make my edits public".


== So how do I make my edits public? ==
=== What does the "Make my edits public" button do? What about my privacy? ===


The "Make my edits public" button means that your edits on OpenStreetMap (including past edits) will be attributed to your user account. Your display name will appear alongside the edits, and people will be able to see these and send you a message via the website.
⚫
Log into the main site as usual, then click on your username at the top right of the screen. Click "my settings", and scroll down. At the bottom of the page, click "Make my edits public".


Your e-mail address will still never be made public (as per [[Privacy Policy]]) It's only your mapping username that is associated with changes to the map. If you don't want anyone to find out who Mapper32 really is, they won't.
== What about my privacy? ==


⚫
This is the way it is already set up for the vast majority of OSM users. The change brings us more into line with successful communities like [http://www.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia]. If you have an account at Wikipedia, your username is always described in the history of pages you edit, and people can send you messages. Even if you don't have an account, your IP address (your computer's unique identifier on the Internet) is marked, which people can use to send you messages via Wikipedia.
For now, you can use [[JOSM]] or [[Merkaartor]] instead of Potlatch if you don't want your edits to be attributed to a screen name.


Your e-mail address will still never be made public. It's only your mapping username that is associated with changes to the map. If you don't want anyone to find out who Mapper32 really is, they won't.
If you have only edited map data in the area you live in, then people will be able to look at your set of edits and get a rough idea of where you live, but remember, it's only your mapping username that is associated with changes to the map. If you don't want anyone to find out who Mapper32 really is, they won't. If you are concerned about people discovering your real name, or cross correlating information from other online communities where you use the same name, you could always change your display name to something more anonymous. This comes with its own disadvantages. Using real names or sticking with the same identity across several websites helps you build up reputation and trust.


Your username is also never associated with your GPS tracks, unless you expressly click "public" for each track. This ensures that people can't find out where you live.
For uploading GPS tracks, note that your username is not associated with your GPS tracks, unless you expressly click "public" for each track.


=== Alternatives ===
⚫
The change brings us more into line with successful communities like [http://www.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia]. If you have an account at Wikipedia, your username is always described in the history of pages you edit, and people can send you messages. Even if you don't have an account, your IP address (your computer's unique identifier on the Internet) is marked, which people can use to send you messages via Wikipedia.


If you don't want to click the "Make my edits public" button, your only alternatives are to (A) Make no further edits to OpenStreetMap or (B) Leave your anonymous account lying dormant, and register a new user account (which will not be in anonymous editing mode) This is not recommended. We strongly encourage you to stick with one user account for one user, and simply click "Make my edits public" without worry about it, for all the good reasons outlined above.
== What does this affect? ==


== See also ==
To begin with, this change only affects [[Potlatch]], the online editor. However, as there has been widespread support for the change throughout the OpenStreetMap community, it is quite likely that it will apply to all other edits (e.g. using [[JOSM]]) in time.


* [http://www.nabble.com/Anonymous-Editing-td21815515.html mailing list announcement]
If you want to read up more about the debate concerning this, it has been extensively discussed on the [http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Alists.openstreetmap.org+anonymous+%222007-October%22 mailing lists], most recently on the 'talk' list in October 2007.
* Older extensive discussions [http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Alists.openstreetmap.org+anonymous+%222007-October%22 2007 mailing lists]

Revision as of 14:05, 18 April 2009

OpenStreetMap originally permitted anonymous edits, meaning edits with no form of attribution identifying a user.

OpenStreetMap still allows complete anonymity in so far as anyone can create an account and edit the map. You can choose any username you like - let's say "Mapper32". No-one need find out who you really are!

Originally though, you could edit without even having the edits attributed to "Mapper32".

Unfortunately, this meant that anonymous mappers - usually accidentally - could delete other people's hard work, and it was impossible for anyone to contact them. If experienced OpenStreetMap users had the chance to contact such users, via the site's own message system, then they could help them to avoid such mistakes, reducing the chances of work being deleted.

Anonymous editing phased out

In 2007 we changed it so that any newly registering users would not be able to put their account into this mode. We also disallowed use of anonymous editing accounts via the online editor (Potlatch). The result of this, is that a very small minority of users are still making edits in anonymous mode today.

As of April 2009 these users will be forced to leave anonymous editing mode if they wish to make further edits using any editor. See the mailing list announcement

I am in anonymous mode. How can I carry on editing?

Firstly this only affects the tiny minority of people who joined OSM before 2007 and are still in anonymous editing mode. If you are not one of these people, you can stop reading now!

Log into the main site as usual, then click on your username at the top right of the screen. Click "my settings". click the button "Make my edits public".

What does the "Make my edits public" button do? What about my privacy?

The "Make my edits public" button means that your edits on OpenStreetMap (including past edits) will be attributed to your user account. Your display name will appear alongside the edits, and people will be able to see these and send you a message via the website.

Your e-mail address will still never be made public (as per Privacy Policy) It's only your mapping username that is associated with changes to the map. If you don't want anyone to find out who Mapper32 really is, they won't.

This is the way it is already set up for the vast majority of OSM users. The change brings us more into line with successful communities like Wikipedia. If you have an account at Wikipedia, your username is always described in the history of pages you edit, and people can send you messages. Even if you don't have an account, your IP address (your computer's unique identifier on the Internet) is marked, which people can use to send you messages via Wikipedia.

If you have only edited map data in the area you live in, then people will be able to look at your set of edits and get a rough idea of where you live, but remember, it's only your mapping username that is associated with changes to the map. If you don't want anyone to find out who Mapper32 really is, they won't. If you are concerned about people discovering your real name, or cross correlating information from other online communities where you use the same name, you could always change your display name to something more anonymous. This comes with its own disadvantages. Using real names or sticking with the same identity across several websites helps you build up reputation and trust.

For uploading GPS tracks, note that your username is not associated with your GPS tracks, unless you expressly click "public" for each track.

Alternatives

If you don't want to click the "Make my edits public" button, your only alternatives are to (A) Make no further edits to OpenStreetMap or (B) Leave your anonymous account lying dormant, and register a new user account (which will not be in anonymous editing mode) This is not recommended. We strongly encourage you to stick with one user account for one user, and simply click "Make my edits public" without worry about it, for all the good reasons outlined above.

See also

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