Platform: Website (and presumably all platforms)
App version number, if a mobile app issue: N/A
Browser, if a website issue: Chrome (and presumably all browsers)
URLs (aka web addresses) of any relevant observations or pages:
Don’t want to publicly share a specific observation (no need to draw attention to it), but can provide an example for Staff if needed.
Screenshots of what you are seeing: Don’t want to publicly share a specific example, but can provide an example for Staff if needed.
Description of problem:
I’ve found an observation where:
Step 1: Joke/insult ID was made in April 2024
Step 2: Joke/insult ID was hidden by a curator in May 2024
Step 3: Taxon change involving the joke/insult taxon was committed in August 2024
Step 4: The taxon change was documented in the typical manner within the observation. While the original joke/insult ID remains hidden, the joke/insult content is again fully visible due to the taxon change documentation.
Often the photo is also hidden along with the identification (which mitigates the issue) but not always (and not in the case I came across).
I think this qualifies as a bug, as it’s probably not our desire to have taxon changes reveal hidden content, but do with this what you will. Thanks!
8 Likes
What do you refer to as “hiding” ?
If there should be a way to abuse a citizen science platform to create generic hidden spaces of non-compliant content, that would be indeed concerning.
I’d not expect a platform so much dependent on peer review and so much focused on interpersonal habits could allow this. The more as you mention that two users (one curator) were jointly involved.
I have seen multiple examples of observer and reviewer working hand in hand, pushing things research grade which I myself would not call an observation. But nothing was hidden - by primary logic of event.
1 Like
curators within iNaturalist have the ability to ‘hide’ content (i.e., mask from public view), such as comments or identifications, that breach platform guidelines. For example, intentionally incorrect identifications, or comments that contain racist or sexist abuse. This is what is being referred to
10 Likes
iNat’s documentation lays out clear guidelines for the hiding functionality that OP is referring to. The curator action documented there is in line with iNat’s guidelines on its use:
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/curator+guide#spam
3 Likes
Many thanks to you and thebeachcomber for the explanation.
No debate from my side if deletion or hiding would be the better option.
I know, database management has its own rules and requirements from the IT and data logic perspective.