[OASIS Issue Tracker] (ETMF-9) Use of LinkedIn for Public Discussions

[OASIS Issues Tracker <workgroup_mailer@lists.oasis-open.org>]

    [ https://tools.oasis-open.org/issues/browse/ETMF-9?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=36894#comment-36894 ] 

Robin Cover commented on ETMF-9:
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On the use of the eTMF LinkedIn Group: I agree with the Esteemed Honorable Most Right Reverend Peter Alterman (hi, Peter!) that we want to focus energy on the TC's technical work and avoid distractions of all kinds.

On the other hand, and respecting Peter's admonition to focus: I think the posting sent by Carol Geyer on the LinkedIn Group topic is important for the long-term health of the OASIS eTMF TC.  See: LinkedIn Groups on OASIS work at https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/etmf/201403/msg00027.html . 

In my OASIS Staff role as Director of Information Services (and other roles), I monitor issues that bear on public perception of OASIS venues being open to the public, being accountable/auditable, and being managed to the benefit of all parties. "Open" in "OASIS Open" is something we take very seriously, and that includes positioning of any forum that's associated with an OASIS Technical Committee.

Let me highlight four particular points made in Carol Geyer's message to the TC list, with a bit more detail to explain the relevance for the eTMF LinkedIn Group, which has now attracted significant public attention (congratulations!).

1. The LinkedIn Group should provide clear instructions/guidance for the users/readers that the LinkedIn Group is not an appropriate forum for proposing technical solutions, or for discussing technical alternatives for the TC's deliverables, or for commenting on draft deliverables. Carol provides some guidance on how to reference the proper venues for tech dicsussion and comments on draft TC work

2. Anyone wishing to join the LinkedIn Group must be allowed to join. That is: while specific postings to the Group (from anyone who has joined) might be moderated by the owner or designated Group Manager(s) to filter out spam, the right to join the Group MUST NOT be moderated or conditioned upon any qualifications.

[Note: Recently, Chet Ensign and I have both been denied LinkedIn Group "approval" for some Groups where we thought Group membership/participation was critical for education about OASIS Technical Work (LegalCiteM): that notion of "qualification" in order to join a LinkedIn Group is not "open" as we understand the requirement for "open" and equal-access participation]

3. Postings/comments made to the Group should be respected as permanent, and not subject to modification or redaction: this principle is honored in all OASIS venues, whether for TC members or for the non-OASIS public as participants.  This is just part of the OASIS DNA about accountability, openness, transparency, and respect for the reliable record of contributions.  In all venues, some comments/postings are better than others in myriad ways. If assertions in postings are judged to be incorrect, incomplete, or otherwise misleading, it is the right and obligation of members to supply followup postings/comments.  That principle applies to associated LinkedIn Groups just as it does for all OASIS related venues (TC Wikis, TC mailing lists, JIRA Issues [comments], TC version control system, Kavi document repository, etc.

4. OASIS Staff (at least one) must be designated in the Group Manager role for the LinkedIn Group, which helps ensure timely administrative responses and commitment to a sense of decorum (check-and-balance for management of the Group to equal benefit of all TC members and forum readers).

Thanks.

- Robin Cover

> Use of LinkedIn for Public Discussions
> --------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: ETMF-9
>                 URL: https://tools.oasis-open.org/issues/browse/ETMF-9
>             Project: OASIS Electronic Trial Master File (eTMF) Standard TC
>          Issue Type: Task
>          Components: General
>            Reporter: Eldin Rammell
>
> The "eTMF Standards" LinkedIn group was created by Zack/CareLex in September 2013 prior to the establishment of the TC. There has been no formal discussion or decision by the OASIS TC to make use of this resource and yet it appears on the OASIS TC web page as a resource for the public to use. If this resource is to be the preferred forum for discussion and debate by members of the public who are not TC members, the forum must be (a) open to all and (b) allow unmoderated comments. Currently, members of the public may only join the group if approved by the group owner. The moderation of comments on the group by the group owner introduces a time delay before comments are published (not appropriate in a digital global environment) and introduces the possibility of bias. It should be noted that published comments could be subsequently deleted if considered inappropriate by the TC or if obviously contrary to the permitted use (e.g. company advertising). Finally, the LinkedIn group includes a logo designed and used by CareLex, rather than the standard OASIS logo or any other logo approved by the TC/OASIS.



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